The average life expectancy for the American male is about 77 years old. This statistic, provided by the United States Census Bureau, is the average life expectancy, however it does not include the breakdown of outside factors. The US Census Bureau, and many other sources, often do not distinguish the very important factor of economic status when considering life expectancy. If those sources included money, one would see that by the time that they are 65 years old, men who are in the highest wealth bracket are likely to live almost 15 years longer than men in the lowest wealth bracket (). This difference is stark, especially in a country where quality of life is expected and somewhat promised to be so high. In general, people with more money
…show more content…
Materialism, reiterated, is the doctrine that the highest values lie in the furtherance of material progress. Gandhi colorfully put it as “the monster god of materialism” (Gandhi 137) that Western Nations fall into. With Gandhi’s point of view in mind, the opinion of Richard G. Wilkinson and colleagues in the British Medical Journal can be taken into account. They describe the role that materialism plays in the West with the following claim: “Over and above satisfying basic needs, consumption serves social, psychosocial, and symbolic purposes. It expresses identity. Self image is enhanced by possessions” (Marmot 1). The article, published in 2001, goes on to talk about how people value their possessions so much, it can become their identity. It is no wonder that Americans are looked at as being selfish and greedy. Much of this image is brought on by truths that are evident in the mistreatment of the citizens. Gandhi is quoted saying that other nations measure their progress by the American standard of wealth, but reject the means by which the US gained hers. Gandhi said that others told him, “We will gain the American wealth but avoid its method” (Gandhi 137). Gandhi didn’t believe that it would be a success for those countries to successfully find the wealth of the West without exploitation and he is for the most part correct in his assumptions. In the United States, …show more content…
However, opportunities around the globe prevent many from doing so. In the United States, poor health is strongly correlated with being poor and health and income tend to have an inverse relationship. The main cause of this unfairness and negativity is materialism. This is an ideal that Gandhi detested years ago, and needs to be rejected now if the United States wants to improve the health of its citizens and recognize the humanity of those that are marginalized by its institution. There are necessary solutions that the west must take in order to improve the nation 's overall public health. There should be no difference in the life expectancy of two men simply based off of the amount of money that they make. No child should have to go hungry simply because they were born into a working family that does not live above the poverty line. People should not be afraid to seek receive preventative health care because they don’t know if they’ll be able to pay rent if they do. Placing the wellbeing of the people would very well be growth of the real kind, and a triumph over the problem that is
Materialism, reiterated, is the doctrine that the highest values lie in the furtherance of material progress. Gandhi colorfully put it as “the monster god of materialism” (Gandhi 137) that Western Nations fall into. With Gandhi’s point of view in mind, the opinion of Richard G. Wilkinson and colleagues in the British Medical Journal can be taken into account. They describe the role that materialism plays in the West with the following claim: “Over and above satisfying basic needs, consumption serves social, psychosocial, and symbolic purposes. It expresses identity. Self image is enhanced by possessions” (Marmot 1). The article, published in 2001, goes on to talk about how people value their possessions so much, it can become their identity. It is no wonder that Americans are looked at as being selfish and greedy. Much of this image is brought on by truths that are evident in the mistreatment of the citizens. Gandhi is quoted saying that other nations measure their progress by the American standard of wealth, but reject the means by which the US gained hers. Gandhi said that others told him, “We will gain the American wealth but avoid its method” (Gandhi 137). Gandhi didn’t believe that it would be a success for those countries to successfully find the wealth of the West without exploitation and he is for the most part correct in his assumptions. In the United States, …show more content…
However, opportunities around the globe prevent many from doing so. In the United States, poor health is strongly correlated with being poor and health and income tend to have an inverse relationship. The main cause of this unfairness and negativity is materialism. This is an ideal that Gandhi detested years ago, and needs to be rejected now if the United States wants to improve the health of its citizens and recognize the humanity of those that are marginalized by its institution. There are necessary solutions that the west must take in order to improve the nation 's overall public health. There should be no difference in the life expectancy of two men simply based off of the amount of money that they make. No child should have to go hungry simply because they were born into a working family that does not live above the poverty line. People should not be afraid to seek receive preventative health care because they don’t know if they’ll be able to pay rent if they do. Placing the wellbeing of the people would very well be growth of the real kind, and a triumph over the problem that is