Discrimination

 

It's been said that history repeats itself.  It’s human history that’s repeated.There are similarities throughout the history of man which are based, in part, largely on the consistency of character and personality within the various  socioeconomic societies . Briefly ,this essay characterizes America about 100 years ago as authors F. Scott Fitzgerald , Theodore Dreiser ,John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway , John Dos Passos,Jack London and others presented stories depicting that time period  in our Republic. How relevant are their stories compared to today ?

Racist psychology ,in the 1920s ,promoted pseudoscientific ideas pertaining to WASP racial superiority . Also, there was  an eugenics movement that advocated selective breeding to improve our population by targeting marginalized groups.  In fact, social Darwinism was used and abused  to justify  racial hierarchies. survival of the fittest. White nationalism is still alive.

We had immigration laws that were enacted to limit immigration from certain countries deemed racially inferior.  There was also media and literature that perpetuated negative stereotypes about racial  ethnic minorities. And, segregation laws , with institutionalized  Jim Crow racism  promoted and enacted  racial separation .Do the majority of today’s rapists,murders and drug traffickers come from -across the border ?

The Robber Barons or the Titans of the Gilded Age included Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould, Jim Fisk, and John D.  Rockefeller.  These figures dominated and influenced the labor movement battling against collective bargaining ,living wage, employee benefits etc.  On the other side and perhaps the most significant person in the history of the American labor movement was  the Dutch Jew Samuel Gompers.  He represented the "underdogs" And, he persisted in his effort to improve the lives of working people by establishing unions.

 There were many battles and casualties against the workers perpetuated and enforced by government police agencies.They broke the “strikes.” There was significant income inequality then..Today’s tech billionaires come to mind with their power and influence .Today union membership , workers aged 45 to 54 had the highest union membership rate in 2024 at 12.6% . In comparison, workers aged 16 to 24 had the lowest union membership rate at 4.3%  Trump, no friend to unions or workers, undermines them .

The immigration act of 1924 slowed immigration from undesirable countries and favored Northern and Western Europeans..  It limited and set quotas on the number of immigrants from Asia, eastern and southern Europe and also authorized the creation of the country's first formal border control service.  The US border patrol  was established as a control system allowing entry only to those who first obtained a visa from a US Consulate abroad.  The rationale ,at that time, pertained to  public and political concerns about the  country's changing social and demographic landscape.  It significantly reduced immigration from countries outside the Western Hemisphere and the total annual immigration quota.  The rest of the world was capped at 165,000, an 80% reduction of the yearly average before 1914.  Its purpose was to preserve the ideal of US homogeneity.  Note, I was taught in school that we were a melting pot . Sending individuals elsewhere, without due process is simply discrimination ..

Today, we have approximately 20% less foreign students applying to our universities than  we did last year.  Also , Afghan immigration applications are stopped as well as immigrants from other countries. Trump said Somalis are garbage and they should go back to where they came from.  His administration claimed it can classify undocumented 14-year-old Venezuelans as alien enemies and deport them without judicial review.  Miller said migrants and their descendents re-create the conditions and terrors of their broken homelands. 

 A few titles of articles from the December 21, 2025 edition of The New York Times are other illustrations of Trump's discrimination regarding immigration: 1.  For Sikh Truckers, a New Wariness on the Road-a Trump administration crackdown is distressing an immigrant community of long-haul drivers 2.  Administration Pushes Asylum Seekers to Apply in Other Countries.  3.  Queens Man And Son, 6, Are Deported Back to China.

The voting right act of 1965 allocated visas based primarily on family unification and applicant's ability to contribute to the labor market.  Every immigrant is individually vetted and immigration is worldwide, and no longer are any nationalities automatically restricted.  Actually,America is stronger for it.  Nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, and many came from countries that were heavily restricted before 1965.  Immigrants generally commit fewer crimes than native born Americans. And, Afghans are no exception. 

The KKK is an American Protestant led white supremacist far right hate group.and was founded in 1865 during reconstruction in the South. Historians have characterized the klan as America's first terrorist group.  The group was structured as a secret society containing several different organizations that had historically resorted to terrorism, violence and acts of intimidation to impose their sadism and oppress their victims mostly African-Americans, Jews and Catholics.

The KKK of the 1920s had a nationwide membership in the millions and reflected a cross-section of the nativeborn white Protestant population;. The klan was largely a reaction to the growing civil rights movement and issued murder and bombings to achieve its aims.  They called for the "purification" of American society.  In fact, the KKK had a rally in New York at Madison Square Garden and one of Trump's relatives, his grandfather, was in attendance. Today’s Heritage  Foundation comes to mind with their anti -Semitic cronies as well as the hate expressed on social media . The ADL responds quickly to anti-sematic attacks: monitors ,exposes and disrupts  anti-Semitism online; supports Jewish students facing harassment at school and uses litigation to protect and defend Jewish communities.

Henry Ford fanned anti-Semitism and made racial hatred bear the false resemblance of respectability.  In fact, his 100 or more hate publications perpetuated his power and his hatred and ignorance.  He waged a war against Jews and asserted that some members of some ethnic and racial groups should not be allowed to immigrate to the United States.  His columns accused the Jews of radicalism.  He also used his influential business power and fortune to promote anti-Semitism  in the United States and was admired by some Nazi leaders, including Hitler.  

Also, the Canadian American Catholic priest Charles Coughlin was a demagogue and one of the first political leaders to use radio to reach a mass audience who supported social justice and anti-Semitism.  An estimated 30 million listeners tuned into his weekly broadcasts.  A few of his quotes.  "We have lived to see the day that modern Shylock's have grown fat and wealthy, praised and defied because they have perpetuated the ancient crime of usury under the modern racket of statesmanship."  "I have dedicated my life to fighting against the  US rottenness of modern capitalism because it robs the labor of this world's goods.  But blow for blow.  I shall strike against communism because it robs us of the next world's happiness ."  Coughlin expressed sympathy for the fascist governments of Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy terming them as an antidote to communism.."  From Berlin, they identified Coughlin as a German hero in America for the moment, with his sympathetic statements or Nazi-ism as a defensive front against Bolshevism.Today  the authoritarian Putin is supported, not Zelensky, a Ukrainian Jew. and president since 2019.

