Declining longevity in Middle Class non-Hispanic Whites

Submitted by LeChienHarry on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 6:22am

Susan Grigsby at TOP wrote an excellent review of a study by Case and Denton which showed a large disparity especially in non-college educated (I would probably suggest "blue collar") white men, suicide, opiate overdose, and death from other groups.

Their report, titled "Rising morbidity and mortality in midlife among white non-Hispanic Americans in the 21st century,” was published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

Original report

And the final summary:

One wonders how much of that attitude is shared by the middle-aged Americans that Case and Deaton have examined. In discussing their original paper, Paul Starr of the American Prospect wrote:

The declining health of middle-aged white Americans may also shed light on the intensity of the political reaction taking place on the right today. The role of suicide, drugs, and alcohol in the white midlife mortality reversal is a signal of heightened desperation among a population in measurable decline. We are not talking merely about “status anxiety” due to rising immigrant populations and changing racial and gender relations. Nor are we talking only about stagnation in wages as if the problem were merely one of take-home pay. The phenomenon Case and Deaton have identified suggests a dire collapse of hope, and that same collapse may be propelling support for more radical political change. Much of that support is now going to Republican candidates, notably Donald Trump. Whether Democrats can compete effectively for that support on the basis of substantive economic and social policies will crucially affect the country’s political future.

We know the answer to that last question. They are not, as they have not yet shown any interest in doing anything to recognize or help those in trouble in our society.

Tags:

inequality

US demographics

decline

Vote

Comments

Submitted by LeChienHarry on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 6:29am

Excellent diary at TOP

Loss of Hope This is a link to TOP.

I highlighted the last sentence of the last quote because of where the perceived push for change or even recognition needs to come from. Have no idea how this would happen given the current climate.

—

You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you did not know. ~ William Wiberforce

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Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 10:34am

TOP is known for not caring about white, working class

@LeChienHarry
remember this?
That study actually came out some time ago, and was met with general indifference on TOP.
I wrote about it.

TOP is known for not caring about the suffering of WWC, and then hating the WWC for not loving them.

Submitted by duckpin on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 8:15am

This is true as far as it goes but there's a broader focus:

The World Health Organization has released figures showing that there was an 18% rise in depression and associated mental illnesses between 2005 & 2015. Unemployment and poverty were cited as the main reasons. There also are approximately 800,000 suicides per year.

Global monopoly capitalism with its associated wars to gain access to cheap labor and natural resources is a killer and is the driver of this worldwide epidemic.

—

"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Submitted by Ellen North on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 1:10am

@duckpin

@duckpin @duckpin

If I may add something which I don't think has been so far cited? This is universal - and I suspect that one of the involved factors may involve 'rulers' over democratic-labeled societies. Apart from all else, the original publicized Whitehall studies (prior to an abrupt blame-the-victim veer as required rather late in the series by a different group) indicated that degree of control over ones own life generally and in the workplace played a sizeable role in health and mortality rates.

Under a picture of the 'there is no society' beast stands the caption: 'The suicide rate increased under Margaret Thatcher'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2263690.stm

Wednesday, 18 September, 2002, 23:02 GMT 00:02 UK
More suicides under Conservative rule

... Australian scientists found the suicide rate in the country increased significantly when a Conservative government was in power.

And an analysis of figures in the UK seems to suggest a similar trend.

The Australian team analysed suicide statistics for New South Wales between 1901, when the federal government was established, and 1998. ...

... after adjusting for these factors, the figures clearly showed the highest rates of suicide occurred when both Conservative state and federal governments were in power.

Men at risk

Conversely, the lowest rates occurred when state and federal governments were both Labour.

Middle aged and older people were most at risk.

When the Conservatives ruled both state and federal governments, men were 17% more likely to commit suicide than when Labour was in power. Women were 40% more likely to kill themselves. ...

... The authors argue that Conservative rule traditionally implies a less interventionist and more market-orientated policy than Labour rule.

This may make people feel more detached from society, they added.

