‘I am old enough to die’: Barbara Ehrenreich questions our longevity obsession

Summary

In an interview discussing her book 'Natural Causes,' author Barbara Ehrenreich challenges the societal obsession with wellness and life extension. She critiques the excessive focus on preventive medical tests and gym routines, suggesting that this preoccupation with prolonging life often detracts from actually living it. Ehrenreich advocates for a more balanced approach, acknowledging the inevitability of aging and death, and calls for a societal conversation that addresses these taboos, especially considering the disparities in healthcare access across different social classes.

Takeaways

• 📚 A new book called 'Natural Causes' examines society's obsession with wellness and longevity.
• 👩‍💼 The author, Barbara Ehrenreich, questions modern health practices and the culture surrounding them.
• 🔍 Ehrenreich criticizes the extensive focus on preventive medical tests for healthy individuals.
• 💪 Despite maintaining a gym routine herself, Ehrenreich does it for immediate well-being, not for longevity.
• 🍽 She advocates for enjoying life, like eating foods deemed unhealthy, rather than fixating on health.
• 🧠 The book challenges the notion that individuals can fully control their aging and health outcomes.
• 🌍 Ehrenreich highlights external factors like environmental pollutants that affect health beyond personal control.
• 👥 The book discusses societal and class issues, emphasizing disparities in access to healthcare.
• 💬 Ehrenreich calls for more open conversations about the inevitability of death.
• 🏥 She critiques the healthcare system's focus on overtesting insured individuals while neglecting the needs of the uninsured.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Barbara Ehrenreich's book 'Natural Causes'?

The main theme of 'Natural Causes' is to question the modern obsession with wellness and extending life, suggesting that we might be better off accepting the inevitability of death and focusing on living our lives.

What does Barbara Ehrenreich criticize about modern medical practices?

Barbara Ehrenreich criticizes the extensive preventive tests and procedures that are often performed on healthy individuals, suggesting that these practices can be more about prolonging life than actually living it.

Why does Ehrenreich say she wouldn't go through cancer treatments if diagnosed now?

Ehrenreich states that she is 'old enough to die' and wouldn't go through cancer treatments again because she has already experienced it and believes in living her remaining life without the stress of such treatments.

What personal approach to fitness does Ehrenreich describe?

Ehrenreich goes to the gym not to prolong her life but because it makes her feel good and prevents her from getting cranky. She does it for immediate well-being rather than long-term health benefits.

How does Ehrenreich view the societal pressure to maintain health and wellness?

Ehrenreich sees societal pressure to maintain health and wellness as a source of anxiety for many people, making it feel more like work and adding stress to their lives.

What does Ehrenreich say about the inevitability of death?

Ehrenreich emphasizes that death is inevitable, and no amount of health measures can prevent it. She advocates for a more open conversation about this taboo subject.

How does Ehrenreich link wellness with societal and class issues?

Ehrenreich links wellness to societal and class issues by highlighting the disparities between the working class and the elite in terms of access to health care and the overemphasis on wellness among the insured, while many can't afford basic medical treatments.

What example does Ehrenreich give to illustrate the disparity in health care access?

Ehrenreich gives the example of children dying because their parents can't afford a dentist to pull an infected tooth, contrasting this with the overtesting of insured individuals.

What does Ehrenreich suggest about the impact of self-help books on aging?

Ehrenreich criticizes self-help books on 'successful aging' for promoting the idea that individuals are solely responsible for their health as they age, which she believes is misleading and unfair.

What does Ehrenreich believe should be rethought in terms of national priorities?

Ehrenreich believes that national priorities should be rethought to address the overemphasis on testing and wellness for the insured while neglecting the basic health needs of the underprivileged.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Book Review: Challenging Wellness Obsession

The video script discusses the themes of the book 'Natural Causes' by Barbara Ehrenreich, which critiques society's obsession with wellness and life extension. Ehrenreich questions the necessity and effectiveness of certain medical procedures and the cultural emphasis on health and fitness. The author, known for her work 'Nickel and Dimed,' shares her personal perspective on aging and the inevitability of death, advocating for a more balanced approach to life and health.