At the university level, Harvard had racist admissions practices in the 1920s by implementing a quota system to restrict the number of Jewish students.  This Harvard plan was enacted to maintain a balance of ethnicities favoring Anglo-Saxon applicants. Actually these practices reflected broader societal prejudices and anti-somatic sentiments of the era.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-sematic incidents in the US  have reached an all-time high.  In recent years, hate crimes against Jewish individuals have increased significantly, making up a large percentage of religiously motivated hate crimes.  Also ,online.  anti-Semitism has surged with a notable rise in hate speech and conspiracy theories on social media  platforms.  Moreover, surveys have indicated a significant portion of the population holds anti-Semitic beliefs often unknowingly. And, the ADL reports that anti-Semitic rhetoric has been linked to extremist groups and movements as in the Bondi Beach  attack.

The number of incidents against Jewish students has been reported and documented during the Israel and Gaza conflict.  As if American Jewish students have anything to do with or have influence with the Israeli government?  Discrimination and hate continues.

Disliking, exploiting, discriminating and oppressing others  either aggressively or passive aggressively is a significant aspect pertaining to Homo sapiens and certainly not limited to the 1920s or today . Sadistic cruelty toward others is a matter of fact.  And, the powerful have had no difficulty in rationalizing , denying or dismissing their  hateful and flawed morality behaviors .  Unfortunately,many voters and non voters in the United States Republic’s 2016 and 2024 presidential election ; conservative Supreme Court Republicans with their unitary executive idea which is contrary to the beliefs of the brilliant Thomas Paine's writings in "Common Sense" regarding the separation of power ;congressional Republicans and unaccountable architects like  Vought, Miller, Rubio, Hegseth, Kushner and Witcoff  with Monroe doctrine beliefs and other discriminatory policies support a morally bankrupt  authoritarian  to implement the racist  “America First” agenda.  And, do not deny that our Republic was founded and had flourished with discrimination.  However,  in our  Republic’s history, some of the powerful  made significant improvements with  humanistic  policies in combating discrimination .Today ,many more are better off than those in the 18th and 20th century. The battle for liberty and the pursuit of Human rights is in danger and  requires perseverance of action .

Reference

Once Nativism Escalates, It Is Hard to Stop.  The New York Times, December 7, 2025.

The White House Is a Lost Cause.  The New York Times, December 21, 2025.

Trump's Monroe Doctrine Will Tip Our World Into Chaos.  The 

 New York Times, December 21, 2025

Mendacity or Fact

 

 A pertinent article was found in the November 30, 2025 edition of The New York Times.  That article was based on a book written by Joseph J.  Ellis, a Pulitzer winning historian, in his book " The Great Contradiction: The Tragic Side of the American Founding."  This essay points to Washington and Jefferson’s moral character of prejudice and discrimination.

To begin, the importance of this quote can not be understated.. It’s a letter written to George Washington in 1785 from Robert Pleasantis, a fellow tobacco planter. Significantly, Pleasantis, a Quaker, freed his enslaved workers as soon as the  Virginia law allowed him to do so.  "Remember the cause for which thou wert called to the Command of the American army, was the cause of liberty and the Rights of Mankind." “ This Quaker reminded Washington of the irony  that many who had recently fought for freedom were now sitting in this state of ease, this dissipation and extravagance on the labour of Slaves."

In his book, Ellis acknowledged both the institution of slavery and the disposal of Native Americans.  Were these events  a flaw in the character of those in power or were the egalitarian principles founder's achievements, the obstacles they faced in achieving more and the progress the  nation has made more morally and significantly more important and relevant ?What about the morality of those in power?

Ellis acknowledged two unquestionably horrific tragedies the  founders oversaw . The American revolution disrupted slavery's as thousands of enslaved people fled to fight for the British and in Charleston . And, South Carolina patriots refused to arm enslaved men in exchange for their freedom, forcing the city  to surrender to the British in 1780. In essence, these  white ,in power, deprived others of liberty which  mattered more than securing their own. These fools dismissed morality and pursued  power, domination and economics .These greedy  were stupid.

Washington, who had owned people since he was 11 years old, later warned that by imposing new taxes, the British were seeking to make the colonists "as tame, and abject slaves,as the Blacks we rule over with such arbitrary Sway."  And,after the war, Washington was angry when British ships carried off enslaved servants who had fled Mount Vernon.  However,in  1790 Madison called slavery "a moral and political evil,"  but deemed it "improper to push for  abolition “ at that time. Ambivalence and contradictory .

Ellis  believed revolutionary leaders were well-meaning prisoners of circumstance and that they could not have abolished slavery even if they wanted to and that pushing for it would have divided the fragile union.  And, that slavery's rapid expansion stalled any resolution, turning at least some of the founders' hopes that slavery would eventually disappear  after  decades of paralysis broken only by the Civil War. So what ,we continue to have a fragile union. 

Additionally, in a  chapter about the forced expulsion of native peoples from their homelands,  Ellis downplayed Washington's lifelong involvement in the project of settler expansion. Also,  the total destruction and devastation of Iroquois's villages in 1779 goes unmentioned.  He presented Washington as powerless to obstruct the relentless tide of white settlers venturing westward and he also ignored the  American soldiers who waged war  against nations aligned in Northwestern Indian Confederacy across Ohio and Indiana.Yes, the “Father “ of our Republic was a racist who discriminated against his fellow man.

Would  the abolition of slavery have impeded the American revolution?  If so, an argument can be made about the importance of character and economics of our revolutionary heroes.  This means that the orientation of owning another fulfills the ego needs of aggression( to oppose and punish another), counteraction (to maintain self respect and pride on a high level) , dominance (to  direct the behavior of others by command) and  rejection( to exclude,expel  or remain indifferent to an inferior object).  And for Jefferson and others.  affiliation(to please and win affection  of a cathected object),, succorance (to have one’s needs gratified by the sympathetic aid of an allied object) and sex(to have sexual intercourse). And ,economically for profit and for the neurotic tendencies for power ,possession and prestige.

If we had lived in the 18th century, would we have done it any differently?  People with a character orientation like Trump would have pursued similar behavior based on the ego needs previously mentioned. In other words, ego needs, character orientation, within the influences of culture and society result in similar behaviors.per history..  

