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We are all in a situation where we are being asked to make personal sacrifices to protect the health of others. This begs the question: how much responsibility do we have to others to keep ourselves healthy? To live a lifestyle where we maintain a healthy weight, exercise, eat well, dont smoke, drink to excess, do damage with drugs, etc?
Illness and accidents can take out anyone at any time of course. Advanced age is also a factor. But what about preventable health issues? Do we have a social responsibility not to burden others with our costly care? Do you think attitudes will change due to this current crisis? Or do you believe that it's an entitlement to live whatever lifestyle you choose no matter what the cost? Do you think employers or others might start discriminating against those who have preventable health issues after this is all done?
I live a very healthy lifestyle. Proper sleep, daily exercise, and nutritional excellence. I do it for myself, and for my wife.
Meanwhile, how many of the unhealthy people we are "saving" are currently sitting on their couch, watching tv, smoking, mauling donuts, with a 12-pack of beer and leftover pizza in the fridge for tonight?
We are all in a situation where we are being asked to make personal sacrifices to protect the health of others. This begs the question: how much responsibility do we have to others to keep ourselves healthy? To live a lifestyle where we maintain a healthy weight, exercise, eat well, dont smoke, drink to excess, do damage with drugs, etc?
Illness and accidents can take out anyone at any time of course. Advanced age is also a factor. But what about preventable health issues? Do we have a social responsibility not to burden others with our costly care? Do you think attitudes will change due to this current crisis? Or do you believe that it's an entitlement to live whatever lifestyle you choose no matter what the cost? Do you think employers or others might start discriminating against those who have preventable health issues after this is all done?
I'd venture to say that it will still come down to the individual. Think about all the classic health issues people have been lectured about. STDs, alcohol, drugs, smoking, weight control, flu, blah blah blah. For decades, even generations. Some people comply, others don't. There are those who won't follow advice no matter how badly they are "penalized" for their choice financially, professionally, socially, personally. Their reasons for refusing to do something that's good for them ranges across the board.
Unless a person's decision not to lead a healthy life can cause death to others it is no ones business how an individual lives to be honest. I would hope that people would do what they can to protect others, but we can not control everyone. My thought also has been: how can many of these restrictions be enforced in the first place?
I have a personal belief that I am to cause no harm to others - so, ideally, that would be in thought/action/deed.
In a quantum universe, "no man is an island." We all affect each other, so if you are socially conscious, you would not want to hurt others, and the best way to not hurt others is to be the best version of yourself possible.
I have a personal belief that I am to cause no harm to others - so, ideally, that would be in thought/action/deed.
In a quantum universe, "no man is an island." We all affect each other, so if you are socially conscious, you would not want to hurt others, and the best way to not hurt others is to be the best version of yourself possible.
This is a country of people who care strongly about their individual freedoms. With that freedom comes the price of tolerating people who do things that annoy us. Or in some cases put us at risk.
I believe people will go back to doing WHAT THEY WANT, which is eating out at restaurants (high fat, high calories) and eating too much in one sitting because the food tastes too good to resist. They'll still buy chips and soda and sit on the sofa. They'll continue whatever lifestyle they had before because that's what they want to do with their lives.
One cannot live selflessly 100% of the time. One has needs and wants that they want to fulfill for themselves, such as having dangerous hobbies or smoking or doing drugs despite having children.
For example, even if you do NOT want to do drugs because you know it's addictive and harmful to your body and those around you, emotions are the driving decision maker (NOT your mind), so you will do drugs anyway.
I believe people will go back to doing WHAT THEY WANT, which is eating out at restaurants (high fat, high calories) and eating too much in one sitting because the food tastes too good to resist. They'll still buy chips and soda and sit on the sofa. They'll continue whatever lifestyle they had before because that's what they want to do with their lives.
One cannot live selflessly 100% of the time. One has needs and wants that they want to fulfill for themselves, such as having dangerous hobbies or smoking or doing drugs despite having children.
For example, even if you do NOT want to do drugs because you know it's addictive and harmful to your body and those around you, emotions are the driving decision maker (NOT your mind), so you will do drugs anyway.
It might be awhile before we can just go to a restaurant and we do not all eat high fat and high calories when we do go out or if we do, many of us rarely go out.
There will always be those who are selfish but for the most part I think the majority of the people do think of others when living their lives. this doesn't mean we are all selfless by any means because we are not perfect.
Unless a person's decision not to lead a healthy life can cause death to others it is no one's business how an individual lives, to be honest. I would hope that people would do what they can to protect others, but we cannot control everyone. My thought also has been: how can many of these restrictions be enforced in the first place?
I agree on the difficulty of enforcing restrictions. Right now I'm running low on wine, sunflower seeds and salsa. I could go to the store. Necessary business, right? I'm waiting. I will not starve if I run out of these things but my point is that I could find an "excuse" every day to go out legally.
As for others' generally unhealthy lifestyles that don't endanger me personally- yeah they're none of my business unless the cost of treating your preventable conditions ends up costing Medicaid, Medicare, private health insurance... yes, they DO affect me. We all pay for higher healthcare costs.
And I've complained of this in other posts but my next-door neighbor, over 60 and who has COPD, got back a couple of days ago from shopping with his wife- they unloaded the bags and then he drove off in his truck. Think if he shows up at the ER with COVID-19 he MIGHT need one of the limited supply of ventilators? Yes it IS someone else's business.
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