Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I understand why people smoke even though they know it's bad for them

 My colleague tells me studies have found that if you drink a little bit of alcohol in just this right amount it reduces the risk of heart attack by 27%. Of course too much alcohol and you get liver damage and could die of that first.

Fear of death is the motivator behind those warning and the reason people follow them.

What ist the point of living if you spend all you time worried about dying ?

Based on the fear of death, all sorts of things can be said how to reduce your chances of dying of this or that.
Those warnings start to get almost like a religion.
do this ...
do that....
this is the best way to drink....
this is the best way to eat...
this is the best way to excercise ....
this is the best way to make love....
...best way to.....

...best way to....

Studies have found ...

"you know what ? I don't care what the studies have found! I'm not going to run my life by the ideas from the lastest groups of wanky experts - unless I'm really afraid of dying, and I'm not that afraid!"
"I think those experts like the power to sway and control people with fear"
"It sounds like a regligious thing almost with a creed that says
'we all believe in death as the ultimate evil,
'we believe that no expense be spared to prolong life even for one minute, one hour, one day'
'we belive in the power of science, mind and medicine'
'we believe in modern technology'
'we belive ...

 
Do those experts really believe and expect me to change my way of eating,
drinking,
shitting,
running,
excersiing
picking my nose
based on some academic study ?
Get out of there.

If I change things in life it is because *I* decide and because it feels right to ME.
If I want to eat at midnight every day I'll do it, if I want to run like crazy I'll do it.
If I want to smoke I'll do it and .............for all these things I'll pay a price.
Everyone pays a price for all things they do.
If you follow the panel of 'how live longer and reduce the risk of this n that" experts then you pay a price in loss of enjoyment! loss of autonomy and loss of freedom.

I don't like smoking by the way, but I REALLY REALLY understand people who smoke. I understand why the horrible pictures on the packets don't have much effect on them.
I suddenly understand the smokers :-)
I like their stand. Know the price and be willing to pay it ! YES! 
The non smokers will say "Tut tu, we told you so, serves you right"

And you know what else ? 
I might die of being shot, or accident, or go down with a plane, or bus or a ship, fall, or get malaria, colera or some deadly flu or whatever... totally unforseen. 
I might die of boredom and too much superannuation money,
In those final moments I'll think "shit, all those nice things I denied myself because I wanted to "reduce the risk of getting this or that, who would have thought I'd go THIS way ? " ha ha ha

I can hear the Expert say: "Ah you mentioned accident did you know if you wear this safety device you reduce your chance of accident by 33%"
"Shut up! I'll take the risk."

NOTE: risk is a statistical concept. It applies to LARGE groups, but is meaningless for individual cases.
Reducing your risk of getting XYZ is just that reducing a risk. it does not mean you don't get that XYZ thing. 
It just means in a LARGE group of people fewer will get it.
But for those who get it, they get it 100%.
If YOU get it, YOU've  GOT IT  100% !    ;-P

over n out -
signed : Grumpy old man (GoM)



comments:

take it from me - when you have a brush with the big C and you could
almost hear, smell, see and taste the face of death then suddenly you
will realise the meaning of LIFE and just as suddenly begin to realise
what your priorities should be !!!  What I am saying is you only need to
listen to yourself at all times even if you have to consider
well-intentioned people, too.


more comments: 

Hi,
        yes lots of choice and decisions can be  problem and reduce
happiness.

Typical solutions are-

  1. I hate making these decisions or do not understand them
      so I will agonize and get unhappy.

  2. I will ignore all the advice.

  3. I will put in the effort, decide on a  balance between risk and
benefit,
      and run with that.
      Only revisit if there is something notable that pops up,
      ignore not the noise of the media.

I like 3 myself, but at the risk of being elitist, it's only available to
people who are reasonably (even self) educated who have a skeptical view
of life.

regards  P


More thoughts by Haiko 12Feb10 

there is a popular misconception: that immunization means you never get stuff,
or that risk reduction means safety.

It does not.

Perhaps people should get cards in the mail:


Dear Mr Jones,

because of risk reduction for disease XYZ this year 37 fewer people have to die.
You are one of the lucky fewer.
You are healthy and free of disease XYZ because of the lower risks and initiative undertaken to prevent XYZ. If this initiative was not carried out your number would have been up.
Congratulations, please enjoy your life, knowing you just escaped the curtain call.

Sincerely the

disease XYZ risk reduction team


Same letter could be written by the Transport Accident commission (TAC)
Dear Mrs Smith,

The safety measures undertaken by the TAC this year have reduced the number of deaths on the road by 57.

We have talked with God and he informs us that YOU are one those 57 who did not have to die.
Please enjoy the extension to your life, if not for TAC you would dead now.

have a nice life

TAC accident reduction team

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