Syndrome of Hate

 Hate ( an intense or passionate dislike for someone which may or may not lead to harm or death) crimes in our country are on the rise  based on data from law enforcement , the FBI and ADL.  In 2021, the FBI attributed 64.5% of hate crimes related to race. ethnicity and ancestry; 15.9% sexual orientation; 14.1% religion; 3.2% gender identity and 1.4% disability .However, hate is a syndrome based on  narcissism,  attachment, social narcissism ,sadistic character tendencies and necrophilia.  Related , is an article titled "Something More Dangerous Than Hate Speech" in the May 7 2023  of The New York Times.  Disturbing information as follows: 1.  Social media is now attempting  to limit hate speech 2.  Social media is inefficient when it comes to regulating    Irrational fear-based, nonsensical and crazy hate generalities such as” A call for transgenderism to be eradicated”;”All about the left's attempt to erase biological women from modern society “;  Antifa is coming to invade your town” and “your political enemies are pedophiles coming for your children ”  These examples are destructive  hate 3.  Some platforms have hate speech rules that prohibit direct attacks against people based on who they are.  Social media platforms  dealing with these issues  should move away from ranking based on engagement and instead for users, giving more weight to learning and what  information  is worth  time or meaning. This essay addresses  the syndrome of hate which includes  narcissism, symbiotic attachment, social narcissism, sadism and necrophilia.  

Neither the embryo nor the newborn have the capacity to hate another because only” I”  exists within its biological and psychological  design. The infant is born  helpless, powerless ,insecure , narcissistic , dependent on another for survival  and not  “ the survival of the fittest, “ Instead , the  importance for its survival  is the mother and second to none . The base  for developing  either positive or impaired character  tendencies occurs within the first five years. Specifically, with birth is the establishment of  primary narcissism.  According to Freud, all the psychic energy is directed toward the ego .There is no  object relation to the outside world.  Within  development , there begins to be an increase in the scope and intensity of psychic energy directed toward others . It’s  now “i” and not “i.” Within primary narcissism , Spitz's research evaluated the importance of separation  of  the nurturing and consistency quality of the caretaker in providing  safety, security , body warmth and comfort  for the young one .  For example, with two weeks of maternal separation, Spitz reported the following depressive symptoms based on a developmental quotient test.  The findings included a sad apprehensive appearance,  expressionless eyes, glazed , a withdrawn emotionless facial expression and inactivity.  Note ,inactivity is a powerful diagnostic sign associated with boredom and depression. In a subsequent study, Spitz ,referred to as " hospitalism,"  found high mortality rates among infants, even though there was neither abuse nor physical neglect.

Sullivan provided additional understanding during  the primary narcissism  stage of development.  Sullivan suggested that the youngling , in requiring a positive degree and ratio of safety, security, and  regularity, develops a personification or representation of a "good" mother.  This is because there's been a positive amount of reinforcement that has reduced anxiety and pain with the replacement of satisfaction based on receiving the nipple , the breast, the bottle within the context of being rocked and talked to quietly while being held.  If there  was not a ratio of positive reinforcement , the consequences are not satisfactory  based on irregularity, non-consistencies, not being held properly , mother being preoccupied , bottle being propped , and the personification of a "bad" mother .

Erickson added to the importance of  feeding and nurturing  during primary  narcissism.  Again , with a positive ratio of nurturance during the feeding and caring process,  a sense of trust can be developed.  When a sense of trust is developed with the mother, that sets the  origins for positive future interactions , connections and unions . However,  with an unsatisfactory ratio of nurturing behavior  occurring, a sense of mistrust develops. With mistrust, the infant  and/ or child becomes suspicious, anxious and fearful with mother interactions and later with others . In other words, subjective emotion becomes objectified with paranoid consequences. A suspicious paranoid  convinces himself that others are against him .He projects and becomes susceptible to conspiracy thinking, believing all sorts of primitive , false, irrational , hateful rhetoric . He makes truth and reason the enemy.  This narcissistic paranoid distorts rational judgment , thinking and believing what's good and can’t properly evaluate what's bad.  He also over-values magical thinking and rationalizes his own judgment. His subjective judgment is prejudiced, biased, toxic, with hate.

With primary  narcissism, there is limited capacity for objective reasoning but  a propensity for the establishment of  love or hate.  Essentially, with primary narcissism, the outside world doesn't exist and intuitively infants  are unable to distinguish between the "I" and not "I". The narcissistic reality or psychic energy is directed toward itself , its body and the physical sensations of cold, warmth, thirst, the need for sleep and bodily contact. Within this crucial life giving dynamism , the feeding process is crucial.  It's  most important psychologically and biologically for that newborn to have close bodily contact during breast-feeding with rocking, cuddling, providing warmth and love compared to negative excitement or regressive acquiescence. In other words , primary  narcissism, depression and paranoia significantly affect future interpersonal relationships with  mistrust and hate.

Also within primary narcissism, there is another significant development that takes place in the psychological mind of that newborn  and/ or child .  As a result of the insecurity, powerlessness and stress from birth, the newborn seeks that  mother's attachment for safety, security, regularity, and dependability.  Thus, the mother can initially fulfill and provide these necessities for growth.  Once again, the responsibility for being fed, being held, and  protected with security falls on  the mother.  As a consequence, different degrees of psychic energy become directed toward the mother, which ,when inappropriate , can result  in a symbiotic  attachment.  Mother’s reinforce symbiotic attachment with their seduction, favoritism, overprotection and  by spoiling . .

This symbiotic attachment can be the first personification of a powerful mother which is essentially the  consequence of the desire for protection and satisfies the  narcissistic craving for safety,  unconditional love, and security.  Over time , the attachment can be directed toward another female as an aunt , grandmother or some other that can provide  safety and counter the terror of separation.  Later, that attachment , results in an unconscious  wish for  a powerful protector ,guarantee of certainty and security  that can be fulfilled by the clan, native born  or hate group . When the size of that group increases, the protector  can be of  race ,  nation ( January 6 rioters yelling "1776" ), religion, political party or Authoritarian leader . They become the mother guarantors of protectors and love. 

 A severe attachment to mother also results in total submission and /or fear  of mother and then of women . Further, with severe narcissistic attachment , she becomes symbolically an idol which can never be wrong.  That idol can eventually become a nation ,race, hate group or political party  thus resulting  in  impairment in executive  functioning  with distortions of reason, judgment and believing lies ,fears and hating others .  Also, with narcissistic, symbiotic attachment, there exists the inability to separate or individuate and take responsibility for self. For instance , a number of these acting out murders were found living at home with mother, parents or grandmother.  In one case, the shooter was driven by mother to another state to kill;  in another , the parents provided shooter with a gun and were aware that the gun was in his possession and taken to school;   in another, the shooter, living with his parents ,drove to another part of the state to commit murder; in two other cases, the shooter  resided in the home of the grandmother.

