[ExI] Why is "cost of living" such a big problem?

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com> 
Sent: Sunday, 8 November, 2026 5:38 AM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Cc: spike at rainier66.com; Ben Zaiboc <benzaiboc at proton.me>
Subject: Re: [ExI] Why is "cost of living" such a big problem?

 

 

 

On Sat, Nov 7, 2026 at 6:00 PM spike jones via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org <mailto:extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> > wrote:

 

 

This chart is most enlightening: 

 

 



 

 

Spike, how are you able to post charts? Every time that I've tried to post a chart or a picture to this list our old steam powered antique web server says my post has been rejected because it's too big….

 

Take a screen shot or copy/paste into an email to yourself, trim it down to just the figure of interest, go into the email to yourself, copy the image, paste into the Exi post, switch to graphic mode if it asks.  Notice the image is degraded quality, but you can still read the fine print.

 

  

 

>…And by the way, I'll be damned if I can see how are a chart that shows an astronomical increased in hospital costs in the USA strengthens your argument that the healthcare system in the USA is so good that it needs absolutely positively no changes whatsoever, except perhaps to make things a little more difficult for poor people.  

 

 John K Clark

 

It needs changes.  Just not the ones you suggest.  To that point: I don’t know how to get Europeans to pay more for yank-developed medications.  

 

But consider for instance, if you have ever employed physicians assistants, you know they are very good, and they cost a lot less than doctors.  Generic drugs cost way less.  You don’t need the name brands.  If you wish to experiment with it, try some of the many low-priced viagra knockoffs (they work (hey you might as well have fun while you are experimenting.))  

 

Once you learn how to use the AI tools effectively, such as Doximity, that doesn’t cost anything, and you will astonish your own doctors by coming in there knowing more about your condition than they do.  Often I get asked if I am a doctor.  No, but I am using the same tools they do, and I have a lot of time to learn all the details of my specific condition.  The doctors hafta know everything, but I can study one particular malady and know the hell outta that one area, I can know all the latest medications, all the terminology, the risks, the likely outcomes.  Doctors can do way better with highly informed patients.  I am retired, so I have nothing better to do.

 

Doctors are not gods.  They know medical things and can prescribe medications, but if you look at how they are being tasked, it surprises me they are as good as they are.  They seldom get patients who are effective communicators for instance.  Well, you know EXACTLY how you feel, I know exactly how I feel.  If you can express that to Doximity and find a reasonable diagnosis, doctors will follow your lead.  They will bring their buddies and students in to talk to you.  Ther terminology is obscure, but you can memorize it all.  That’s what they do in medical school: much of it is memorizing terminology.  You can get satisfactory results from the yank medical system, but it takes effort on the part of the patient.  I do recommend getting health insurance.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

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