The researchers concede that ideological distinctions between Conservative and Labour politicians have become more blurred over the past 20 years.

But they say public perceptions that their policies differ may still remain intact.

Lead researcher Professor Richard Taylor, of the University of Sydney, told BBC News Online: "We think that it may be because material conditions in lower socio-economic groups may be relatively better under labour because of government programmes, and there may be a perception of greater hope by these groups under labour.

"There is a strong relationship between socio-economic status and suicide."

The research is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. ,,,

... In one of a series of accompanying editorials, Dr Mary Shaw and colleagues from the University of Bristol say the same patterns were evident in England and Wales between 1901 and 2000.

Rates have been lower under Labour governments and soared under the last Conservative regime, which began in 1979 under Margaret Thatcher. ...

... Interestingly, the authors point out that although suicide rates tend to increase when unemployment is high, they were also above average during the 1950s when Britain "never had it so good," but was ruled by the Conservative party.

Overall, they say, the figures suggest that 35,000 people would not have died had the Conservatives not been in power, equivalent to one suicide for every day of the 20th century or two for every day that the Conservatives ruled.

The UK Conservative Party refused to comment on the research. ...

I need to stop annoying my roommate in the next room with typing, as she's going to bed, but the original Whitehall studies were famous and should be easily found in a search.

But when The People are treated as Disposables by pathological public servants regarded as 'rulers', it's not surprising if they feel disposable and as though life holds no hope.

Edit to add that (as we know) social democracy and sane governance headed by a trustworthy leader and party with a binding socially democratic platform would fix or at least alleviate an awful lot of everything, starting with that deadly sense of hopeless disposability...

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Submitted by LeChienHarry on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 3:42am

Thank you for addressing the topic of the OP.

@Ellen North Nicely added information.

#2 #2 If I may add something which I don't think has been so far cited? This is universal - and I suspect that one of the involved factors may involve 'rulers' over democratic-labeled societies. Apart from all else, the original publicized Whitehall studies (prior to an abrupt blame-the-victim veer as required rather late in the series by a different group) indicated that degree of control over ones own life generally and in the workplace played a sizeable role in health and mortality rates. Under a picture of the 'there is no society' beast stands the caption: 'The suicide rate increased under Margaret Thatcher' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2263690.stm Wednesday, 18 September, 2002, 23:02 GMT 00:02 UK More suicides under Conservative rule ... Australian scientists found the suicide rate in the country increased significantly when a Conservative government was in power. And an analysis of figures in the UK seems to suggest a similar trend. The Australian team analysed suicide statistics for New South Wales between 1901, when the federal government was established, and 1998. ... ... after adjusting for these factors, the figures clearly showed the highest rates of suicide occurred when both Conservative state and federal governments were in power. Men at risk Conversely, the lowest rates occurred when state and federal governments were both Labour. Middle aged and older people were most at risk. When the Conservatives ruled both state and federal governments, men were 17% more likely to commit suicide than when Labour was in power. Women were 40% more likely to kill themselves. ... ... The authors argue that Conservative rule traditionally implies a less interventionist and more market-orientated policy than Labour rule. This may make people feel more detached from society, they added. The researchers concede that ideological distinctions between Conservative and Labour politicians have become more blurred over the past 20 years. But they say public perceptions that their policies differ may still remain intact. Lead researcher Professor Richard Taylor, of the University of Sydney, told BBC News Online: "We think that it may be because material conditions in lower socio-economic groups may be relatively better under labour because of government programmes, and there may be a perception of greater hope by these groups under labour. "There is a strong relationship between socio-economic status and suicide." The research is published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. ,,, ... In one of a series of accompanying editorials, Dr Mary Shaw and colleagues from the University of Bristol say the same patterns were evident in England and Wales between 1901 and 2000. Rates have been lower under Labour governments and soared under the last Conservative regime, which began in 1979 under Margaret Thatcher. ... ... Interestingly, the authors point out that although suicide rates tend to increase when unemployment is high, they were also above average during the 1950s when Britain "never had it so good," but was ruled by the Conservative party. Overall, they say, the figures suggest that 35,000 people would not have died had the Conservatives not been in power, equivalent to one suicide for every day of the 20th century or two for every day that the Conservatives ruled. The UK Conservative Party refused to comment on the research. ... I need to stop annoying my roommate in the next room with typing, as she's going to bed, but the original Whitehall studies were famous and should be easily found in a search. But when The People are treated as Disposables by pathological public servants regarded as 'rulers', it's not surprising if they feel disposable and as though life holds no hope. Edit to add that (as we know) social democracy and sane governance headed by a trustworthy leader and party with a binding socially democratic platform would fix or at least alleviate an awful lot of everything, starting with that deadly sense of hopeless disposability...

