Doonesbury by Garry Trudeau for March 26, 2017

Black men just make up the highest number of homicide victims.

The field of Sociology has a classic on Suicide, written by Emile Durkheim. He basically predicted high rates of suicide during periods of social change. Way back then, the change involved stuff like people moving from countryside to city in search of jobs, and not being able to support themselves, people falling away from organized religion, etcetera. Basically, it was a theory that when major social changes happen, you can predict an increase in suicide because a percentage of people feel ‘anomie’ or unconnected. So we can anticipate those rates continuing to rise.

I thought social media was supposed to make everyone feel MORE connected.

Many states are in a financial bind because they thought that the economy would grow forever and over spent. The same can be said about those in the Middle Class. They thought they could extend themselves without a problem. You can spot them in lines for things like a new iPhone every 6 months. Of course their financial problems are all the govt’s fault.

MPGUY2: people get depressed looking at social media. when everyone else seems to be having fun in the pictures and videos that are posted. they try to live vicariously thru others. most of the posts are pure fabrication to boost low self esteem.

@MPGUY2 > I thought social media was supposed to make everyone feel MORE connected.

There’s usually a wide gulf between “supposed to” and “does”.

Just look at Obamacare, which was supposed to bring down costs. Or Trumpcare, which was supposed to be better,

Lucky Ducky! Oh wait, wrong strip.

What doesn’t kill you, strengthens you

Hopeless white people like this supposedly explain trump. I don’t expect them to get any less suicidal or drug dependent under trump, however. The affordable care act was going to have a few tweaks now and then, not just be allowed to die, as has been proposed by trump. Those who do have depression and drug dependency obviously need treatment, but won’t be receiving it. Meals on wheels has also been proposed for cuts, as have after school care programs, breakfast and lunch programs for kids, PBS, and Planned Parenthood. This way poor women can be sure and continue the unplanned pregnancies as called for by the GOP, and have no support for their unplanned families. The elderly and handicapped will not receive meals as the GOP says they aren’t seeing “results” from meals on wheels. Since trumpsters seem to view it as a crime to be poor, no wonder many in this group are despondent.

It should be interesting to see what happens in the upcoming midterm elections. With trump numbers tanking, there should be a lot more Democrats participating in voting.

These days seems like opioids are the opiates of the masses……..

Makes JUST as much sense as “white privilege.”

Maybe that Nietzsche guy was onto something after all…

Ray is a marvelous character.

Good to see these two again. We don’t see enough of them.

The historically downtrodden have all the luck.

(pout)

I read many years ago blacks had among the lowest suicide rates. I wonder if suicidal lifestyles counts.

The ones who couldn’t take it were killed off long ago.