With malignant narcissism and  symbiotic attachment , the individual requires affiliation and a narcissistic attachment to some group within his sphere of interest- called social narcissism.  The particular group or groups becomes  important for individuals in meeting their  affiliation needs with a sense of belonging.  The objects of a narcissistic attachment can be a hate group, religion,  race , clan , political party, beliefs, political figure  etc. When there's malignant narcissistic  social attachment, the result is a distortion of rational judgment , objectivity, biases , hate,and truth in one's thinking. His group is the most valuable, godlike ,invincible , powerful , righteous etc. it's obvious that executive functioning and objective value judgments are nowhere to be found . Instead is the occurrence of prejudiced, biased, hateful beliefs and actions .  It's easy to rationalize the prejudice of hate.  The individual is convinced that he has no bias except that he obeys and faithfully follows . Moreover, when his group or tribe is criticized , his projection  becomes hateful with anger and hostility.  Underneath these inadequate persons are deep seated feelings of anxiety , being impotent, alone ,frightened , fearful and conflicted. It’s not surprising that with frustration and criticism,  there's a  hostile reaction  directed toward self and /or others.

Briefly, hate , which is fear, is aroused against an individual, another group, based on some irrational idea related to religion, color of skin, political belief, etc.  Hate can be expressed anonymously , passively  on social media, TV with words or it can be expressed  aggressively with hostility or death. Hate is sadistic.

Sadism can be related to character structure, repression, dormant tendencies,  and/ or negative passions like power, money, frame, control, submission, hate, destruction, narcissism, greed, ambition or even envy.  Sadism and hate are powerful motivators. They are an overcompensation for feelings of powerlessness, fear, isolation, and the superficialities within their life space .

When sadism becomes associated with spontaneous cruelty it can be transitory,  However,  sadistic character tendencies are a desire to inflict pain on an animal or person with malevolence.  Also , there’s a desire to destroy , being able to control and humiliate another, especially those that are  unable to defend themselves or their property. The impotent sadist projects power with all his weapons and military accessories.  However, the  sadist’s “power” is really an illusion . They murder the powerless in schools, churches, malls. etc  They are impotent psychological cripples.  Furthermore, the sadist admires and is submissive to those with power . He despises and wants to and does control those who are powerless , helpless and cannot fight back.  He's afraid of the unknown, the unpredictable.  He is afraid of life.  He “loves” only what he controls and has power over.  He is submissive and impotent.  He can kill but remains isolated and frightened with a need of a higher power . He submits and is a masochist.  This malignant sadist actually has no convictions, only slogans and ideologies that he gets from social media.  He’s invisible, with little if any social bonds and actually little interest in life. He's a necrophiliac ,literally, as his tendency , trend  and hate is directed against life or love of the dead.

It's not surprising that these violent killings also result  in suicide. Their 15 minutes of fame is about  destruction and death. It begins with an intense activation of  energy or excitement and ends with fear , inactivity and death . For instance, the buffalo murderer was a despicable  sadistic teen  prior .He researched the  geographical area of nearby towns, neighborhoods that had the highest concentration of black residents. Once he settled on the market, he made reconnaissance missions drawing maps of the store's interior and keeping tallies of how many black people were shopping at a given time in order to murder as many as possible. Then ,this  cold-blooded killer with his vicious killing weapon in his possession , had the capacity, force and power to transform his victims into corpses.  He now had the  force, the  means  to destroy as well as to be in complete control. He rationalized the mission and was willing  to die for white nationalist "justice. " The victims  were random and not personally known.  The hate  of these groups are the negation of life and  the wish for death . It’s about necrophilia. For a more  complete in depth analysis, consult Erich Fromm’s

“The Heart of Man  Its Genius for Good and Evil. “

Pain and Pleasure

 This disquisition incorporates three articles published in the April 23, 2023 edition of The New York Times.  They are  "Group That Advises US on Opioids Took Millions From Sackler's"; "Fix Your Diet, Save the Planet" and "There Are Better Ways to Study That Will Last You a Lifetime."  These articles point to the interference of well being facing our population.

The first article tells the story of how Big Pharma(rescuers) manipulated and took advantage of the vulnerable ( victims) in our population. The smart, sophisticated  exploitation owners of the Purdue pharmaceutical company donated approximately $14 million to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.( NASEM)  The NASEM's  prestigious group was first established, in 1863 as a nongovernmental institution chartered by  Abraham Lincoln.  The objective  was to serve as an independent advisor to the nation on science and medicine.  Recently, this institution advised  the White House on opioid use , overuse, misuse and overdose death  after receiving input from Purdue’s lobbyist, the maker of oxycontin . However, the lobbyist inflated the nation's  chronic pain statistics . He  stated that approximately 4/10 people in our country were experiencing chronic pain  and required opioid treatment. Further, initially the FDA , the World Health Organization and prescribing physicians believed these inflated numbers irrespective of the numerous health hazards associated with this addictive  death drug.

Later, the CDC estimated that about 2/10 people in our country are experiencing chronic pain. To make a long story short, the pharmaceutical company and its owners are  currently going through bankruptcy with a 8 billion dollar civil and criminal settlement for their  consequential damages for opioids cases . Their conflict of interest was finally exposed with monetary consequences for their  part . Note, the pharmaceutical industry does a terrific  job of marketing to physicians by contributing with their lavish banquets , conferences etc. and distribution of sample medications . Then, advertising does the rest by selling(rescuing) “pain relief “ to the public ( victims). All one has to do is to take a “pill” for a quick fix.

There has been extensive research on pain ,fear,anxiety and stress as  motivational concepts .Sigmund Freud's Pleasure Principle suggest man’s behavior is  characterized with the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain , with the understanding that man also seeks pain and that pleasure can arise from punishment or pain- sadomasochism. Understanding the concepts of approach-avoidance  and the pleasure principle suggests that man approaches both pleasure and pain and avoids pain and pleasure. To more fully understand man's pleasure principle, approach - avoidance motivations , other concepts like emotions, irrationality ,drives, expectations, needs, reinforcements, cues and physiological tolerance  also are part of the kaleidoscope dynamics . Additional factors also influence the pleasure principle and approach - avoidance construct . These factors  relate to the various causes of pain, fear, anxiety, and stress and include,  but  not limited , to  various man-made institutions such as  education, religion, government, politics, criminal injustice and capitalism . They contribute and interfere with man's  well-being. Furthermore, man’s  solutions in attempting to resolve the unpleasantness or pleasantness of pain, fear, anxiety, stress include  ingesting pills, food, surgeries, drugs, alcohol, etc. Also , human beings are lazy ,have low frustration tolerance, seek immediate gratification,  shortcuts  and easy ways with their thinking and behavioral  “solutions”  even if temporary. Thus, the emergence of rescuers for the victims such that Big Pharma becomes the Pied Piper and the  victim consequences follow. Each individual has their own definition of real or counterfeit  pain, fear, anxiety, and stress. Man’s  irrational history is associated with addictions, abuse and death .   

