[Grovenet] The Good Old Days (WAS:] consumerism)

[Katie Allnutt]

Absolutely Ed.
It breaks my heart when my dad tells the story of his older brother.  
The story is told that he died in a hunting accident but the truth is  
he survived the gunshot wound and died a slow death due to infection  
that would have been easily treated a few years later with penicillin.

Though it could be that our gains in medical technology haven't  
bought us as much as we think. The newspaper today says that whether  
you survive cancer depends to a great extent on whether you have  
insurance.  What is the difference between my uncle dying a slow  
death due to lack of technology and today's cancer victim dying a  
slow death due to lack of access to technology?  The difference seems  
to be just splitting hairs.

Katie


On Dec 20, 2007, at 11:25 AM, Ed Davie wrote:

> And, don't forget the advances in medicine since
> the 1800s.
> Ed
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Ron D'Eau Claire
>   To: 'Forest Grove local interests list'
>   Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:39 PM
>   Subject: [Grovenet] The Good Old Days (WAS:]
> consumerism)
>
>
>   David wrote:
>
>   I happen to remember back...about the time that
> we
>   discovered that predators were taking our young
> for food.  By
>   protecting our young, we had a larger work force
> to gather the
>   insects, leaves and fruits we ate....I can't eat
> a
>   grub without thinking back on those times, they
> were not "the good
>   old days".
>
>   ----------------------
>
>   I wonder. For me they would not be "good old
> days" but I wonder about those
>   who lived then?
>
>   Would someone from the mid 1800's think our
> world is preferable?
>
>   I doubt it.
>
>   As a society, we like to dream about living in
> the future, but it's OUR
>   dream future, not the one that will actually be
> there. The real thing will
>   seem very alien to us, culturally and
> technically. There may be benefits
>   that enhance our comfort, but I wonder if those
> would add up to our being
>   happy?
>
>   What if a fellow really LIKED grubs?
>
>   Ron D'Eau Claire
>
>
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