It's not about what we say or write as we, in various degrees ,lie, omit, rationalize,deny, distort,and  overlook in order to persuade, influence,escape responsibility, reality and to dominate.  It's about  our behavior ,actions -what we do .That’s our story and the rest is simply fiction and illusion.  For example,take  the terrific studio recording by the Beatles  "All you need is love.”.  The words and melody are  wonderful ,pleasing ,soothing, familiar and entertaining  but are  wish fulfillments- a fantasy . The " father" of our country.  Washington was acknowledged for his military brilliance but  was  also greedy, morally suspect, prejudiced and discriminatory . And, the brilliant intellectual Jefferson was greedy, prejudiced, discriminatory, ambivalent and morally inept but met his affiliative and sexual ego needs  with Sally Hemings ,his enslaved object . Essentially, our Republic’s ground floor was oriented and aligned with  prejudice and discrimination which continues today. The  discrimination  and  prejudice of the many  others  were demonstrated clearly every day , every year by their laws, politics,socioeconomics and ,religious acts .Therefore, their  unjust ,prejudicial and discriminatory actions on grounds of ethnicity  were embedded in their orientation of character and personality within the history, culture and society of Homo Sapiens  Freud  and others  have clearly described man and his contradictions , authoritarian conscience ,narcissism, irrationality and sado masochistic actions .The history of  this Republic  is repetitive and based on  the “kaleidoscope" of ego needs , character  orientation within  culture and  a capitalistic society. Discrimination with acts  of dominance, exploiting others for sex ,power , possession, and prestige suggest a  narcissistic quality for  personal gain, survival and define a group of  privileged Americans . .

Reference

Murray, Henry A. Explorations in Personalty

Food For Life

 

The content of this essay  began years ago. For instance, one fall day in  1957, I suggested to my parents that I wanted steak for breakfast, thinking that it would improve my on the field football performance.  Needless to say, my request was not honored.  Back in the day I believed that protein would benefit my strength and endurance. Not being alone is a quote by Bill Pearl, a four-time Mr. Universe, a former Mr. America and Mr. California who  was voted the world's best built man in 1974.  "In the mid-70s.  I often ate lunch at Perry Boys, an all-you-can-eat restaurant in Pasadena.  Bob, a hard-core bodybuilder who worked out in my gym, used to eat there. Bob believed that ingesting huge quantities of protein was necessary for muscle strength and bulk . In one session he would eat 15 minute steaks, 3 to 4 helping platters of chicken, mounds of cottage cheese and a quart of ice cream."........  Also ,"a good friend of mine has been known to eat   32 eggs a day."  Some things don't change as I still run and work out with machines and free weights.  As a result, I'm still interested in food ,nutrition for strength,endurance, and health.Incidentally, Bill became a vegan.

Nutritional balance is the foundation of a healthy diet as these chemical substances supply the body with heat and energy; provide material for growth : repair  body tissues and help regulate body processes.  In concert, the body burns three fuels for energy- proteins, carbohydrates and fats.  Protein is essential for growth and maintenance of all body tissue.  It is a major source of building material for muscle, blood, skin, hair, nails  and internal organs including the heart and brain.  Protein is also needed for the formation of hormones, including testosterone enzymes; substances necessary for basic life functions and for anti-bodies, which help resist foreign substances in the body.

Additionally ,the body needs approximately 22 amino acids to manufacture new protein.  13 of these can be manufactured in the body f\rom almost any source of nitrogen.  The nine that cannot be produced in the body are called essential amino acids.  These come directly from what we eat.  

Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids . Proteins contained in foods that lack or low in essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins.  Meat and dairy products are complete protein foods . Starches(except soybeans), are vegetables and fruits which are incomplete protein foods.

Not enough proteins may cause poor muscle tone, low energy levels, poor resistance to infection, slow recovery from wounds , weakening of  nails, hair and skin .Protein deficiency also makes it difficult to bounce back from a hard workout.  What counts is not the amount of protein you take, but the type of protein that counts.  When you eat too much protein, excess nitrogen is passed out as (urea) in  urine ( nitrogen) it  is the element that distinguishes protein from carbohydrates and fats.  The rest is broken down for  energy or stored as fat.  The main danger is kidney overload.  So it's important to drink plenty of water to help flush the kidneys.

There is an enormous amount of substantive information and research pertaining to nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.  Also, there are numerous diets that include Pritikin, Dr. Atkins, Mediterranean, Dash Diet , Weight Watchers and others. In addition, there are recommended foods, foods to avoid, low fat versus low carb, caloric restriction ,fasting, intermittent fasting  etc.With that being said, it's no wonder that many of us have difficulty with what and what not to eat. A few questions include : Is  red meat really a killer?  Are dietary supplements and vitamins necessary?  What about energy drinks?  And, what about dark chocolate, coffee and tea? Most and many of these issues are beyond the scope of this essay.

 In 1997 I was introduced to the sport of Ride and Tie.  Once again my interest and desire was awakened to increase strength and endurance.  Also, I  received the reference Stopping The Clock and took  numerous continuing education classes that focused on  Diet ,Longevity  and Cardiovascular Health; Inflammation and Nutrition;and  Evidence-based Nutritional Strategies for the Aging Brain . As a result, I have incorporated an eclectic approach for my health, and endurance from many  of these sources. Also, I  added and subtracted numerous substances over the years and will likely continue that practice. and continue to run and engage in free weights and machines  Further, in order to present the energy source,  I'm presenting my dietary approach today.  I am not recommending my approach.  Anyone interested in diet and so forth should consult their physician first.  

In no particular order, the following is an example of my ingestion of food and dietary supplements  in the morning : 1.  Blueberries , strawberries  and ginger  2. Whole grains  3. Apple, banana and tangerine 3.  Green tea 4. Red and green pepper 5.  MCT Oil 6. Carrots 7. Tomato 8. Broccoli 9.Yogurt 

10. Cinnamon 11.Whey protein 12. Collagen protein .13.Beets 14. Soy beans 15. Raisins .Additionally, vitamin supplements include :  A ;B12;CoQ 10; Calcium ;D3 ; Fish Oil ; Magnesium ;Turmeric and. Zinc

Additionally, there are side effects of eating healthy foods, especially fruits,vitamins and vegetables.  Essentially, which you eat relates to the aspects of your microbiome (bacteria,fungi, viruses ) in your gut This ,in effect, relates to your immune system, skeletal systems,  carbohydrate digestion , the manufacture of certain vitamins and so forth.  If you have an unhealthy gut (dysbiosis ) it puts you at risk of chronic diseases and neurological disorders.  We know that there is a communication system between the brain and the digestive track . And, these messages run along(vagus) nerves which extends from the gut to the brain.  In other words a healthy gut leads to a healthy brain.

Back in 1997 , I switched from eating granola for breakfast to making smoothies.  So , I began my day on a positive note. and I ate healthy for the rest of the day as a rule.  That does not mean that I am rigid as I enjoy fat and sugar.  So, when Linda and I go out for  lunch or dinner, we share pastrami and we split our sandwich in half.  When we attend Michigan football with the alumni, we share French fried potatoes.  And, when we come back on Interstate 5.,we  stop at Ghiradelli’ and share a hot fudge sundae with pleasure ..