—

You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you did not know. ~ William Wiberforce

If you can donate, please! POP Money is available for bank-to-bank transfers. Email JtC to make a monthly donation.

Submitted by dkmich on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 8:47am

Was TOP laughing and blaming white people?

I don't go to TOP, no difference between it and MSNBC.

The data and studies on what is happening to the white working/middle class in today's oligarchy only makes TOP more disgusting for selling out to the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party traitorous for causing it. The GOP has always been the party of business, only not crazy bible thumpers. The Democratic Party WAS the party of the working man until the Clintons and Obama decided it was more lucrative personally to throw their working/middle class constituency under the bus in exchange for the folks who work on Wall Street and in Silicon Vally. Money makes money is now the party's slogan.

—

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Submitted by Steven D on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 9:12am

To answer you

@dkmich Yes, yes they were.

RocketJSquirrel Pale Jenova
Apr 03 · 05:28:37 AM

When was the last time a Real American heroin addict sat in front of a desk all day long? In many of these communities people don't work at manual labor OR office jobs. All they do all day is eat and watch Fox News and smoke cigarettes and shoot heroin or pain pills or meth and play with loaded guns and scream about ObamaPhones while waiting for this month's disability check (thanks taxpayers!). Meanwhile they are all about calling minorities lazy and depends entirely.

They ought to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Show some personal responsibility. Be Real Americans. Instead it's Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty all the way down.

I have as much sympathy for white folks (who are by no means all poor or working

class) addicted to opioids as they felt for inner city communities afflicted by crack in the 90s.

Bush Bites Woubbie
Apr 03 · 04:38:06 AM

Do you actually know any working class white males?

Because the ones I know aren’t reading food labels.

They’re parked at McDonalds and Chick-Fil-A.

Bush Bites chloris creator
Apr 03 · 04:33:38 AM

Hard to believe that’s a cause.

Most of the working class whites I know are junk food junkies.

It’s only the educated ones who read food labels.

and my favorite about what Dems need to get white working class voters:

G2geek TexasTom
Apr 03 · 04:05:25 AM

We already have all the policies we need.

What we don’t have is effective emotional messaging. That’s the part that has to change.

—

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Submitted by duckpin on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 9:21am

They are unhinged & the sociopathy apparently

@Steven D begins at the top.

—

"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Submitted by Steven D on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 11:29am

Nice pun

@duckpin top and TOP lol

—

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Submitted by duckpin on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:25pm

Yeah - well - one takes the opportunity for a little fun

@Steven D when it presents itself - Life is tough enough as it is
Cheers!

—

"The justness of individual land right is not justifiable to those to whom the land by right of first claim collectively belonged"

Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 11:31am

No surprise there

@Steven D @Steven D
It's OK to hate them because they are white and poor.

I took a look over there, and your selection of comments aren't the exception. They are the norm.
The comments went immediately to questions of diet and completely skipped over any discussion of the conditions of the victims (or even the basic concept of the diary).

Submitted by Steven D on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 11:36am

Yes

@gjohnsit no surprise at all.

—

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Submitted by Azazello on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:11pm

I'm sure Case-Deaton is good news over there,

@gjohnsit
something to celebrate. I've seen lots of comments over there saying, "Why won't the white working class just hurry up and die off". Thing is, the working class is much more diverse than the professional class that hang out at that site. For example, most of the people who make minimum wage are women and PoC. Outsourcing, wage suppression and cuts to social services harm the entire working class, not just deplorable straight white males. The cynicism of Democrats in the white professional class is disgusting.