Keywords

💡Wellness

Wellness refers to the state of being in good health, both physically and mentally. It is a central theme in the video, as the author, Barbara Ehrenreich, challenges the societal obsession with wellness and the lengths people go to maintain it. The script mentions how people spend a significant amount of time and resources on their bodies and minds to achieve this state, often at the expense of actually living their lives.

💡Medical Procedure

A medical procedure is any action or treatment performed by a healthcare professional to diagnose, treat, or prevent diseases or conditions. In the context of the video, Ehrenreich questions the necessity and efficacy of certain medical procedures, especially preventive tests, which she suggests may be counterproductive and detract from the quality of life.

💡Preventive Tests

Preventive tests are medical screenings done to detect diseases or conditions before they cause symptoms. The script highlights how an overemphasis on these tests can lead to anxiety and a preoccupation with health at the cost of enjoying life. Ehrenreich uses her own perspective to argue against the routine nature of such tests for well individuals.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety, in this context, refers to the worry and unease individuals experience due to concerns about their health and the fear of disease or death. The video discusses how the culture of health and wellness can induce anxiety, as people feel pressured to maintain an ideal state of health to avoid illness.

💡Gym

The gym is a place where people engage in physical exercise to maintain or improve their health and fitness. In the script, the gym is mentioned as a part of the modern health culture, where people may feel obligated to exercise to prolong life or achieve a certain body image. Ehrenreich differentiates her own gym attendance by stating she goes for personal well-being rather than life extension.

💡Inevitable

The term 'inevitable' is used to describe something that is certain to happen and cannot be avoided. In the video, Ehrenreich suggests that society should accept the inevitability of death and not obsess over trying to prevent it through excessive health measures.

💡Natural Causes

Natural causes generally refer to the non-violent, non-accidental reasons for death, such as disease or old age. The book title 'Natural Causes' by Ehrenreich is a play on the phrase, suggesting that people should accept the natural process of life and death rather than fighting against it through extreme health measures.

💡Cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. In the script, Ehrenreich mentions cancer as an example of a condition that people are often tested for preventively. She expresses her personal decision not to undergo treatment if diagnosed with cancer at her age, emphasizing the theme of accepting life's natural course.

💡Self-Help Books

Self-help books are literature designed to provide guidance and advice on solving personal problems or improving one's life. The video criticizes self-help books on 'successful aging,' suggesting they place an unrealistic burden on individuals to control aspects of aging that are beyond their control.

💡Working Class

The working class refers to individuals who rely on wage labor for their livelihood and are typically characterized by lower income and less wealth compared to other social classes. In the script, Ehrenreich discusses the disparities between the working class and the elite in terms of access to healthcare and the impact of societal wellness obsessions on different social strata.

💡Elite

The elite refers to a group of people considered the best in a particular society or category, often associated with wealth, power, or status. The video contrasts the experiences of the elite, who have access to extensive healthcare and wellness resources, with those of the working class, highlighting social inequalities in health outcomes.

Highlights

A new book, 'Natural Causes', challenges society's obsession with wellness and extending life, suggesting we may benefit from accepting the inevitable.

Author Barbara Ehrenreich questions the necessity and benefits of certain medical procedures and health practices, such as excessive gym time and diet fixation.

Ehrenreich observes people spending more time trying to prolong life than actually living it, especially among older individuals.

The author argues that some preventive medical tests may be counterproductive for a healthy individual.

Ehrenreich shares her personal stance on refusing cancer treatment if diagnosed at her current age, emphasizing the desire to live rather than merely prolong life.

The author critiques the societal pressure to maintain an appearance of health and fitness, which can cause anxiety.

Ehrenreich discusses her own gym habits, noting they are for personal well-being rather than life extension.

The conversation highlights the need to reframe questions about health and aging, focusing on societal and environmental factors beyond individual control.

Ehrenreich criticizes self-help books that blame individuals for aging-related health issues, asserting that aging and death are inevitable.

The author calls for a societal conversation about death and its inevitability, as it remains a taboo subject.

Ehrenreich connects health and wellness discussions to broader societal issues, such as class disparities in health outcomes and access to care.

The book 'Natural Causes' addresses the overemphasis on medical testing and procedures for insured individuals while others lack basic healthcare.

Ehrenreich emphasizes the need to rethink societal priorities regarding health and wellness, considering the disparities between the working class and the elite.

