America today is a "save yourself" society if there ever…
““America today is a "save yourself" society if there ever was one. But does it really work? The underdeveloped societies suffer from one set of diseases: tuberculosis, malnutrition, pneumonia, parasites, typhoid, cholera, typhus, etc. Affluent America has virtually invented a whole new set of diseases: obesity, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, strokes, lung cancer, venereal disease, cirrhosis of the liver, drug addiction, alcoholism, divorce, battered children, suicide, murder. Take your choice. Labor-saving machines have turned out to be body-killing devices. Our affluence has allowed both mobility and isolation of the nuclear family, and as a result, our divorce courts, our prisons and our mental institutions are flooded. In saving ourselves we have nearly lost ourselves.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Modern affluence creates new health and social problems, undermining communal well‑being despite technological comforts.
In simple terms: Wealth brings hidden diseases and isolation.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address the hidden costs of comfort.
Themes
health
society
technology
family
wellbeing
Mood
concerned
reflective
Type
critical
observational
When to use this quote
- policy making
- family counseling
- community health initiatives
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
public health
social pathology
materialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does comfort mask deeper societal issues?
- What collective actions can mitigate these new diseases?
A Different Perspective
Solutions require systemic change, not just individual effort.