—

We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 3:25pm

Just imagine

@Azazello
if the study had been about blacks committing suicide and o.d'ing and someone had responded, "Well, if blacks weren't so lazy and ate a better diet, etc. etc." like they are now.
Those same liberals would go ballistic and yell "racism". And then you would get banned.

But it's OK because it's just poor white people. It can never be racism if you hate white people.

Submitted by dkmich on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 10:42am

They are absolutely disgusting.

@Steven D

I am not surprised by the asshole comments by the assholes who frequent that site. I don't click it. I refuse to read anything on FB that belongs to it even if shared by others. The people who made these comments elected Trump and make the Duck Dynasty watchers look like Mother Teresa and Einstein rolled into one.

—

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Submitted by Steven D on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 11:34am

There were some people defending the working class

@dkmich @dkmich but most of them were met with scorn. And there was a long discussion about processed foods and bad eating habits causing obesity that really wasn't all that that relevant to the study in question.

A lot of stereotypes were on display; a lot of obvious and also oblivious bigotry.

—

"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 12:10pm

Blaming the victims

@Steven D @Steven D Instead of looking at these statistics as a symptom of what has gone wrong, like the canary in the coal mine who keels over from poison gas, these idiots are blaming the canary for its own death.

Any time we see a precipitous change in major indicators, thinking people would see it as a symptom of a larger problem and seek to identify and rectify the problem. The idiots at TOP really do not care about the larger problem since white males are the group they most love to hate. They (TOP) are among the most self serving and callous people I have ever met on line.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Submitted by dkmich on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:24pm

Damn canary

@gulfgal98

It is its own fault for breathing such toxic air.

—

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Submitted by thanatokephaloides on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 3:31pm

The idiots at TOP

@gulfgal98 @gulfgal98

The idiots at TOP really do not care about the larger problem since white males are the group they most love to hate. They (TOP) are among the most self serving and callous people I have ever met on line.

Yet I remember when that wasn't the whole story over there. The authentic Left had a strong voice there when I first started playing.

The "Ides of March Decree" of 2016 -- still in force today despite Markos' express declaration that it would expire when the last polls closed on Election Night -- put a swift end to that. And the current pack of hyenas over there are the cause for that.

EDIT: My apologies to actual biological hyenas. They don't deserve to be likened to those fucks over at TOP. When hyenas gang up on something, it's because they need to eat. When the mob at TOP gangs up on someone, it's to stoke their fragile egos. Not the same.

—

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Submitted by thanatokephaloides on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:33pm

MSNBC?

@dkmich

I don't go to TOP, no difference between it and MSNBC.

What did MSNBC ever do to you, that you insult it so?

I realize MSNBC should stand for "Make Sure News Benefits Clintons", but I've never seen anything emitted by MSNBC actually gloating about harms occurring to working-class white men and suggesting that any attempt to help them constituted sexism, racism, and a plethora of other social evils.

We all know -- painfully well -- that TOP wallows in this exact species of malfeasance. Truth be honestly told, I'm surprised that Susan Grigsby got her Diary published over there at all.

—

"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Submitted by Ken in MN on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 12:07pm

No, I don't think this is correct:

They are not, as they have not yet shown any interest in doing anything to recognize or help those in trouble in our society.

They sure as hell helped their donors on Wall Street when they were in trouble. They just don't have any interest in helping anyone other than their billionaire sugar daddies...

—

I want my two dollars!

Submitted by paradigmshift on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:20pm

I think the TOP essay highlights a key to US Political Future

I think this study should be widely read. It highlights one of the main reasons (if not the main one) why Trump mauled both establishment parties and provides an insight to how the Left and Progressives could take back control of our government from the sellouts in the 2 major parties. Admittedly, the TOP article is really good and should be read.

