Natural Causes
She has stopped doing scans and screenings in the last few years. She is not lazy or suicidal. She is 76 years old and believes she’s too old to live. She is told otherwise by all the self-help literature aimed at people her age. They talk about \”active ageing\”, ‘productive ageing’, ‘anti-ageing’ and even \”reverse ageing\”. A long life can be promised to anyone making an effort regardless of genetics or poverty. To her, aging is an \”accumulation of disabilities\” that no amount of self-denial or physical activity can prevent. She will have symptoms investigated if she notices them. When a doctor says there may be an undiagnosed problem, she will not listen.
A great iconoclast wrote a polemic on ageing, which is full of New Age platitudes. It also contains skepticism about the wellness industry.
Blake Morrison
Thu 12 Apr 2018, 02.30 GMT Last modified on Fri 13, Apr 2018 19.10 GMT
Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/12/natural-causes-by-barbara-ehrenreich-review