The author points out the stark differences in what 'wellness' means for different socioeconomic classes.

Ehrenreich's book encourages a reevaluation of the cultural norms surrounding health, aging, and death.

The interview concludes with a call to action for society to address the taboo of death and the overemphasis on life prolongation at the expense of living.

Transcripts

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Finally tonight, a new book that examines our society's obsession with

wellness and extending our lives as long as possible.

It's a book that suggests we might be better off accepting the inevitable.

Jeffrey Brown has this latest edition to the "NewsHour" bookshelf.

JEFFREY BROWN: When is a medical procedure the best approach and when counterproductive?

How much time should we spend in the gym or fixating on the latest diet for healthier

living?

A new book calls into question a number of seeming certainties of modern life.

It's called "Natural Causes."

Barbara Ehrenreich is author of more than a dozen books, including her bestselling look

at the working poor, "Nickel and Dimed."

She joins me now.

And welcome to you.

BARBARA EHRENREICH, Author, "Natural Causes": Thank you.

JEFFREY BROWN: You are hitting at some -- some big things, presumed -- the presumed science

of medicine today, the culture of health.

In broad terms, what do you see going on?

BARBARA EHRENREICH: Well, when I started this, I was observing for years how people my age

and quite a bit younger were spending more and more time on their bodies, or their mind

bodies, to put it fashionably.

And then the big-time filler for a lot of older people, preventive tests.

You're spending so much time prolonging your life, or trying to prolong it, that you don't

have much time to live it.

JEFFREY BROWN: You're not denying that some procedures and screening tests can save lives,

are you?

BARBARA EHRENREICH: When you take a well person, like myself, and say, now we have to test

you for this cancer, that cancer and the other thing, then I began to rebel, in my own case.

JEFFREY BROWN: This is, to some degree, a personal issue for you, and you write about

it, that you hit a point where you realized -- and you use a kind of a provocative term

-- you were old enough to die.

Explain what you meant.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: That's right.

If I were tested now and told that I had cancer, I wouldn't go through the treatments.

And I have been there, done that, wouldn't do it.

I'm old enough to die.

And I'm old enough to keep eating, putting butter on my bread and other things that some

people think are terribly unhealthy.

JEFFREY BROWN: And, therefore, it means that you're not going to worry, worry so much,

or work hard at -- you also talk about still going to the gym, right, which is a big part

of our culture these days, and you have been part of that.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: I'm very much a part of it.

But the reason I do it is that, if I don't do it, I don't feel good and I get cranky.

So, it's not that I think, well, if I put 30 minutes in on the treadmill, I will live

for three more minutes at the end of my life.

No.

JEFFREY BROWN: So, you see other people doing the opposite, making it too much like work.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: That they are very anxious.

There's a lot of anxiety about keeping it up, or die.

JEFFREY BROWN: Yes.

Yes.

You're trying to reframe the questions we should ask ourselves?

BARBARA EHRENREICH: Some of the changes we need are not in ourselves, in our own bodies.

We don't control, obviously, everything, like the pollutants in the air we're breathing

and the water we're drinking.

But I have read so many of these self-help books on -- quote -- "successful aging."

JEFFREY BROWN: Right.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: And they say it's up to you, and if you start being frail or disabled

or something as you age, that's your own damn fault.

And, no, it's going to happen.

JEFFREY BROWN: It's not as up to us as we think.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: We're going to die.

And no matter what you do, you cannot head that off.

And I would like I would like it if we could have more of a conversation about that, because

that is a big taboo subject.

JEFFREY BROWN: Some of these things -- I know from reading earlier books, some of these

things go to longtime concerns for you, right?

BARBARA EHRENREICH: Oh, yes.

JEFFREY BROWN: Societal issues, issues of class, who can afford some of the outcomes

that are so much in our society today.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: Yes.

And I talk in book about the huge differences between the working class and the elite.

You know, if you're an ordinary worker, wellness means one thing.

I really think we have to rethink our priorities in this country, as a country where we have

this overtesting and everything of the insured people.

And then, at the other end of the social spectrum, we have had children die because their parents

can't afford a dentist to pull an infected tooth.

JEFFREY BROWN: The new book is "Natural Causes."

Barbara Ehrenreich, thank you very much.

BARBARA EHRENREICH: My pleasure.