—

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

Submitted by dkmich on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:31pm

IMO

@paradigmshift

Besides the same 25% diehard partisans committed to their party, I think most of the others voters voted a giant FU to both parties and both candidates. It came in the form of voting for Trump, voting but leaving President blank, staying home, or voting third party. During the brief life of our recount, Michigan had over 100,000 ballots that did not vote for President. Trump won by 12k or something like that.

—

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Submitted by thanatokephaloides on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 1:36pm

Thank you. I hadn't read earlier analysis or reviews of this

@thanatokephaloides study. This was thoughtful and well sourced for supporting commentary.

Comments, well, the processed food topic is off topic. Luckily some commenters were pushing back on the blame the victims statements.

It is interesting to me in the responses it got from economists (Stieglitz) and other notables that were pretty spot on.

—

You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you did not know. ~ William Wiberforce

If you can donate, please! POP Money is available for bank-to-bank transfers. Email JtC to make a monthly donation.

Submitted by lotlizard on Mon, 04/03/2017 - 10:17pm

“All I want for Christmas is White Genocide” — prof at Drexel U.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=George+Ciccariello-Maher&t=ffsb&iax=1&ia=images

Being anti-white is a thing? That’s what passes for “emotional messaging” among Democrats now? When did that happen?

Submitted by Ellen North on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 1:22am

@lotlizard

@lotlizard

Some fuzzy mental (not in a good way) association with White Russians!!!, perhaps? Who can say what goes on in the heads of those who attack the vulnerable? And would we really want to say or hear whatever that might be? I'd rather have a stack of White Russians, myself; I could use something sweet before bed...

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Submitted by lotlizard on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 4:03am

There’s a mind virus going around in academia

@Ellen North @Ellen North This is from the magazine of Harvard University, no less.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2002/09/abolish-the-white-race.html

Every group within white America has at one time or another advanced its particular and narrowly defined interests at the expense of black people as a race. That applies to labor unionists, ethnic groups, college students, schoolteachers, taxpayers, and white women. Race Traitor will not abandon its focus on whiteness, no matter how vehement the pleas and how virtuously oppressed those doing the pleading. The editors meant it when they replied to a reader, "Make no mistake about it: we intend to keep bashing the dead white males, and the live ones, and the females too, until the social construct known as 'the white race' is destroyed — not 'deconstructed' but destroyed."

The rise of the Alt-Right is insane, but seen as a reaction to an insane anti-white development on the ideological Left, things do begin to make more sense.

Submitted by Ellen North on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 4:07pm

@lotlizard

@lotlizard

TPTB must love this - all of the non-billionaire poors being driven even more toward tearing out each others throats for stupid reasons like differences (which we should be enjoying - who wants everyone to be the same? Apart from the corporate/Parasite Class, to whom we are all fungible, either useful or disposable) in skin colour/nationality/religion/gender while missing the obvious fact that we are all people together - and desperately need to mass in unified power against The Parasite Class while anything still remains to salvage and rebuild.

If not for the media propaganda campaigns, all of this destructive nonsense would have died down, if not entirely out, long since.

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

caucus99percent
free-range politics, organic community

Declining longevity in Middle Class non-Hispanic Whites

Comments

Excellent diary at TOP

TOP is known for not caring about white, working class

This is true as far as it goes but there's a broader focus:

@duckpin

Thank you for addressing the topic of the OP.

Was TOP laughing and blaming white people?

To answer you

They are unhinged & the sociopathy apparently

Nice pun

Yeah - well - one takes the opportunity for a little fun

No surprise there

Yes

I'm sure Case-Deaton is good news over there,

Just imagine

They are absolutely disgusting.

There were some people defending the working class

Blaming the victims

Damn canary

The idiots at TOP

MSNBC?

No, I don't think this is correct:

I think the TOP essay highlights a key to US Political Future

IMO

TOP article should be read

Thank you. I hadn't read earlier analysis or reviews of this

“All I want for Christmas is White Genocide” — prof at Drexel U.

@lotlizard

There’s a mind virus going around in academia

@lotlizard