My pursuing extreme sports is associated with healthy and productive food choice.  The two factors exercise and nutrition are associated with health span and  I am fortunate to have a supportive partner for the past 25 years.  A few quotes pertinent follow  1…. The cornerstone to your health is diet.   Dr. Willam  Castelli  2.Mark Twain, "when I was younger I can remember anything whether it had happened or not, but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so.  I cannot remember any but the things that never happened."  3.  "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."  Hippocrates. And, whether or not food is a source of survival, nutrition, comfort, symbol of love, recreational pastime ,connection to family and community, and occasionally the ground for potent emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, and depression ,the making of good choices is a difficult decision .

PS

For additional energy, dad provided me with honey during my football workouts.  And, on competitive trail runs.  I would drink Coke at the last  aid station .

Reference

Keep Your Gut Microbime Healthy to Support Brain Health.  Brain and Life. 

Cognition, Diet and Longevity.  Institute for Natural Resources 

Klatz, Ronald and Goldman, Robert.  Stopping The Clock.

Lara, Michael .  The Pharmacy in Your Kitchen: An Overview of Medical and Medicinal Foods’

Pearl, Bill.  Getting Stronger.

An Evil "Mother"

 

Sigmund Freud’s brilliance  provided us with inordinate amounts of insight into the motivation of man.  One  significant concept was the negative implications of the occurrence of an incestuous fixation or attachment to mother or a  mothering person. Psychologically, this begins pre Oedipal and was represented by an extraordinary amount of psychic  energy.  This fixation, according to Freud,not only affected man's capacity to relate to women.but  with this attachment, expressed itself  with an inordinate amount of dependence that interfered with his inability for independent and autonomous thought and behavior . The focus of his essay is  a negative attachment to “mother.”

As a result of genetics, the newborn is totally dependent for his survival on the mother or some other mothering person.  Without mothering, the infant parishes. That helpless infant craves care, nourishment ,warmth, certainty,

protection and satisfaction of its needs unconditionally.  During development, without having to be responsible, it pursues a longing for unconditional love, without any expectation of a loving response on his end.  This dynamic is not unique to adults.  Adults, although in many ways not as helpless , do become so much more aware of the dangers and risks during life's journey-  social forces beyond control ,accidents, unforeseen sickness and death.

During the numerous hazards and obstacles common during life, man's motivation becomes a longing for power or control which provides certainty, protection and love on a different level.  So, it's not surprising that man is driven relentlessly to pursue that previous  “ paradise."

Can  a "mother" be found in order to relieve the risk and the tragedies that occur during life ? What is more desirable and comforting  than to  receive unconditional love, protection and security ?  Initially, it's the personification of the mother.  However, that original mother ,as a person ,is often replaced or assisted by the family ,clan, those that share the same blood and/or have been born on the same soil.  Further, the size of the group increases to race, nation, religion or political powers that have now replaced and become the guarantors of protection and love.  In other words, there can be representations or representatives of the "mother."  So, the transfer of the motherly connection from the real mother  then proceeds psychologically  to the family, clan, nation, race, and so forth.

Factually, everybody's mother is likely to die before her children and therefore the need and requirement  for a mother figure becomes immortal.  Also, the attachment to one personal mother leaves one alone and isolated from others who have different mothers.  However, if the whole clan, nation, race, religion or God can become the common mother , then everybody is on the same page in the praise of the mother , and without rivalries or jealousy . Therefore, the “great “mother can become the cult of nationalism and patriotism.  Further, there is a close correlation between persons with a strong or incestuous fixation to their mothers and those with exceptionally strong ties to a nation, race, soil, and blood.

Additionally, and significantly certain learnings in various degrees affect and influence one's  orientation and personality . For instance, security, being saved, rescued , assisted, dependent, loyalty, obedient ,persuasiveness ,being a victim ,helped with the reduction of anxiety and being entitled become psychological and  behavioral tendencies.  These factors also fall within the province  and fear of losing love, affiliation and affection  Further, because and with  the degree of attachment, the loss of objectivity, reason, morality, truth also occur .In  essence,the  psychic energy for a powerful and emotional need for a powerful “mother “figure can’t be minimized . 

With that being said, turning to politics,  Donald was victorious over  two perceived “weak “ mothers” for the presidency.  Perhaps ,there are additional reasons why Donald captured the presidency.  However, his rhetoric ,persona and behavior was associated with being that  powerful "mother figure." Donald boasted and promised,promised, and  promised .

"From the day I take the oath of office,  we will rapidly drive prices down and make America affordable again" during the summer of 2024.  Did he mean groceries, electricity bills, buying a new car,  housing, inflation, good paying jobs or low  interest rates?  Reality did not matter for the gullible as he  easily misled his voters.  This "mother figure" was believable  and  to be feared.  Tariffs were also going to bring back manufacturing so he said. 

Donald claimed America was under attack from within, and immigrants were poisoning the nation's blood.  He also said we have to fight like hell to get our nation back, suggesting potential civil war and he would restore greatness by making America great again,  In other words, the threats from within came from the Democrats in Washington, fake news attorneys, universities, human rights groups, Blacks and other people of color especially those  across the border.

Trump  spread fear which resulted in a cohesion because  survival depended on following the leader while  eradicating the enemy.  In other words, patriotism becomes persecution, especially the invaders on the left  and of course,he promised and posted to save the Christian soul. It was an existential crisis !

After all,the border was porous with rapists, drugs and murderers coming to harm our citizens.  In fact, he attacked and dictated he would ban  people of color, attempting to migrate to the United States.  These people were vermin ,contributed nothing positive and would  infect and destroy our Republic.  He alone was the only one that could stop the flow and rid the country by deporting these undesirables irrespectively .

Donald asserted he  would also expose the Democratic pedophiles in the release of the Epstein files. Also, comedians, judges and others not loyal to him were the enemy.  Once again, only he alone would and could  protect and save the people.from these non loyal  despicables .

Trump also criticized and posted about  the economic  and health care policy of the evil Biden.  He would reduce the cost of living with the beautiful tariffs.  He would reduce and eliminate fraud, big government,  government handouts and had a health care plan..  He alone would fix the drug problem and make things better .At his rallies, he  also told the crowd that he loved them.

Ukraine, Russia , Israel and  Hamas wars would be eliminated the day he took office.  In other words, people of color, the economy and wars were weakening this Republic.  He would make America great again by being  able to provide economic security, protection and safety from these external threats. And, if opposed ,he would unconditionally retaliate, avenge and punish .