Personally, a week prior to the  1998 Ride and Tie Championship,  I suffered lower back spasms.  Luckily, across from my office was Mark, a physical therapist friend.  He graciously provided treatment and exercises each day prior to my work schedule . I discovered that I could stand while providing therapy but could not sit.  I was not sure if I was going to be able to compete in the upcoming event.  I called my partner Steve and told him I could not drive to the event.  Steve drove and stopped every 45 minutes  so I could get out and stretch.  The morning of the event,  I wasn't confident that I could mount Gypsy and run.  However, I was able to mount my Aribian, ride and we finished the event.  Years later I was scheduled for a hernia operation and decided that I had to run Way too Cool 50 K prior.  Unfortunately, the trail was wet and I suffered on the down hills, especially when I slipped.  Over 20 years ago,  Jerome, another Ride and Tie friend and partner, referred me to Veloyce , the Monster of Massage for treatment for  my overuse injuries.  Veloyce suggested purchasing a  spa as well.  Aside from many visits to the Monster, I saw Matt ,a Western States chiropractic and Jim another physical therapist for treatment.  Additionally, ice has  become my friend  along with ibuprofen.  During running competitions, when in pain, I reframe and call it discomfort, focus on deep breathing and staying in the present .  Many years ago, Est training taught about staying in the present to deal with whatever. 

In the second article, the esteemed Prof. pointed out that the treatment of animals , for food,  is unethical with its crowding and confinement of pigs, chickens and the caged breeding practices. Further, meat and  dairy production are major sources of methane.  This powerful greenhouse gas  affects our planet with terrible consequences like causing the rise in temperature . Also , there’s excessive clearing , burning and destruction of tropical forests to create pastures for cattle grazing in the  Amazon.  Currently ,he's recommending that our diet should be more plant-based and less beef and dairy. The United States has about 0.5% to 6% of vegans in our  population.  

   

I have not been to  a fast food establishment in decades.  However, I view the clever advertising of burgers on TV.  These burgers look super , with attractive people opening their mouths wide and with inexpensive pricing to match .  The size of these burgers with  the short term pleasure and the ease in procuring give additional  reasons and point to the overweight and obesity issue in our country.  I have not seen a vegan advertisement that can compare with a burger one . To expect this country's populace to become vegan is fantasy.  The distinguished Prof. has forgotten about previously mentioned dynamics and the victim's motivation to seek  immediate pleasure for their negative long term consequences. It’s about beef ,the American tradition of burgers, fries , coke and being a victim.

The third article illustrates a  problem with learning .  This professor identified the inadequate learning behavior with college students.  He provided  examples that substantiated the inadequacies in learning and memory. For instance : 1.  Researchers asked college students to select which scenarios would lead to better memory or learning.  Students were asked to  choose a mnemonic - one which the teacher provided or one they created.  For two of the six scenarios.  students picked  the worst strategy as often as the better one.  For the other four,  most students actually thought the worst strategy was superior.  2. The second study had to do with preparing for a test .The students read passages of about  260 words under one of three conditions.  Some students repeatedly read and studied the text for four consecutive study periods, each lasting five minutes.  The second group read and studied the text for three periods and in the fourth, which lasted 10 minutes, wrote as many ideas from the passages as they could remember.  The next group studied for one period and tried to remember the material during the other three.  After  the four period completion , students predicted how well they would retain the material. Not surprisingly, the more students had studied the more confident they were in their knowledge.  A week later, everyone returned for another test demonstrating the results .  The students who had studied just once recalled  the passages best. The worst memory was shown by those who had studied the most and had been the most confident about their learning. Irrational self deception at work.

In college ,students cram and reread the material over and over for the grade ,even though, unfortunately, that's not the most effective way to learn.  It's been demonstrated that if students read and use their executive functions while reading they learn and remember more. While reading, asking questions about the concepts while comparing and contrasting the information and points made results in more learning and  remembering. Just reading and rereading is passive and takes less effort. One has to  critically evaluate what's in black and white. Do not become a parrot and just repeat. Taking the easy way is inefficient - being a victim.

Unfortunately, especially in college, one is cramming for a test because  that’s the goal, the objective  - the grade received  based on test score.  It’s a shame , the objective is the  letter grade and not for learning , understanding and wisdom . It's about the letter grade and not about learning the material.  In graduate school, I had a language requirement for my PhD.  I chose  French.  I learned and mastered how to translate , conjugations etc.  and understand scientific articles written in French.  Then I had my exam.  It was pass or fail.  I did super on the exam and was able to read and understand scientific journals as well as Dumas'  The Three Musketeers.  My knowledge of French helped when I visited Paris for about a week or so during graduate school.  However, I  was  never required to read anything translated into French again - English’s easier. 

Generally speaking, humans are motivated to seek  and avoid pleasure and pain  based on needs, passions and irrationalities. Also, there is much discomfort caused by illness, injury, nature and societal  irregularities . Big Pharma takes advantage of man's  frailties within  the  capitalistic model.  The motivation of  the capitalistic model is profit regardless of the consequence or pain to others.  Man's needs and passions get in the way of rational choices in his decision-making , looking for quick solutions at the  conscious and unconscious level . The medical industry with  the assistance of big Pharma “minimizes “the pain, for many through pills and surgery.  Man generally minimizes the difficult and maximizes the easy. With that being said, the populace is in  acute pain, with poor mental and physical  health, within a failing educational system for many and with excessive profits for the few. It can be said that individuals  easily become victims with plenty of rescuers and sometimes the rescuers become the persecuted.

PS

Click on the link: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCtwkulV78sUFljjpMuLmLJg/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D   for insight into how other athletes have dealt with  the pleasure principle  and approach-avoidance motivations from our TV show .

Successful Anti aging

  A number of years ago a friend presented me, for my birthday , with the book titled "Stopping the Clock '' written by doctors Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman.  This book is about anti aging and  was a welcome resource at that time as it benefited me while competing  in Ride and Tie.  It complimented my workouts with important information physiologically.  Anti Aging research and  being a competitive athlete  was perfect, as this book has become one of my  references. Today's disquisition incorporates personal secrets from these two anti aging medicine pioneers and my story.  The examples are intended to be a model for successful anti aging.

Dr. Goldman, a physician and surgeon, received his second doctorate in steroid biochemistry.  Also, he's a karate , black belt , Chinese weapons expert, former world champion strength athlete, holding over 20 world strength records and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.  Aside from being a 3 time winner of the  John F. Kennedy Physical Fitness Award , Athlete of the Year, Champions Award and  inducted in the World Hall of Fame of Physical Fitness, he also set a world record in handstand push-ups with 321 repetitions.

Few of Dr. Goldman's secrets in his personal longevity program are as follows: 1.  One hour a day of aerobic exercise with light resistance training six times a week.  2.  Multivitamin supplements include-vitamin A, thiamin, folic acid, calcium, chromium picolinate, odorless garlic, ginseng, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, feverfew, vitamin E, B12,and black currant oil.  3.  Dietary protocol: high carbohydrate, low-fat diet mainly poultry and  three pieces of fresh fruit a day, six glasses of water a day.  4.  Alcohol minimal, if any, red wine .5, other information -seldom eats fried foods, red meat or shellfish.  6.  Sleep 4 to 5 hours a day. 7. Relaxation techniques - aerobic exercise.

