The Dorian Gray Pill

[bush_cheney2004]

Putin would only win in the short term, while Gates is the gift that keeps on giving. The devil will also pay for your soul.

[August1991]

Yes, but not because a life wants to be saved or extended, but because those with the service and/or pills will demand payment. Life comes and goes every day, but Dorian Gray pills are rare. Pay up or die on schedule.

"Demand payment"? BC, you miss Mankiew's point.

What if the cost of maintaining life (the payment) is more than GDP per capita? That is, we can maintain one person's life forever but it requires the lives of three people to do this. Who gets to be that one person?

[bush_cheney2004]

Who gets to be that one person?

Michael Jackson.

[Michael Hardner]

Michael Jackson.

Indeed. So wealthy and powerful that he's influencing policy on this from beyond the grave.

(BTW, Kudos for the rhetorical playfulness.)

[August1991]

Michael Jackson.

Despite the apparent American adulation of celebrity, I trust more in American individualism.

I have met many individual Americans willing to die for America (this discovery was a surprise to me - weird) but I have met few (if any) Americans willing to die for an individual.

Go figure.

----

Then again, maybe I have this wrong.

(Gawd, what a thread... )

Edited March 8, 2014 by August1991

[bush_cheney2004]

I have met many individual Americans willing to die for America (this discovery was a surprise to me - weird) but I have met few (if any) Americans willing to die for an individual.

Many Americans die or are willing to die for individuals every day. Sometimes they get overtime pay for doing it.

[August1991]

Many Americans die or are willing to die for individuals every day. Sometimes they get overtime pay for doing it.

"Many"?

There are relatively few Americans willing to become policemen.

As a foreigner, what is astonishing to me is how many Americans donate so easily their time, their life, for military service.

====

Aside from paying taxes, maybe doing military service is another true measure of a civilised society.

Edited March 15, 2014 by August1991

[bleeding heart]

Most people, in Canada as well as in the US, do not join the military for strictly noble, or even patriotic, purposes. Some do, no doubt.

What's more impressive to me is that, whatever the reasons for enlisting, many of them do show tremendous courage in difficult (and sometimes horrible) situations.

That's where the hats' off should go....not to the enlistment itself.

[August1991]

Bump.

[August1991]

At present in Canada, we have MAiD (Medically Assisted Death).

But then our State also spends enormous sums to keep some people alive.

Perhaps more to the point, as individuals, rich Canadians choose to buy longer life.

[Legato]

7 hours ago, August1991 said:

At present in Canada, we have MAiD (Medically Assisted Death).

But then our State also spends enormous sums to keep some people alive.

Perhaps more to the point, as individuals, rich Canadians choose to buy longer life.

Don't be too sure about that, many rich people eat at fast food joints.

 

[John Johnston]

14 minutes ago, Legato said:

Don't be too sure about that, many rich people eat at fast food joints.

 

At almost 20 Bucks for a disgusting A&W Teen Burger Combo, it might be that mainly well off people  can afford it now. Because the average family sure can no longer afford 60 bucks or more for one small meal.