In summation, there's a mutual relationship occurring psychologically and politically.  On one hand, we had that charismatic "mother" politician whose rhetoric and actions perpetuated fear and anxiety  thus furthering  uncertainty, doom and gloom, feeling unsafe, being  vulnerable ,and  without safety, comfort and status .  As a result, many voters consciously and unconsciously expressed tendencies and an orientation for economic relief,and other insecurities  thereby  reinforcing the psychology of human nature .  The "mother" phoenix rose and promised to be the only one  that could  be the rescuer- ,just like the Pied  Piper .  It did not  matter that the “mother” had  no  credible  plan. The voters wanting and seeking to be rescued now became the victims.  This bad "mother "  not only lies, and “rescues” but also punishes his victims with sadistic cruelty.  

Barriers to Happiness

 

Walter  Isaacson's most recent book "The Greatest Sentence Ever Written"  refers to "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable  Rights, that among these are life ,Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"  written by Thomas Jefferson and assisted by Franklin and Adams.  This essay pertains to the pursuit of Happiness, which means man's ability to fully develop morally, intellectually and emotionally.

Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743 and died in 1826. Intellectually, he was influenced by others . Notably,some of the writings before and after Jefferson - Karl  Marx, Shaftesbury, Jean- Jacques Rousseau,Karl Jaspers , Albert Maslow and others also  characterize man's quest within  his society. 

 Marx's protest was against man's alienation; the loss of himself and his  transformation into a thing . Man’s problem was related to dehumanization  and the automatization that’s related to Western Capitalism and industrialization. How can man realize his potential  with Capitalism? 

More specifically, Marx was  not concerned  with the equalization of income, but with the liberation of man trying to work that destroys his individuality by changing him into a thing which makes him a slave of things.  And ,when the worker had no part in the direction of the work being employed  he becomes  part of the “machines,’" He serves and becomes transformed into a thing and becomes dependent on capital .”

For Marx ,alienation was about the change of being alienated with meaningless labor,  into productive free labor. Better payment of alienated labor, private or by the state was irrelevant.  In other words, his concept of socialism was emancipation from,alienation and the return of man to himself.  

 A few quotes from Max’s youngest daughter, Eleanor.  She described the  relationship between her parents.  In a letter   shortly before her mother's death.( Moor) Marx's nickname got the better of his illness again.  Never shall I forget the morning he felt himself strong enough to go into mother's room.  When they were together., they were young again-she a young girl and he a loving youth both on life’s threshold,  not an old disease ridden man and an old dying woman parting from each other for life.

This quote pertains to walks with his children when he told them tales, tales not measured by miles ,not chapters.  He read the whole of Homer, the whole of Nibelungenlied,Gudrun, Don Quixote, Arabian nights, etc.  As to Shakespeare, he was the Bible of our house and seldom out of our hands or mouths.  By the time I was six,I knew  scene upon scene of Shakespeare by heart.

Recently, I had a conversation with Deb, a realtor that I've known for  the past 25 years.  She retired approximately a year ago and is having difficulty adjusting.  I asked her if she wanted to return to selling real estate and she emphatically replied no.  I asked her if she wanted to return to work in another area and she replied she didn't know.  She added that she liked her career in real estate.  If Deb  actually liked her career in real estate and is unhappy with her retirement, why not consider returning? 

Shaftesbury, grandson of John Locke ,wrote that it's natural for man to exist in society and declared that his moral sense is inborn .This moral sense consists of a sense of order and harmony and  can be reached through thought and introspection.  

Rousseau stressed that experience had great value and he condemned society and its influence on man.. He believed that  society generated egoism . And, that this interferes with man’s needs and capacities. This conflict results in frustration, doubt,and  suicide, Rousseau advocated new system of education, a new attitude toward religion in full recognition of the rights of man by the state.

Karl Jaspers wrote that our  highly technological mass production society, with its emphasis on mass communication, propaganda and conformity results in the individual being lost . Man’s task or  struggle  is to awaken the possibilities of his for an authentic and meaningful life within the standardization of this type of society.

Albert Maslow wrote about man  developing his fullest by becoming self-actualized.In Maslow's study of self-actualizing people ,he identified 15 characteristics of a self-actualized person.  He wrote that  these people were not perfect , had ordinary human feelings and occasionally were ruthless and alienated  others. Briefly, a few of these  characteristics follow: They had a more efficient perception of reality and that these self-actualized people readily detect falseness in another and judged people accurately . They were able to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity more than others.  These people also had less guilt, shame and anxiety, accepted themselves and were less defensive. They were  not ego centered, but rather oriented to problems outside of themselves. These external problems  in which they became devoted became their mission .They were independent  within their environment.  They experienced ecstasy, inspiration and strength from basic experiences in life.  They had a dedication, sympathy and affection for mankind even though they were troubled by the many shortcomings of the species.They respected people  and related to them irrespective of birth,blood, family and nation .  They tended to be philosophical and non-hostile in their humor  These are a few of the characteristics that describe  a self-actualized person according to Maslow.

It's difficult for individuals , in our republic, to become self-actualized because of a number of reasons affecting health . In our environment, we have the occurrence of global warming and its effects on health.  For example, residing  in California, my residence is  just under 12 acres and  adjacent to BLM land.  In other words, the prospect of  fire is a concern for me  as well as the surrounding area in the foothills.  As a result, there is  anxiety about fire and air quality .  Also, our streams, water,rivers and oceans have become polluted as a result of the consequences of industrialization.  Add the toxins, fertilizers and  pesticides associated with growing food . Supposedly organic food is grown without synthetic pesticides or herbicides; free from genetically modified organisms; produced without artificial fertilizers; processed without artificial preservatives, colors or flavors, and certified by a recognized organic certification body.

Next, we have all the processed foods found in our supermarkets.  In fact, most of the food  on the shelves is not  healthy.  We have too much sugar, salt ,fat and ingredients that are difficult to understand and pronounce.  It's no wonder that life expectancy is 79 1/2 years and does not measure up to other industrialized countries. We are living in  an unhealthy and  sick country.

Our present government's policies are stressful and are  also contributing to ill health. There has been elimination of government jobs; pertinent  health research; toxic round up of individuals; threats and attacks on universities,law firms, comedians, "enemies” of Donald; cuts to foreign and domestic aid; attacks on a number of Democrats; and murdering individuals in  small boats many miles from our country.  And, health care and vaccinations are also under attack.