 Dr. Ronald Klatz is a foremost authority in preventive /longevity medicine and maximum human  performance.  He has many publications and is the author of best-selling books.  He's a founder and president of the American Longevity  Research Institute and awarded the prestigious INPEX                           Gold Medal in  science and president of the American Academy of Anti aging Medicine.  He’s co-founder of National Academy of Sports Medicine and co-publisher of the Professional’s Journal Sports Fitness and the  NASM Journal of Certified Personal Fitness Trainers.

A few of Dr. Klatz's secrets from his personal longevity program include the following: 1.  Exercise: 30 minutes aerobic workout including walking, stair climbing and weight training five times a week.  2.  Supplements: vitamin C, E,A, selenium, niacin, chromium picolinate, lysine, acetyl carnitine, coQ10 ginkgo biloba ,chlorella ,melatonin, thyroid hormone , DHEA , deprenyl and aspirin 3.  Dietary protocol : 8 glasses of distilled water with lemon, omnivore primarily vegetarian . limit red meat and fried food, fresh fruit twice a day.  4  Rest: 30 minute nap  5.  Stress reliever : Aerobic exercise program.

A few secrets from my personal longevity program include the following: 1.  Exercise: 12 to 14 hour workouts,  6- 7 days a week includes running, jogging and walking some hills .  Two sets of chin-ups 3 to 5 times a week  use of bands and pickle ball 2.  Supplements: zinc, selenium, co-Q10, B12, B6, B complex, vitamin C, D3, fish oil, turmeric, rosemary, fennel seed,  and sesame seed.    3.  Dietary protocol: glasses of water, green tea, modified Mediterranean diet, grass fed beef, goat cheese, yogurt, MCT Oil  with 12-14 hour fasting between meals 4.  Rest:  nap.  5.  Stress reliever : progressive relaxation and aerobic exercise 6.  Daily : 3Rs include reading, writing and running. 

Should be noted that anti  aging medicine is changing, based on research.  Therefore, what might have been  good yesterday  might not be good today.  Further, diets generally don't work, likely because it's limited and not a significant part of  one's lifestyle .  In other words, repetition is necessary, with a significant psychological benefit, reward or pleasure for ongoing success.  Progress and evaluation are also key components.  My book titled "It Has Nothing To Do With Age"  , has 7  healthy life expectancy components and depicts athletes 65 years of age ,still competing, making good choices and thoroughly enjoying the competitive part of their lifestyle. For me, lifestyle, health ,learning and competition is who I am, my identity.   

For example, my physical activity  lifestyle facilitates an opportunity to meet many psychological needs. 1.Abasement : to seek pain   2.  Achievement : to rival , surpass others , to master, and to accomplish something difficult  3.  Affiliation: to enjoyably cooperate or reciprocate with an allied other .To adhere and to remain loyal to a friend   4. Aggression : to overcome opposition and  to oppose forcefully. 5.  Autonomy: to be independent  6.  Counteraction :to overcome weakness.  To maintain self-respect and pride on a high level 7.  Deference: to admire and to praise 8.  Dominance: to control one's human environment .To influence and direct behavior of others by suggestion 9.  Exhibition :  to make an impression  10.  Play : to act for fun, to laugh, make jokes .To seek enjoyable relaxation of stress. To participate in games, sports, dancing 11 .  Understanding: to  be interested in theory . To speculate, formulate, analyze and generalize. 

 Exercise and nutrition go hand-in-hand.  It's not surprising, I have an interest in health as my father was a juvenile diabetic.  I witnessed his difficulty and discouragement from his medical condition daily.  Side note,  my  dad was born in Baltimore and my younger brother is a physician  living in Maryland.  There is nothing easy about maintaining one's health as much of it pertains to choices.  According to Woody Allen " Some people try to achieve immortality through their offspring or their works.  I prefer to achieve immortality by not dying." According to Epictetus “ Only the educated are free.”

Reference

Murray, H. A. Explorations in Personality.

Illusions and Reality

  Are we "the land of the free and the home of the brave"; "one country under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"; "shining city on a hill";   "And crown  thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea" ,and " children are our most precious resource"  or, are we a nation of hypocrisy myths, legends, and folktales that are  stereotypes that disguise and conceal conscious and unconscious motives of a  powerful minority ?  Currently, our country is composed of red states and blue states, without liberty and justice for all. We are certainly not the land of the free. We  are the home of income inequality, political division, decreasing lifespan with an inordinate amount of hate, death, despair, anxiety, fear and loss of our  children and adolescents.  The  article  titled  "It's Not Deaths of Despair.”  Its Deaths of Children  found in the April 9, 2023 edition of the New York Times  illustrated statistically our hypocrisy . Unconscious motivation , resistance and defense mechanisms are  a few factors making it difficult to change the reality of  today’s socioeconomic  and political sickness ?  

Philosophically, “Know thyself “ - self-knowledge goes back to the time of Socrates.  Socrates challenged people on their understanding of certain concepts such as justice.  According to Socrates , people exhibited ignorance based on a lack of self-knowledge and he believed that limiting this deficiency would have the happy consequence of gaining greater knowledge of one's fellow man.  Knowing oneself, one would also be knowing others

 in the 17th century. the first thinker that had a clear concept of the unconscious was Spinoza.  He believed that men "are conscious of their own desire, and are ignorant of the causes whereby the desire has been determined."  In other words, the average man is not free but  lives under the illusion of being free, because he is motivated by factors unconscious to him.  Spinoza believed that the very existence of unconscious motivation constitutes human bondage and the attainment of freedom was based on an ever-increasing awareness of the reality inside and outside of man.  Adam Smith wrote that the economic man "is led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention."  Nitschke said.  "My memory says I've done this.  My pride says I have not done it; my memory yields."  Marx wrote "it's not the consciousness of men that determines his existence, but on the contrary, it is their social existence that determines consciousness. “ In other words, social reality molds an individuals' thinking and manners. This social existence  are producers of man’s conceptions of ideas and that consciousness can never be anything else other than conscious existence. It is the existence of man that is his  actual life process.

 Freud wrote that individuals repress the awareness of their most significant experiences. This results in a conflict between man’s unconscious reality within self and the denial of that reality in his consciousness and therefore. deceives himself continuously.  Freud recognized that most of what is real within ourselves is not conscious and most of what is conscious is not real, Truth is difficult to establish. Most  desires are unconscious. What is conscious is a rationalization which hides completely what man does not want to know.  Man is unable to satisfy his desires without sensing  his conflicted moral judgment . This results in the formation of defense mechanisms as in a rationalization . The person “ never “ discovers the contradiction between the reality of his desires within the fiction of his rationalization . Man goes on acting according to his desires with repression while refusing to admit or acknowledge  the existence of what is repressed, 

It's time to address the violent reality taking place in our country.  It's not surprising that our life expectancy is proceeding in the wrong direction.  We have the largest military budget in the world and seem to have been at war “ forever . “ Individually, we have more firearms proportionally than any other country, and are number 1 in murders .

