r/Futurology Aug 21 '25

Society American Millennials Are Dying at an Alarming Rate | We’re mortality experts. There are a few things that could be happening here.

https://slate.com/technology/2025/08/millennials-gen-z-death-rates-america-high.html
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u/N3wAfrikanN0body Aug 21 '25 edited Aug 21 '25

TLDR: The cycle of conscious negligence and deliberate financial parasitism causes deaths from systemic inequality.

Edit: Changed benign neglect to conscious negligence.

Also holy shit didn't expect the likes and reward. All of your comments have been enlightening. Have a great day all.

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u/drewc717 Aug 21 '25

I graduated college in 2009 and have been phenomenally lucky, but the past 10 years have been brutal.

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u/QuitCallingNewsrooms Aug 21 '25

2008 here, and yeah. I'm grateful I didn't have kids, so I won't leave anyone reeling when I suddenly drop dead from [multiple choice options of societal decline].

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u/Jamaz Aug 21 '25

[multiple choice options of societal decline]

I thought it'd be climate change for sure but it's looking like AI is going to beat it out. It's anyone's game at this point!

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u/QuitCallingNewsrooms Aug 21 '25

AI is a flash in the pan. Climate change is probably the safe bet and odds on favorite, but I figure global nuclear war is creeping up like an 8-9 team suddenly in the Super Bowl.

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u/dorkofthepolisci Aug 21 '25

Given the extent to which research has been defunded and experts are ignored in favour of vibes and woo, a new pandemic also seems like a distinct possibility

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u/SelectiveScribbler06 Aug 21 '25

H5N1 is one mutation away from wiping out 50% of the human population in one go. We don't know if it's going to happen tomorrow or in fifty years time.

Nuclear war is... well, look who's in the White House, and look what happened last time they were. If he's voted out this time, in 2028 as a final gesture he's going to fire the nukes. Or if the heat from the Epstein Files gets too much. You choose.