The idea that healthcare as a human "right" in a capitalistic system is conflictual to say the least.  Healthcare is part of a capitalistic system and is about profits.  A  short story from years ago.  I joined a provider group to deliver psychological services.  Each patient was to receive up to  five visits irrespective of diagnosis or condition.  For some, I requested additional visits.  Shortly after, I wasn't receiving any referrals.  With a phone call I was told that they found another provider  with less educational qualifications and less expensive .  

The following is based on "The Whistleblower: Confessions of the Healthcare Hitman" by Dr. Robert F. Rost.  1.  The healthcare system is financially designed in a way where your illness generates profit.  Your wellness does not.  And the system is not broken.  It works exactly as intended.  2.  The healthcare system is controlled by four power centers-what test you get, which medications you are allowed, whether imaging referrals or surgeries are approved  and the timeline of your care.  3 Doctors get 6 to 12 minutes per patient in most systems; medication is the fastest way to treat; insurance algorithms  deny tests until disease proves itself; keeping you managed is more profitable than curing you.  4.  Doctors use approved medications, follow insurance scripts, stick to corporate mandated pathways, maximize billable activities and limit unnecessary testing.  Dr. Mark Hyman   "We don't have healthcare in America.  We have disease care."

In summation, becoming self-actualized for most of the individuals in this country is unrealistic. As an adolescent, I had the opportunity to attend the  University as an undergraduate . Graduate school was relatively inexpensive and I had the drive and desire to enter the assisting profession first as a teacher and then as a psychologist . I had the intelligence ,drive and good fortune to maximize  socio-economic's   Further, my  psychological history ,additional research, continuing education , and a behavior orientation toward health furthered my options and choices in pursuit of health and well-being  Today, the  political,  social ,educational and economic realities are not designed for opportunities for the pursuit of Happiness. The capitalistic system is supreme and  the God  to worship  for the rich. The  powers in this  Republic favor the rich and despise the rest.

Reference

Barrett W. Irrational Man; a study in existential psychology..

Bottomore,T.B.Translation from Marx’s Economic And Philosophical Manuscripts..

Fromm,Erich. Marx’s Concept of Man

Maslow ,Abraham H. Motivation And Personality

In Decline

 

On a Thursday morning, I heard Kennedy Jr. state, what  we all know, that America is a sick country. I also know that Trump's bill  cuts  Medicare , Medicaid and  10 - 20 million are  losing health coverage  passed by the  GOP and signed by Trump. Further, 50 to  60% of the population have chronic disease health conditions;  cuts in food subsidies during the government shutdown and the Epstein files  cover are terrible from a moral point of view.In addition  2 ,articles from May 11, 2025,edition of The New York Times titled The Financialization Trap and Have We Quit On  Learning?  are relevant to this essay   All the above are  symptoms occurring in our Republic and suggest cracks in our  experiment  in democracy  with rule by the wealthy . 

French historian Fernand Braudel’s  provocative insight  in detailed cycles of economic history are pertinent with his research that included Venice, Amsterdam and London.  These cities ,at one time , were the financial centers of the Western world and then faded into the background. In their day, commerce prospered and investment in their surplus resulted in building new centers that actually became associated with their decline.  

In the 17th and 18 century, Amsterdam’s merchants became bankers and began  seeking better returns from fast-growing London.London had become  a more sophisticated market for moving their money. Prosperity was controlled by the elite ; and its satellites no longer needed as many workers . In essence, the city's economy became more dependent on  the vulnerability of finance . For instance, In 1782, much of  Amsterdam's capital had been lent to foreigners instead of financing their own development.  In fact, when  Louis XVI didn't pay back its debt , that greatly contributed to a loss of economic power and advantage for Amsterdam . 

In 1944,  victory became our power to dictate the global economy;  the freedom to trade ; and the US and its allies agreed to establish the dollar as the basis for an international monetary system.  Trade barriers were dismantled which resulted in the golden age of prosperity.  Blue-collar workers, for example ,with their living wages, were able to buy cars, houses , other toys and go on vacations while rearing their children in the suburbs.  They enjoyed economic prosperity and captured that “dream “home .

In the late 70s ,as a center of the global economy,  New York found its commerce and industry, leaving the city.. In  fact, during the next few decades the following occurred.  Donald Trump built towers along with his bankruptcy casinos. Wall Street dominated, income inequality blossomed  and the working class wages  became stagnant .  Trump stated that America was losing its wealth and power.  And, in 1987, he spent $94,801 on full-page ads in The New York Times and two other papers.  Basically, he proposed billing Japan, Saudi Arabia and other countries for US military spending and stated that  it would reduce our federal deficits and allow for  tax cuts.

Trump employed the fear factor, blamed  and scapegoated other countries and so forth for America's woes as he called us patsies. Now, he's proposed tariffs while “attempting “ to force American companies to make products for our markets and providing  tax cuts for the elite.  In other words, his rationalization and denial - other people and other countries are exploiting  the US and we can solve our problems with revenge .Trump’s policies  are disastrous for most in our country.  In the past what was good for General Motors was good for the country according to Wilson.  Today that's not true. What's good for Trump is good ! There is no such thing as trickle down economics.

The dollar has allowed America to purchase imported exports more cheaply while making America's exports more expensive . For decades, US companies began  pouring money into foreign markets, building their global business.  For example, Apple  spent billions of dollars in China.  It has trained their workers to build Apple’s I Phones. However, Apple now has competition with China. Not only can these trained workers  build  phones , they can transfer their skills to other areas, such as building drones and so forth.

Some believed that the national defense budget was a price for power and trade was the reward. US prominence was assisted with the rise of finance and tech companies.  However, we are in trouble when finance replaces manufacturing according to the French historian.  In the 1970s, factories produced about 45% of corporate profits and finance about 15%.  Over the last 20 years, finance has now produced a larger share.  Further, the rich don't help the poor .However, the rich help Americans by allowing them to  purchase  cheaper goods . The rich also help  themselves by exporting  products and employing cheaper foreign workers.  

The rich build homes for themselves, but not for others. It is now harder to get an education, harder to earn a living wage,harder to save,  harder to afford housing and medical insurance .The minimum wage in Mississippi is $7.25 per hour .Actually, 75% born in 1950 ended up earning more money than their parents.  However, being born in 1980, only 50% have ended up doing better than their parents.  Also in the US there is less economic mobility compared to  much of  Western Europe and the US is less egalitarian than Denmark.

Moreover, with our technology and with AI  we have eliminated more jobs than China . Also, trade has made the rich richer while reducing the earnings  for about 70% of those workers who don't have college degrees. Poverty, homelessness and starvation rates are rising.

