It serves us well to remember that the fundamental fact of modern history is that everyone living in the developed world is vastly richer than all of their ancestors and all humans that came before the 20th century. Many of the cosmopolitan behaviors we consider normal are inherited from the tiny elite classes of europe. Meanwhile the vast majority of lived in ignorance, toil, filth, and exposure to the elements.
So, when I think of Beethoven or Newton or Marco Polo or Cook, and think, "oh, I'd like to do that" I should remember that my ancestors were very likely not riding around doing amazing or interesting things, but were probably farming potatoes in a bog and dying of tuberculosis. If they weren't then they were extremely privileged compared to their fellow citizens, which is not much to be proud of either.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
health care
The New York Times had an article about Rwanda's new universal health care system, which rapidly improved the quality of life in the country.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/rwandas-health-care-miracle/ (Partners in Health's work there is featured in the article. This is the organization founded by Paul Farmer in Haiti, and publicized in the book Mountains beyond Mountains)
The per-capita income in the country is just 550$ a year, though this is has risen much even in the last decade. The system is successful in improving health, but is mostly funded by international aid.
What reading about this reminded me is that health-care does not have to be such a terrible nightmare. We are not re-inventing the wheel. On the contrary we are far behind the curve on healthcare, compared to the developed countries of the world, and we ought to be able to use this to our advantage. It just shouldn't be this hard to reform and improve health care in America.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/rwandas-health-care-miracle/ (Partners in Health's work there is featured in the article. This is the organization founded by Paul Farmer in Haiti, and publicized in the book Mountains beyond Mountains)
The per-capita income in the country is just 550$ a year, though this is has risen much even in the last decade. The system is successful in improving health, but is mostly funded by international aid.
What reading about this reminded me is that health-care does not have to be such a terrible nightmare. We are not re-inventing the wheel. On the contrary we are far behind the curve on healthcare, compared to the developed countries of the world, and we ought to be able to use this to our advantage. It just shouldn't be this hard to reform and improve health care in America.
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