This country has propagated clichés, ideologies and delusions regarding its "greatness."  Statistically, on so many measures, compared to other countries, we lag behind. Moreover,  Karl Marx suggested that the social reality of  socioeconomic conditions are responsible for man’s history.  If so, living in a violent country suggests that many are hateful with prejudice and exhibit hostility toward ourselves and toward fellow men.  In other words, too many are alienated and hostile .

On the other hand, we've tackled and solved enormous technical and medical  problems. We have  created the bomb , explored outer space  and private citizens  can go 50 miles above the earth.  And yet when it comes to social ,moral and ethical problems, we are inept.  Are we so narcissistic and egotistical , that  we value human life  just for some  ? Are our primitive  unconscious instincts like murder repressed and behind our economic and political ideologies ? We seek to destroy  ourselves and others with little consequence or remorse for those that are murdered. 

Human irrationality , death and loss is  taking place today. The New York Times article had the following facts: 1.  Lifespan in the United States is decreasing . Americans are now dying younger  than in China, Cuba, Czech Republic, and Lebanon.  2.  One in 25 American five-year-olds won't live to see 40 .  3.  Firearms or homicides accounted for 6.9% of  deaths for 19 years old or younger and suicide  for 6.8%.  Car crashes , accidental drug overdoses and other accidental deaths called unintentional injuries accounted for 18.4%. 4. More than twice as many kids died from poisoning including drug overdoses  as from Covid- 19 ; more than three times as many died of suicide;  more than four times as many died from homicide and more than five times as many died in car crashes and other transportation accidents. 5.  Mortality is  decreasing  for those without college degrees.  Individuals at every percentile of income are now dying sooner than their counterparts in Britain. 6.  Black Americans on average can expect to live 5 fewer years than white Americans.  Black American men have lower life expectancies than men in Rwanda, Laos and North Korea. 7.  White Americans can expect to live 7 fewer years than Asian Americans. 8. Life expectancy in the black belt of the deep South is 20 years lower than that of North of the Mason-Dixon line and West of the Mississippi.  9.Individuals live longer in counties in support of Joe Biden compared to those living in counties that supported Trump 10. If you make it to retirement age, you can expect to live about as long as your counterparts in other wealthy countries even though you spent much more money on health care. 11. Gun homicides were responsible  for  children ages 10 to 19  and  increased more than 39%. Drug overdoses for that age more than doubled in 2021. 12. Most of the increase in pediatric mortality was among males. 13.  Deaths from overdose are higher among white children and teenagers .14. Deaths of despair  are rising among  white, middle-aged men  who won't reach 80 years of age.

 Are children  our most precious resource ?  The above article statistically exposed the myth regarding our children and adolescents. People with guns are killing our precious resources.  If we valued our young, we would do more and be in concert with  mental health practices and  meaningful  firearms legislation . 

In summation, unprecedented firearm  violence suggests a widespread  epidemic.  To deal psychologically with this sickness , requires  self-knowledge with attention to the unconscious societal reality of forces affecting humanness . Next, we  have to acknowledge the destructiveness of our impulses , passions and human needs, which is the irrational reality of harming self and others. Then , we have to understand  how the  social institutions of religion, education, politics, criminal injustice and capitalism interact and distort man's beliefs ,morality ,ethics and actions within his primitive emotional makeup. Then a critique might allow us to better understand our reliance on illusion and provide the resources to confront our unconscious desires , our resistances and reliance on defense mechanisms. On the other hand, direct attention to states which have the lowest number of deaths per 100,000 of the total population In order to see what they're putting in the drinking water. For instance : Hawaii 3.4 ; Massachusetts 3.7 ; New Jersey 5 ; Rhode Island 5.1 and New York 5.3. Red state  Mississippi is  statistically last with 28.6 and according to an Hawaiian Proverb ,“ Truth is not changeable. “ 

Reference

Bottomore, T. B.  Translation from Marx's Economics And Philosophical Manuscripts.

Freud, Sigmund.  The Ego and the Id.

Politics

 

The cliché “ what makes Johnny click “ has been pondered by the greatest  philosophers.  Determinants of conduct have been explained as based on knowledge, instinct , free will ,unconscious factors, hedonism , needs etc.  Machiavelli , in the 16th century, observed the government of Florence.  He concluded , was inferior to those of ancient times and attributed the defects to education and to religion.  He saw  princes motivated to gain power by egoism.  Machiavelli thought that the major motives used to manipulate the populace were fear and love with fear being stronger and more durable.  This essay addresses fear with its implications and ramifications.

Otto Rank wrote about  birth, and man's motivation to avoid  separation anxiety.  Afterbirth, the infant's survival, security and well-being is primarily based on the mother or caretaker with its need for dependence and affiliation . Within this dyad, results  in the emotions  of fear, anxiety, tension and stress .These terms are used interchangeably.  While pursuing pleasure, security  and survival from the mother, it also experiences  conflict, frustration and tension with the object . In other words, the need for affiliation results in experiencing degrees of pleasure, love, comfort, as well as  elements  and expressions of tension, frustration, conflict, aggression, hate and hostility. Early learning experiences and their associations  first begin, according to Piaget, in the sensorimotor stage; then the preoperational stage ; the concrete  and finally the formal  operational stages of development . With that in mind , are examples of what can take place in the primitive mind of youngsters based on interactions with mother. 1.  The image of the caretaker might be something like,  if cared for, then  a "good" mother.  2.  The image of a "bad" mother resulting from the mother's tension  or preoccupation during feeding . Later, additional images can be formed - a seductive mother ; an overprotective mother ;  a helicopter mother ;  a spoiled child mother etc. These memories can be repressed ,denied , modified or rationalized over time..

A second example taking place in the primitive mind pertains to associative learning as illustrated by Franz Kafka in one of his short stories. “ A dog who lived in a kennel, surrounded by a high fence, was urinating one day when a bone was thrown over the fence.  The dog thought, "My urinating made that bone appear."  Thereafter, whenever he wanted something to eat.  He lifted his leg. “  A human  example would be crying and then receiving the nipple . To receive a nipple, a crying  response is learned.

 Returning to the nursing situation ,in the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development, in which a hungry, tense baby is  seeking  to satisfy hunger, security  and relief from a tense ,harassed ,tired  immature  mother .The  baby’s goal is to reduce hunger which is pleasure.  Within this frequent situation, the infant "learns,"  remembers and develops expectancies . Is the nipple  "Good" because satisfaction is coming; good, but "unsatisfactory" because the baby is  not hungry; " wrong"  because the nipple doesn't give milk;  or "bad" nipple because the mother is anxious, not available, hurried inconsistent or  preoccupied.  Henry Harlow's research demonstrated the emotional benefits for a held baby , during feeding, with tactile warmth versus  without . In contrast to the emotional deficits in having a bottle propped for the baby to function on its own.