40% of students entering college do not graduate.  Also, reading scores are lowest in decades thanks ,in part, to social media and computers. AI is also contributing to our dumbing down.  Furthermore, this government has no goals pertaining to learning or  in improving reading  arithmetic, science or increasing high school graduation rates.. Public education is no longer elite and many parents are sending their children to charter schools, private schools and homeschooling . In the last five years, this  number has increased to more than a million .

Trump nominated a wrestling promoter to head the Department of Education while reducing its workforce.  His curriculum is based on having schools focus on race,  transgender issues and creating a patriotic curriculum.  Those ideas have  nothing to do with school performance  civics, interest in learning,or rational inquiry . Teacher pay ,counselors, health and social support are not even considered but are factors associated with assisting our failing educational system

Trump's agenda is not contributing to raising our educational systems standards  for the majority, but instead seems to be dumbing it down.  Teaching was once considered a noble profession, but there are so many problems that teachers are facing, because of low pay and being hassled by parents on what and how to teach .It’s no wonder that teachers are exciting and schools of education are  having  difficulty attracting students. 

Our Republic is headed  for a  fall . The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer.  Too many individuals are physically and psychologically ill; have low educational achievement; economic stagnation; can't afford housing ; in debt ; without medical insurance; homeless and/or not experiencing optimism.  In addition, there's an enormous amount of hate,division,  fear, stress being exemplified at the expense  and being perpetuated by malignant,  narcissistic and greedy people with economic and political power.

China

 

How many  individuals that you know want to live to 150 years of age? I have known a number of individuals in their 80s and unfortunately they had at least one chronic medical condition.  They do not present a  terrific sense of well-being, nor a devoted interest in living 60 or 70 more years.  Perhaps being in good health, with a healthy partner ,might change  attitudes and  opinions.  My recent 86th  birthday is associated with an interest in the November 9, 2025 article found in The New York Times. According to the article, a Chinese microphone caught Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin discussing living to 150 years of age.  This essay pertains to aging.

A longevity medicine startup in the Chinese city of Shenzhen has been developing antiaging pills based on a compound found in grape seed extract (procyanidin CI or PCCI) and they quoted "living to 150 is definitely realistic."  Further, a Stanford associate professor at the Buck Institute, a biomedical research Center, intends to start trials to demonstrate efficiency and validate that research done with mice. It was reported that mice treated with this compound lived 9.4% longer across their lifetime and 64.2% longer from the start of treatment.  However, we know that research with mice does not always translate well for humans.  I am interested in  hearing about  those Stanford's research findings

China's average life expectancy reached 79 years, although still behind Japan's average of nearly 85 years.  In fact,according to their pitch, the average lifespan of Chinese leaders is far longer than the life span of leaders in other  developed nations.  For example, Mao Ze-dong died at 82 and Deng Xiaoping passed at 92 . Of course there's an elite military hospital in Beijing which treats senior officials.  It's true that  the Chinese lifespan with its rapid economic growth has provided millions of people with the time and money needed to look beyond day-to-day survival. And, now the Chinese are interested and have the money to extend their lives just like rich Americans.

At a recent international gathering organized by Time Pie in Shanghai,   Chinese and foreign scientists presented their research along with their antiaging creams , potions, goji berries, cryogenic and hyperbaric chambers all said to slow the aging process. This cryogenic  device had the temperature dropping to -200°F.  Somebody called it an antiaging magic box. Superior Med, a healthcare company that supposedly runs the world's biggest longevity hospital in the Chinese city of Chengdu has promised immortality islands. By the way,  they don't yet exist .  It might be something more like luxury health spas offering blood tests and other forms of preventive medicine in exotic locales.  A Harvard professor and a German-American aging researcher have developed the first "aging clock" a measure of aging biomarkers.. Also, a young entrepreneur from China explored moneymaking opportunities in April by booking  crypto reservations ,3D printing of organs and whole body replacements…

About two millenniums ago, China’s first Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered a nationwide hunt for death-defying potions.  Just in case they did not work, he also ordered the creation of thousands of Terra-cotta warriors to protect him  just in case. However, the Emperor died at 49, possibly from mercury poisoning caused by an antiaging treatment?  In other words, buyers beware.

I'm interested in healthy aging.  My father had juvenile diabetes, and battled with physical health all his life. So, I experienced,first hand, his misery. And ,Aunt Eva told me that  health was golden.Mother had a heart condition, but lived till about 93 years of age and fortunately, my brother Ron, a physician, was with her at the end. 

Years before, I suggested assisted living and she said” I don't want to be around old people. “ I'm taking mom's advice.  Linda and I go to Ironworks every other day and work out, meet, and  interact with as many young people as we can.  Some of the young women look terrific and conduct impressive workouts.  It is a joy to watch and pick up pointers.  In fact, our friends Dave and Joyce joined us  and Dave added a balancing exercise to his routine performed by a young attractive female.  In essence, healthy aging for me is important as I eat healthy ,exercise daily  , interact with my lovely spouse and others and am productive.  Driving my 2026 Corvette reinforces youth and …..?

The politics of the GOP has not been associated with the well-being for the majority in our  Republic.  They cut  foreign and American aid that’s associated with death, not health.  Although economics is one important component associated with health, it's about lifestyle choices with an absence of employing defense mechanisms of denial and rationalization.  Jason, a trainer at the gym remarked “  Being at the gym and not staying home  sitting on the coach because it's raining ‘ was important. Jeff Windenhausen, years ago, said that he does not melt in the rain. I agree , motivational priorities and behavioral decisions tell the story and  are extremely significant  for well-being  .Age and aging is more than a number. Who wants to have some chronic ailment or other disabling injury or accident irrespective of age?   Successful aging and age must  positively correlate with  goals, productivity ,mental and physical health  which are components of well-being 

PS

“The French Secret to Eating Healthy “ article was found in the November 9, 2025 edition of The New York Times. This article described how France, which has a lower obesity rate, 17% compared to 4o% in the US,;made  healthy changes . With government assistance, they have frozen food grocery chains; have significantly reduced ultra process foods ; have preserved its fresh food market tradition ; have leased space to appropriate food purveyors :  have endorsed “ the 15 Minute City” with many convenient  outlets; began financially supporting sustainable food shops; created a deputy mayor in charge with creating a healthy, sustainable food environment  For school children, they banned vending machines in schools; strived to serve children mostly organic lunches low in  added salt, sugar and fat; having vegetarian meals every week; have increased the time. for lunch to instill French values of food appreciation and culture.  Francis is set up for health while America is set up for sickness as the US government has done relatively little to improve access to affordable, healthy food ,minimize the junk and promote healthy aging..

