Rol Fessenden writes:
> There is an element of truth to Brock's point of view, and I find myself
> agreeing with him many times a day, especially on a bad day. On the other
> hand, when we indict the leadership selection process, we do so only by
> ignoring history. The industrial -- and now information -- revolution has
> been an astonishing period of growth and change when compared to any prior
> period. The gains made -- not without costs -- have been incredible.
> Just to focus on one aspect, life expectancy has increased from 45-50
> years in 1775 to what -- 83 years? -- in the US today? Not bad for
> mediocre leadership.
FWIW, actually, it is 78 years, and we are number 8 in the industrialized
world, as per, The CIA World Factbook, 1995, referencing the UN's WHO
numbers, at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html. The 83
number you quoted is the life expectancy of a 40 year old US female,
today, on average, if life expectancy increases at the same rate as it has
for the past few centuries, for the next 43 years. Life expectancy has
fluctuated over the past few millenia. For example, it is estimated that
at 0 AD, it was in excess of 60 years. By 1000AD, it had dropped, to less
than 40 years, and since has been increasing-depending on who is telling
the story. The life span of Indians in the Amazon has increased by,
roughly, the same percentage over the last millenia, (with no western
medical intervention.) Ditto, the aboriginal tribes in Borneo.
Thanks for sharing that, huh?
John
BTW, actually, the reason I replied was to point out that it may not be
leadership, mediocre or otherwise, that is responsible for the increase in
longevity. (You seem to be searching for a cause and effect scenario.)
And, BTW, if you remove infant mortality, the US disease "frequency and
severity" rate is only marginally better than the third world countries,
(whoops, I mean emerging nations, in the politically correct vernacular.)
FWIW ...
--John Conover, 631 Lamont Ct., Campbell, CA., 95008, USA. VOX 408.370.2688, FAX 408.379.9602 john@johncon.com
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