During the sensorimotor, preoperational , and concrete stages of cognitive development, the baby learns, within its dyadic interactions.  Mother can be good or bad ; father can be good or bad  as can siblings and others . Further, the  perception , the memories, the  primitive learning  ( lack of knowledge, vocabulary, information and inability to abstract )  personal  images - the personifications of  things , ideas , persons or groups are formed ,although limited and affect reality . Moreover, with primitive cognitive development, associations , oversimplifications , images, biases ,fear based prejudices and paranoid  ideas are formed in the  mind within  cognitive  stages  of  development . 

 These representations become ground-floor or  a foundation for biases, prejudices or inflated goodness that interfere  with developing a sense of empathy .Furthermore, The Golden Rule suggests we treat others the way we want to be treated.  However, if primitive  thinking and irrational behavior is the norm, we don't want to be influenced by them in the same way.  With empathy, we can love another and recognize our neighbors as separate human beings.  Without empathy, human relations suffer. In other words ,during cognitive development, we create images of good, bad, ugly , With the capacity for  abstract , objective , scientific,  logical, moral , and ethical thinking, beliefs  can be  changed and modified . If not, one can be fixated at primitive levels and accompanied with cognitive dissonance ( taking in information based on  the preexisting) behavior. Primitive thinking distortions  interfere with evaluating objectivity, truth , reality and with meaningful unions.

During my cognitive development, my personification included  Gov. G.Mennen Williams ,called “ Soapy “(  Colgate- Palmolive  family) . My dad's friend Harry Sears said the governor was "clean."  Unions were personified, along with fighting discrimination and  prejudice because my father was president of the union and all colors of people visited our home   Later on, I visited  the Teamsters union hall  on Jefferson Ave. with Jimmy Hoffa.  Outside in the parking lot, during winter, were men wearing long overcoats adjacent to parked black cadillac’s . Labor Day in Detroit was a big deal and another of my personifications as was the  Jefferson -Jackson  Dinner . I also have a picture of Dad  with the Governor signing  protective legislation for postal workers  from dog bites. Years later, when my father retired , I heard many  testimonials and accomplishments attributed to him based on his leadership at those special and memorable  retirement dinners.  That reinforced my understanding of the benefits of union leadership .

Empathy, humanism, fair play,  truth, also became personified  based on identifications . My father’s mission of assisting others irrespective of religious belief ,skin color , righting a wrong , fighting discrimination and prejudice was a common reality.  His cognitive, emotional and compassionate empathy was expressed daily. Note, my brother and sister also learned and practiced empathy in their careers .  

Proceeding from cognitive development, we turn  attention to  the negative consequences of tension. Tension can be positive or pleasurable as with infatuation or can be negative as with pain and discomfort .  Research has documented that excessive negative  stress creates a  wide range of ailments. They range from mental frustration, anxiety, depression, headaches, allergies, ulcers, to heart disease.  In the long run ,excessive stress  shrinks brain size  , wears down the immune system and leads to cancer and other diseases. Negative stress increases the body's production of free radicals and is associated with the  stimulation of the adrenal glands that produces the stress hormones cortisol , epinephrine  and norepinephrine  which then burn energy at a high rate. Free radicals become the polluting byproduct . This occurrence sets off a chain reaction resulting in still more free radicals .  Free radicals are associated with hypertension, ulcers, myocardial infarction, diabetes,  infections, arthritis, cerebrovascular accidents, psychosis, cirrhosis, along with Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.  Also, high levels of cortisone diminish muscle growth and are associated  with acne, alcoholism and obesity. Note, that not all levels of stress are the same.  Death of a spouse is much more significant than a weight gain of 10 pounds.  However, it's the  constant bombardment of fear ( which we are not equipped to withstand) that's perpetuated within our society by our current  political state .

Fear remains a constant  “brainwashing”  device politically.  Locally, we elect representatives to city , county , state and federal offices.  With gerrymandering, a political party can ensure its stronghold on  areas ensuring its power and control.  Thus , we have the likelihood of minority rule with doctored boundaries.  North Dakota has two senators as does California  which is another example of an uneven playing field .  Five members of the Supreme Court determined abortion to be a crime, another example of minority power. More  threats to well-being include the potential government default regarding the debt;  the burning of books, eliminating teaching of CRT, discriminating against LGBT and  others.  Do not forget the war in Ukraine,  ”rioting “ in the street because of the Trump indictment, murder of children in the schools, rising mortgage rates, inflation,  discriminating against the right to vote by Blacks and college students, income inequality and so many other fear based threats. And, the purpose of the Texas Senate passing a bill requiring the irrelevant 10 Commandments to be prominently displayed in every single classroom ? 

Believing a pathological liar and incorporating “ fair and balanced “ lies from Fox news pertains to the 10 Commandments . Unfortunately, the identity of many of these folks is related to being manipulated by the big lie. The Fox news payout  exposes their fear of being wrong and  becomes dangerous because they have to maintain that  Illusion. .In other words, the  reality of truth is a threat,  because they have nothing to gain by it and will simply make them sick .The cliche “ the truth hurts “ fits. 

In conclusion, the employment  of  political fear-based tactics is not new but continues today and significant in perpetuating illusions regarding security , freedom and justice.  Our current state of knowledge depicts Homo sapiens as anxious, insecure , requiring dependence while seeking security, comfort,pleasure ,happiness or power, possession  and status within human dynamisms.  Research has well documented the implications and negative ramifications of the dangers associated with fear, anxiety, stress, and tension.  With that being said, it's not surprising that our country again is at a critical crossroads with its inordinate amounts of physical and mental sickness . At the present, our governmental process  is based on a  plutocracy rather than a democracy because  of the wealthy super PACs dictating policy. Their goal is egoism and greed ,not empathy or humanism. Take it from Machiavelli, fear works politically,  in  large part ,based upon education and religion. 

Reference

Klatz, Ronald and Goldman, Robert.  Stopping the Clock.

Sullivan, H.  S.  Conceptions of Modern Psychiatry.

Healthy Aging Obstacles

 

Does the cliché "ignorance is bliss" fit our Stone Age ancestors as they ate nutritiously;  were physically fit; met their sexual  affiliative and procreation  passions; and did not experience acute stress?  Their genes, and human functioning - thinking, perceiving, emoting and movement  worked well for them . Then  ,about 12,000 years ago, human psychology evolved with the agricultural revolution,  industrialization, technology, information, science, religion, economics ,laws, politics , medicine etc. However, with  the development of civilization  and with  essentially similar body and brain structure ,  man created  additional  conflicts, frustrations, contradictions and discord affecting  health  This essay addresses  complexities affecting healthy aging.

The human genetic code was designed to protect the survival of our species . Genes that once saved  lives during the Stone Age have  now become major threats to  wellbeing .  For example, threats of starvation ,dying of thirst, and animal predators are not feared, except under  conditions  of  war, famine , poverty and outdoor adventures .  Unfortunately, our genetic code has not  evolved  and adapted to the rapidly changing cultural  and environmental changes that took place in our civilization .  It’s true that modern medicine , plumbing , sanitation and vaccines have almost  eliminated  many diseases. However, there’s  a mismatch between the  style of living of Stone Age folks and us . Genes that once saved lives and  our species in the  Stone Age have now become threats to us because of our psychology . 