A Troubled Republic

 

Previously ,intellectuals , explained man’s negative condition,For instance,Marx, believed  man was alienated as a result of capitalism; Tolstoy ,from a spiritual and moral point of view, stressed man's moral and spiritual  impoverishment; Rousseau , blamed a terrible society without freedom, liberty and reason    and Freud believed that civilization was repressing man's instinctual drives, resulting in neurosis.This essay provides a perception of the state of our Republic from a brief economic, political, social and psychological points of view. Is man an instrument for the wealthy; are we a government of the people ; how absurd is our society; and what is the degree of our  mental and physical health ?

From an economic perspective, approximately 11.6% or 37.9 million individuals are living in poverty in this country, of which approximately 30% of them are children.  Poverty is defined as when an individual  lacks financial resources and the essentials for a basic standard of living.  In California ,the hourly  minimum wage is $16.65 and in Mississippi it is $7.25. And, approximately 24% of  California’s population  live in poverty .Further, about 42.4 million ,nationwide , received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  (SNAP) benefits 

On the other hand,a few statistics pertaining to the economic inequality in our Republic: The 400 richest people in the US are worth $6.6 trillion.  Their wealth has increased by a trillion  over the past year thanks to the surging stock markets and the AI mania.  

The top five most wealthy include Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Larry Page.  In the NBA , Stephan Curry’s 2025-26 salary was just under $60 million.followed by Joel Embiid earning about 55 million along with Nikola Jokic . In the NFL ,DAk Prescott’s  2024 annual salary was 65 million followed by both  Joe Burrow  and Trevor Lawrence at 55 million . Baseball's  highest paid player in 2023 was Juan Soto at 126.9 million,  Shohei  Ohtani earned 102 million and Blake Snell  65.6 million. A Taylor Swift  concert ticket ranges from $657-$819.These figures are  madding compared to $7.25 an hour wage.

From a political point of view, an  authoritarian was elected president and the right-wing GOP majority has provided him with enormous power and control.  The GOP Senate,House of Representatives and Cabinet faithfully follow his wishes.  His tariffs and "big beautiful bill " proved unpopular for the masses.  Additionally, the president sent military and ice agents to blue American cities rounding up "illegal" immigrants employing aggressive tactics.  Many of these individuals without due process have been denied rights under the U.S. Constitution and have been sent to undesirable places all over the world. His use of social media has allowed him to spread the propaganda  and conspiracy of misinformation as his wealth has increased dramatically . We the people are currently divided - either those that support this would be king , those that oppose him or those fed up with politics and do not vote. .

Universities, law firms ,press, entertainers and "enemies" of the president have been harassed, subject to legal proceedings and their free speech has been under attack. The president has waged a "drug" war, attacking boats driven by various individuals and killing many in the process.  The lower courts have deemed many of the president's actions as violations of the constitution but , in some, the Supreme Court has ruled differently.  The President  has also pardoned convicted  undesirables and  he continues his attempt to interfere with voting..His longest  government shut down  just ended .Most of his executive orders   are associated with pain and suffering . 

From a historical point of view, the old and new Testaments provided  messages of freedom,  morality , and a belief in the supreme being.  Jesus and his prophets clearly pointed to the hazards and evils of greed and wealth.  They also  promoted the solidarity of humanism with “loving  thy enemy.”  Today ,with mega churches, the message appears to be about monetary and political power.  There's  also a disregard and division within the church regarding whether or not they should be political or not . Unity,morality and humanism in our Republic is more important than taking away a woman's  freedom to have an abortion..

From a religious , spiritual and moral point of view , supporting a deranged pathological liar and convicted felon is absurd and inconsistent  with being a christian.  This  twice impeached man  attempted to overthrow the 2000 presidential election;’ Currently , he’s working to do the same for  the 2026 elections  .His flip flopping on the Epstein files  is politically  expedient,ingenious,  legally, and morally corrupt .Factually, he once said, something to the effect that just his thinking about files makes them unclassified. 

Physically, 50 to 60% of Americans have a chronic disease of asthma, diabetes, or cardiovascular .  Chronic is defined as persistent and long-lasting.  Despite the fact that health spending ,on a per capita basis as a percentage of gross domestic product, the US spends more than two times the average compared to comparable countries. Yet, the GOP’ continues to eliminate The Affordable Act.

 US life expectancy has grown, but at a lower rate than other countries; we have the highest rates of infant mortality, low birth weight, high rate of motor vehicle crashes ,and  non transportation  injuries .Lung disease is associated with a higher risk of death and older US adults report a higher prevalence of arthritis that limits  their daily activities.  We have the second highest prevalence of HIV infection and highest incidence of AIDS ;and we lose more years of life to alcohol , drugs and  even when deaths from drunk driving are  excluded .The number surpasses homicides and car crashes.

Psychologically, too many are alienated,  unproductive, fail to control irrational passions of hate, greed, exploitativeness, possessiveness, and with their narcissism, enhance their personal prestige and are not concerned with the social welfare and solidarity of men.  The primary physiological ego needs, according to Maslow, of hunger and thirst along with safety, belonging, love and esteem greatly affect mental health . And when unsatisfied., these needs can dominate the individual as in the case of a man who’s starving. A realistic  fear of starvation makes hunger dominate conduct.  Stealing, lying and violating the law are just some examples of men driven to fill their physiological need for self and family.  The ego need of safety,  can also dominate behavior and with the association of anxiety  individuals act  aggressively toward fellow humans.  Security is important and can be easily identified when encountering insecure, anxious and stressed individuals.  A common reaction to insecurity as a defense is aggressiveness.  Without the ego's physiological and safety needs being met ,the belonging  and love needs become difficult to satisfy .. 

It's not at all surprising that with  the assistance of algorithms and AI our social media has been contaminated by expressions of hate, anger and calls for violence.  We have a history of school shootings, political attacks, suicide,  anti-Semitic and anti Israel incidents which are troubling and depict a sick society..Further our  capitalistic and technological culture is heavily associated with furthering man’s robotic  insignificance and interfring in meeting the ego need of affiliation with alienation

A healthy man was described by Freud as being able to love and work.  More specifically, a healthy individual is one who is productive and contributes to a betterment of society's members , is able to relate to his fellow man, not subjecting himself to an irrational authority and utilizes thinking, reason, and rationality.  Further, that individual has to be able to minimize , understand and not allow ego defenses of denial and rationality  to interfere with  reality. Psychologically, the potency of economics, politics,religion, and society all interact   and are like a mosaic  in that they contribute to man’s sense of well being or his hell.