>> We need a system that incents people to stay healthy in the first >> place by punishing unhealthy lifestyles and rewarding healthy ones. > > >Wouldn't matter. People are already punished significantly for unhealthy >life choices....and it doesn't motivate them to change their ways.
Except what you have is a fairly classic behavioral trap or social dilemma (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_dilemma). There are immediate positive reinforcing consequences (sugar tastes good, getting drunk, eating too much etc.) that also have long term negative consequences. The difficulty is finding solutions that mitigate the very short term positive consequences. What has been happening with smoking for instance may be a start - using social consequences and social marketing to reduce or eliminate the attractiveness of these behaviors. > >It's every American's right to lead a shitty lifestyle, and unfortunately >many Americans take that option. All the taxes and warning labels and >incentive plans have failed to stem that tide to date...it's reasonable to >assume that trend will continue. > >THAT type of system would care for health. > > >That type of system, in present day America, with our population, is >impossible. First off the idea is that Americans have the right to lead a terrible lifestyle I think is incorrect. We still have the idea that one's right should end where they interfere with others, i.e., your right to hit person x ends where his or her nose begins. A person's right to drive 120 mph in a school zone mitigates others' rights to life, etc. Similarly shouldn't we consider that someone's right to stuff themselves with corn syrup etc., interferes with others' right to health care by makiing it far too expensive to afford. Thus let those idiots stuff themselves, or drink themselves, or smoke themselves to death, but do it in such a way that it doesn't cost anyone else or to society as a whole. Perhaps by having them sign waivers forgoing any health insurance for problems related to obesity, smoking or drinking. just an idea. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the House of Fusion mailing lists Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:301738 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
