This disquisition incorporates three articles published in the April 23, 2023 edition of The New York Times. They are "Group That Advises US on Opioids Took Millions From Sackler's"; "Fix Your Diet, Save the Planet" and "There Are Better Ways to Study That Will Last You a Lifetime." These articles point to the interference of well being facing our population.
The first article tells the story of how Big Pharma(rescuers) manipulated and took advantage of the vulnerable ( victims) in our population. The smart, sophisticated exploitation owners of the Purdue pharmaceutical company donated approximately $14 million to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.( NASEM) The NASEM's prestigious group was first established, in 1863 as a nongovernmental institution chartered by Abraham Lincoln. The objective was to serve as an independent advisor to the nation on science and medicine. Recently, this institution advised the White House on opioid use , overuse, misuse and overdose death after receiving input from Purdue’s lobbyist, the maker of oxycontin . However, the lobbyist inflated the nation's chronic pain statistics . He stated that approximately 4/10 people in our country were experiencing chronic pain and required opioid treatment. Further, initially the FDA , the World Health Organization and prescribing physicians believed these inflated numbers irrespective of the numerous health hazards associated with this addictive death drug.
Later, the CDC estimated that about 2/10 people in our country are experiencing chronic pain. To make a long story short, the pharmaceutical company and its owners are currently going through bankruptcy with a 8 billion dollar civil and criminal settlement for their consequential damages for opioids cases . Their conflict of interest was finally exposed with monetary consequences for their part . Note, the pharmaceutical industry does a terrific job of marketing to physicians by contributing with their lavish banquets , conferences etc. and distribution of sample medications . Then, advertising does the rest by selling(rescuing) “pain relief “ to the public ( victims). All one has to do is to take a “pill” for a quick fix.
There has been extensive research on pain ,fear,anxiety and stress as motivational concepts .Sigmund Freud's Pleasure Principle suggest man’s behavior is characterized with the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain , with the understanding that man also seeks pain and that pleasure can arise from punishment or pain- sadomasochism. Understanding the concepts of approach-avoidance and the pleasure principle suggests that man approaches both pleasure and pain and avoids pain and pleasure. To more fully understand man's pleasure principle, approach - avoidance motivations , other concepts like emotions, irrationality ,drives, expectations, needs, reinforcements, cues and physiological tolerance also are part of the kaleidoscope dynamics . Additional factors also influence the pleasure principle and approach - avoidance construct . These factors relate to the various causes of pain, fear, anxiety, and stress and include, but not limited , to various man-made institutions such as education, religion, government, politics, criminal injustice and capitalism . They contribute and interfere with man's well-being. Furthermore, man’s solutions in attempting to resolve the unpleasantness or pleasantness of pain, fear, anxiety, stress include ingesting pills, food, surgeries, drugs, alcohol, etc. Also , human beings are lazy ,have low frustration tolerance, seek immediate gratification, shortcuts and easy ways with their thinking and behavioral “solutions” even if temporary. Thus, the emergence of rescuers for the victims such that Big Pharma becomes the Pied Piper and the victim consequences follow. Each individual has their own definition of real or counterfeit pain, fear, anxiety, and stress. Man’s irrational history is associated with addictions, abuse and death .
Personally, a week prior to the 1998 Ride and Tie Championship, I suffered lower back spasms. Luckily, across from my office was Mark, a physical therapist friend. He graciously provided treatment and exercises each day prior to my work schedule . I discovered that I could stand while providing therapy but could not sit. I was not sure if I was going to be able to compete in the upcoming event. I called my partner Steve and told him I could not drive to the event. Steve drove and stopped every 45 minutes so I could get out and stretch. The morning of the event, I wasn't confident that I could mount Gypsy and run. However, I was able to mount my Aribian, ride and we finished the event. Years later I was scheduled for a hernia operation and decided that I had to run Way too Cool 50 K prior. Unfortunately, the trail was wet and I suffered on the down hills, especially when I slipped. Over 20 years ago, Jerome, another Ride and Tie friend and partner, referred me to Veloyce , the Monster of Massage for treatment for my overuse injuries. Veloyce suggested purchasing a spa as well. Aside from many visits to the Monster, I saw Matt ,a Western States chiropractic and Jim another physical therapist for treatment. Additionally, ice has become my friend along with ibuprofen. During running competitions, when in pain, I reframe and call it discomfort, focus on deep breathing and staying in the present . Many years ago, Est training taught about staying in the present to deal with whatever.