Every day we lose great numbers of cells from every tissue and organ system in our bodies . With aging , the process goes from gradual maturation - childhood into adulthood and then a decline in midlife and advanced age. Cells  overcome by physical or chemical trauma  are called necrosis . Apoptosis is when a cell ceases to function, resulting in its death . Necrosis and apoptosis are normal and inherent in our  genetic design. 

The following are five primary causes of aging : 1.Glycation is  progressive damage to the body caused by high blood sugar.  It  occurs when extra glucose molecules become attached to proteins causing structural damage to the proteins that interfere with their function. Having well-regulated blood sugar levels is one way of minimizing glycation. A sugary diet leads to insulin resistance and diabetes.

 2. Inflammation is a result of excessive quantities of hormone-like substances (eicosanoids )and by immune system chemicals  (cytokines).  Both increase with age and are necessary for normal body functioning in the proper proportions.  Inflammation is the underlying cause of a number of diseases . Mark Hyman's food as medicine addresses this issue in detail.  

3.  Oxidation is when oxygen cells  combine with  glucose and a  fat process  takes place in the mitochondria and produces ATP , the energy that drives over 90% of all the body's cellular reactions . With unstable oxygen atoms, oxidation  occurs and is known as free radicals.  The production of free radicals is  a continuously escalating process that leads to aging and ultimately to death. Free radicals play a role in development of many chronic degenerative diseases as they damage DNA.  Oxidative stress  reduces the production effectiveness of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for memory and cognition.

 4. Methylation is a process whereby some genes are activated and others are turned off during lifetime.  Turning off the genes is believed to be one of the major factors that cause aging and death . Controlling methylation is beginning to be recognized as an important part of managing the aging process.  One factor known to optimize its processes is by  decreasing the production of the adrenal stress hormone cortisol. Stress reduction controls methylation  and contributes to longer lifespans .

 5.  Telomere reduction is repeating sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes, regulated in a fixed manner. With cell division, the shortening results in less efficient cell division.  When reaching  a specific  length, the chromosome  is unable to divide- causing cell aging and death .Slowing  down  the telomere shortening process is one key to aging.  Examples include exercising, eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies, keeping  normal weight and controlling  inflammation.

Returning to our Stone Age ancestors, the following  changes have affected our well-being: 1.  Genetically, our bodies  were designed to protect  the Stone Age threat of starvation.  During the Stone Age, the daily hunting- gathering lifestyle resulted in feast and famine.  In fact , bodies were designed to go three or four weeks without food. The fat cells , adipocytes,  engineered genetically, helped  survival.  They stored triglycerides as energy .  Those who consumed the most food , stored the most  fat and were protected against starvation .

 Our brains experience  sweet , fat and salt.  However, sweet and fat are very high in calories and salt  assists with  water  to maintain critical metabolic balances.  Today:  the excessive consumption of  sugar, fat filled foods, now causes obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

2.  Our Stone Age ancestors ,with genetically designed bodies, were physically active .  Our ancestors walked 6 to 22 miles per day in search of food, water, shelter, and companionship.  Then came the agricultural revolution, the Industrial Revolution ,technology and information age that resulted in the development of  different character structures.  Today, only one in five Americans exercise regularly.  Energy expenditure , in the form of exercise, coupled with a high calorie diet is the main reason why 2/3 of Americans are either overweight or obese.  Our capitalistic economic system allows us to purchase  exercise equipment, fitness membership, athletic competitions, and many recreational activities, such as walking, biking, swimming, and so forth. Moreover, one is not likely to get an overuse injury by walking.  Walking is easier than running, swimming, biking, pickle ball etc. Become a Stone Ager  and walk  6 to 22 miles a day.

3.  When engaging in strenuous activity , humans can exist for about 3 to 4 days without water. Our bodies are genetically constructed to utilize sodium and hormones to hold onto water .High levels of sodium consumption ,stress and plentiful water becomes a genetic recipe for hypertension  which is associated with cardiovascular disease, heart disease and stroke.

4.  Cuts, lacerations and bites are common in the hunter gatherer cultures.  Those who had excellent blood clotting with high levels of clotting factors like fibrinogen and thromboxane were able to clot blood in wounds, prevent infections and avoid bleeding to death. The threat of blood clotting helped humans survive in the world  millions of years ago.  However, this single event  kills  the greatest number of Americans if a clot forms in one of the coronary or cerebral arteries. 

5.  Genetically, our brains are  designed to go into a fight or flight stress response. But ,with civilization , has resulted in chronic stress. Unfortunately, our  brains have not evolved nor are designed to deal with chronic stress. Stone Age cousins did not have to deal with  minute by minute stress from cell phones , driving freeways, meeting deadlines, listening to "news" ,inflation, recession, income inequality, political irrationality, health, death, etc.  Chronic stress  leads to disabling mental and physical processes or illnesses that shorten life expectancy. It’s the  continued bombardment of the brain and  the activation of stress  cortisol hormones that leads to brain shrinkage. Chronic stress results in significant emotional problems such as anxiety disorders, anger, insomnia, depression and  risk factors like hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer's .

As a youngster, aunt Eva said something to the effect that "if you don't have your health, you're poor “  and  Gandhi “ It  is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. “They are so very wise . Having optimum health reflects  attitude, needs, perseverance, and athletic activities associated with well-being.  An attitude is based on thinking, emoting  , perceiving and acting while expecting a favorable outcome and necessary for  a sense of identity within a particular lifestyle . How can individuals living in this informational and technological  culture,  not know prudent activities regarding health ?  Are they ignoramus’ ? How does it happen that so many are physically and psychologically  sick ?  Do they not care  and ignore the outcome  ?  If one has a cavalier response , that suggests the predominance of the abasement need.  For a cognitive treat, to compare lifestyle  choices , answer  a questionnaire related to  longevity, visit the website www. Livingto100.com.  At that website, a  detailed questionnaire based on current longevity research  provides  a  lifespan prediction .  Then follow your self-talk for insight into your thinking and behavior .  According to Fred Rogers.  "Discovering the truth about ourselves. is a lifetime's work, but it's worth the effort.

  Reference

Successful Aging in Men and Women . Institute  for Natural Resources.

Confronting Fiction

 

This essay applies  Fictional Finalism  to life span.  Alfred Adler MD  trained as an ophthalmologist and then became a significant member of Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalytic Society. Later, Adler resigned as president and formulated his own  personality theory.  He viewed the child as small, weak and helpless with feelings of inferiority and  being totally dependent on others.  This created an unique compensatory drive - a striving for superiority, perfection  or self actualization. On the other hand, Freud , acknowledged irrationality but postulated pleasure  as being the significant driving force. Within Adler’s model, and our focus, Fictional Finalism is  just one of Adler’s brilliant  common sense concepts.

