ThisIsIt wrote:
tri_kid wrote:
ThisIsIt wrote:
scorpio516 wrote:
https://www.bloomberg.com/...men-from-labor-force
Dude from Princeton studies labour force participation rate over this century. He concludes that yes, most of the low rate is that boomers are old and kids are able to choose school over jobs, but 20% of men out of the labour force are there due to drug abuse. We're at 63% participation rate right now.
If you want to drill down deep, 35-44 year olds. In 2000, 85% participation rate. 2017? 82.5% ish. Men, 16+. 2000: 75%. 2017: 69% I'd like to compare men, 25-54, but the BLS is hard to work with.
It's almost enough to ask what it is it about modern U.S. society that drives people to drugs?
I watched a Jordan Peterson lecture last week or so and he brought this up. I'll try and find it and post the link to the video. Anyways, he blamed it on the Western male's loss of responsibility in society. In other words, the traditional role for men has deteriorated, resulting in men turning to drugs.
Interesting, but large scale drug abuse would seem to predate that by a good bit. I wish I could remember where I saw the information, but it was something that indicated that drug abuse levels have been fairly consistent for awhile, it's just the drug of choice that changes.
Prohibition was in response to widespread alcoholism which at least from a modern perspective would seem to have been well before the traditional role of males changed (although I guess you could argue that that really began with the industrial revolution, which I've heard said is when alcoholism became widespread in the west).
The thing about alcohol/alcoholism is that you can still go to work the next day. Sure, you might miss a day or two, but the thing is, your boss is probably drinking too. Also, look at the lifestyle of the Japanese salary man. Drink with the boss every day after work. No (virtually) opioids in Japan. Just smoking and alcohol and passing out on the train everyday (and its acceptable). Men still dominate the labor market in Japan, women still pour tea. This isn't the video I watched, but Peterson discusses the same thing here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDtAI7wZGVw He is basically saying that once men fall out of the labor market in the West, they have a high tendency for opioid abuse. Just imagine what men would have done if opioids were as strong during the Great Depression as they are today. Drugs, especially prescription drugs, have changed so dramatically over the last couple decades. Men don't stand a chance once they're hooked. Its probably a combination of those two factors. Opioids are stronger, and men are out of work.