In the second article, the esteemed Prof. pointed out that the treatment of animals , for food, is unethical with its crowding and confinement of pigs, chickens and the caged breeding practices. Further, meat and dairy production are major sources of methane. This powerful greenhouse gas affects our planet with terrible consequences like causing the rise in temperature . Also , there’s excessive clearing , burning and destruction of tropical forests to create pastures for cattle grazing in the Amazon. Currently ,he's recommending that our diet should be more plant-based and less beef and dairy. The United States has about 0.5% to 6% of vegans in our population.
I have not been to a fast food establishment in decades. However, I view the clever advertising of burgers on TV. These burgers look super , with attractive people opening their mouths wide and with inexpensive pricing to match . The size of these burgers with the short term pleasure and the ease in procuring give additional reasons and point to the overweight and obesity issue in our country. I have not seen a vegan advertisement that can compare with a burger one . To expect this country's populace to become vegan is fantasy. The distinguished Prof. has forgotten about previously mentioned dynamics and the victim's motivation to seek immediate pleasure for their negative long term consequences. It’s about beef ,the American tradition of burgers, fries , coke and being a victim.
The third article illustrates a problem with learning . This professor identified the inadequate learning behavior with college students. He provided examples that substantiated the inadequacies in learning and memory. For instance : 1. Researchers asked college students to select which scenarios would lead to better memory or learning. Students were asked to choose a mnemonic - one which the teacher provided or one they created. For two of the six scenarios. students picked the worst strategy as often as the better one. For the other four, most students actually thought the worst strategy was superior. 2. The second study had to do with preparing for a test .The students read passages of about 260 words under one of three conditions. Some students repeatedly read and studied the text for four consecutive study periods, each lasting five minutes. The second group read and studied the text for three periods and in the fourth, which lasted 10 minutes, wrote as many ideas from the passages as they could remember. The next group studied for one period and tried to remember the material during the other three. After the four period completion , students predicted how well they would retain the material. Not surprisingly, the more students had studied the more confident they were in their knowledge. A week later, everyone returned for another test demonstrating the results . The students who had studied just once recalled the passages best. The worst memory was shown by those who had studied the most and had been the most confident about their learning. Irrational self deception at work.
In college ,students cram and reread the material over and over for the grade ,even though, unfortunately, that's not the most effective way to learn. It's been demonstrated that if students read and use their executive functions while reading they learn and remember more. While reading, asking questions about the concepts while comparing and contrasting the information and points made results in more learning and remembering. Just reading and rereading is passive and takes less effort. One has to critically evaluate what's in black and white. Do not become a parrot and just repeat. Taking the easy way is inefficient - being a victim.
Unfortunately, especially in college, one is cramming for a test because that’s the goal, the objective - the grade received based on test score. It’s a shame , the objective is the letter grade and not for learning , understanding and wisdom . It's about the letter grade and not about learning the material. In graduate school, I had a language requirement for my PhD. I chose French. I learned and mastered how to translate , conjugations etc. and understand scientific articles written in French. Then I had my exam. It was pass or fail. I did super on the exam and was able to read and understand scientific journals as well as Dumas' The Three Musketeers. My knowledge of French helped when I visited Paris for about a week or so during graduate school. However, I was never required to read anything translated into French again - English’s easier.
Generally speaking, humans are motivated to seek and avoid pleasure and pain based on needs, passions and irrationalities. Also, there is much discomfort caused by illness, injury, nature and societal irregularities . Big Pharma takes advantage of man's frailties within the capitalistic model. The motivation of the capitalistic model is profit regardless of the consequence or pain to others. Man's needs and passions get in the way of rational choices in his decision-making , looking for quick solutions at the conscious and unconscious level . The medical industry with the assistance of big Pharma “minimizes “the pain, for many through pills and surgery. Man generally minimizes the difficult and maximizes the easy. With that being said, the populace is in acute pain, with poor mental and physical health, within a failing educational system for many and with excessive profits for the few. It can be said that individuals easily become victims with plenty of rescuers and sometimes the rescuers become the persecuted.
PS
Click on the link: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCtwkulV78sUFljjpMuLmLJg/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D for insight into how other athletes have dealt with the pleasure principle and approach-avoidance motivations from our TV show .
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