Fictional Finalism is the idea  that man follows fictional ideas , myths , cliches , rationalizations and illusions. It’s been stated that pursuing illusions makes life bearable. The fiction , with emotion, becomes an attitude with a  motivational striving  towards persons, places, and things  . It’s an opinion, belief, interest, or purpose involving an expectancy for a certain kind of  future experience with readiness for an appropriate response.  In other words, when activated, the irrationality of man’s  attitude results in a  self defeating motivating force .  A couple of examples of Fictional Finalism  include: 1.  The Civil War was based on "Don't Tread on Me."  2.  The Vietnam War was based on the "Domino Theory."  3.  The Iraq war was based on "Weapons Of Mass Destruction."  We are the weapons of mass destruction.  4.  The 2020 election was fraudulent.  5.  Trump can't be indicted because he's a former president .  Yes, he can in order to make America great !

One of America's most notable poets Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Sports is the bloom and glow of perfect health."  That's an example of  Fictional Finalism.  Yes, exercise, activity, play, humor, fun, amusing oneself are all related to health.  Do they tell the whole story?  Two examples follow: 1.  I last saw my former teammate and NFL superstar about  10 years ago.  Ed Budde , once a physical giant, played 14 years with the Kansas City Chiefs.  He said he had lost about 2 inches in height, and has difficulty walking.  Luckily for me, because I danced with Carolyn while he looked on.  2.  My lovely wife Linda was an equestrian, river rafting guide ,golfer , swimmer , pickle ball  with low cholesterol.  She had a five way heart bypass.  Then, suffered an equestrian injury resulting in shoulder replacement, two punctured lungs,  and  CTE . Note, there is current legislation proceeding in California that would ban tackle football for those 12 and under because of primary CTE consequences.

Successful aging in men and women is  complex .  Yet, there are all types of exercise equipment like treadmills, ellipticals , Pelotons , machines, free weights, bands, gym memberships, athletic  competitions etc.  We are told to exercise for a certain length of time, and walk so many steps .  Don't sit too long, ride a bike, swim, kayak, work in the garden, go dancing, etc. Physical activity alone does not result in longevity.  Advertising with Fictional Finalism  messaging is good for capitalism and the myth of exercise but  is irrational and misleading.

Everyone has heard about Weight Watchers, Nutri system, Mediterranean Diet , Mark Hyman's Food As Medicine and numerous supplements like Herbalife Quickstart, Zero  Belly Smoothies, 7-Day Apple Cider, GOLO for, Life, weight loss classes, etc.  As far as diets, there's nothing wrong with diets.  The problem is people are unable to stick to a diet .  Three quarters of our population are either overweight or obese.

Life expectancy is related to activity , choices including diet.  A few factors that are associated with health include the following: 1.  Majority of money spent on healthcare in the United States is spent on preventable diseases.  2.  How long American life is mostly dependent on socioeconomic , regional lifestyle choices made in midlife alcohol use, tobacco smoking, being overweight or obese and having elevated blood pressure.  3.  Low economic rural whites with no  health insurance and  no access to healthcare had longer life expectancies  in Minnesota than those who were low income rural whites lacking in health insurance living in Appalachia and the Mississippi Valley.  They had higher alcohol use, tobacco smoking, greater obesity and higher blood pressure.  4.  Tobacco smoking and high blood pressure are the largest contributors to death in the United States and responsible for one in five deaths.  Being overweight ,obese and lack of physical activity each cause nearly 1 in 10  deaths 4.  Preventable lifestyle choices and conditions influence the risk of developing life-threatening chronic diseases .The major causes of early death are cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung disease and cancer.  6. Covid -19  misinformation and poor choices  resulted in a dramatic blow to life expectancy in the United States.

The following is no guarantee of happiness nor Fictional Finalism but is associated with being  a  centenarian.  Michael Howard evaluated 16 healthy habits and lifestyle choices for those reaching 100. His 16   does not mean that there are no  other variables associated with living to 100.  His following 16 :1.  Blood pressure less than 100 mg/Dl .  Fasting . 2.  Blood pressure range 115/75 mg/  Hg.  3.  Total cholesterol less than 200 mg/ dl .4.  Keep BMI from 18.5 to 25 . 5. Eat fewer calories 6. Mostly vegetarian diet with coffee and tea .7.  Take your vitamins . 8.  Exercise regularly, be active and stay busy after retirement. 9.  Don't smoke or stop smoking If you do 10, Drink less alcohol.  11.  Get regular and restful sleep.  12.  Healthy gums .13.  Challenge your mind.  14.  Stay positive in attitude and avoid anxiety and depression.  15. Shed stressors ,have daily structure and be resilient. It’s not stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it. Hans Selye, endocrinologist   16 . Stay socially connected with serenity and purpose to life.

Human beings have four basic processes, all of which are indispensable for functioning and which are interconnected: 1.  Perception or senses-see , taste,  smell , feel and hear .  2.  Sensorimotor movement-walks ,eats, swims, throws climbs, etc. 3.  Emotes, feels-loves, hates, fears, becomes guilty,  depressed  .  4.  Rational or irrational, thinks, remembers, imagines, hypothesizes, concludes, solves  problems.

With that being said, Japan has a life expectancy of 84.6; Singapore 83.7; South Korea 83.4; Norway 83.2.... US 76.4.   Some, Fictional Finalism comments might be about  genes or heredity being the main cause .  Studies, including twin studies, found that heredity and genes account for 25 to 35% of one's health.  It's clear that individuals in the above countries are employing four basic  human processes (Perceiving, emoting, sensorimotor, and thinking-rational )  in more healthy ways than in our country.  Some Fictional Finalism folks might say we are happier than those living in other countries. Statistically, the happiness rankings : Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands........ and in 14th place,  the United States.  Some Fictional Finalism folks might say we have the best healthcare system.  Statistically, Japan is number one for least healthcare costs but is also number one for lifespan length . We  pay more  for healthcare  and trail lifespan in Japan.

 A few more statistics regarding mortality rates in the United States: 1.  People in Republican counties have higher death rates than people in Democratic counties.  2.  People live longer in blue states than red states  3.  People die younger in states run by conservatives.  Give thanks to Republicans- Covid -19 , not wearing a mask and  not getting vaccinated; Republicans say “no “ to gun reform; “no” to democracy ; yes , to income inequality; yes, to banning reading materials; and yes to racism ,discrimination and  following fiction  .

In conclusion,  is anyone thinking about the future and being dependent on someone else?  Italy, found itself short of individuals that could care for others.  Children have moved away and  home care workers are limited causing concern for many in the industry.  An article titled "Who Will Take Care Of Italy's Older People ?  Maybe Robots " in the March 26, 2023 edition of The New York Times suggested that robots is the answer.  It was stated that "Robot  wasn't a replacement for socializing with other people.  It can nevertheless be company,  What doubletalk.

PS

1.  “2-Minute Exercise Bursts Can  Have Big Benefits “found in the December 11, 2022 edition of the New York Times.          

2. Advertisement “We're Changing How The  World Thinks About Weight   Loss. Lose Weight  for Good  Sign up for a 14 day  free trial.

3. Confront fiction for a prediction  of how many more years left,  by taking the questionnaire derived from longevity research at www.livingto100.com.

Reference ,Successful Aging in Men & Women.  Institute for Natural  Resources.