Hacker News Reader

Comment by gpsx | Hacker News Reader

I think one problem in the US is that we have a medical system that is paid to medically treat people. We need a health care system that is paid to keep people healthy. In this case, advancement would mean more people are healthy. It might include, for example, figuring out how to get people to eat better food and exercise.

View on HN

Medical systems are poor solution for basic individual health. The problem is a rampant consumerist mindset. You can't pay someone to eat healthier for you or exercise for you. We already know how to eat better and exercise, we just don't want to do it.

There's no magic words or pills that a doctor can give someone to solve this problem - it cant be outsourced.

I suspect this may change. The same powers used to lock down businesses and people may unfortunately be used to force resolution of this issue. I know that sounds crazy right now but if you look at various CDC and NIH reports, the medical crisis surrounding obesity, heart disease, diabetes alone will be enough to financially end the sovereignty of most first world countries. I have no idea what that will look like but it isn't far away. Whatever that translates into, it will certainly happen in our lifetimes. Here [1] is a brief discussion on the reports.

[1] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LTWJOi3bCo [video]

Oh, I believe there will be an effort to address the problem. I just don't think it will be effective because it doesn't address the root cause. It is just another shift in the consumerist mindset that doesn't work: EG pay someone (the government) make it go away.

All the consumer warnings in the world won't solve the problem.

All the consumer warnings in the world won't solve the problem.

I agree, warnings will solve nothing. We've had warnings for a long time. I would expect more drastic measures like presidential executive orders of eminent domain like those used to seize steel mills during WWII. Companies making unhealthy things could become government property and liquidated, maybe. How to get people to not be sedentary? No idea. Draft everyone and put em in boot camp I guess? Half kidding, but I don't know what we can do. Maybe someone will create a virus that targets people with preexisting issues like diabetes and heart disease to wipe the financial burden/liability. Or perhaps a new VR MMO that gets everyone addicted to it and people have to move around a lot, funded using the defense budget. Oh and this system is required to renew your government ID or drivers license. All government offices become "remote only" so everyone needs one. Internet LTE modem built in.

I don't think that any of that is really practical or would work.

The only solution I think would work is both very simple and very hard.

Convince people that they are responsible for their health behaviors, and have the power to change them if they want.

This is a very heavy lift because most people have been indoctrinated to believe that they are powerless to enact change, and purely products of their environment. This is reinforced by a host of organizations that profit or gain power by people believing this.

Doctors, therapists, governments and others can help people make changes, but can't do it for them. People need to take responsibility for their problems and implementing solutions in order for any help to be effective.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com