What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
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Graphs of media vs clinical morbidity & mortality tables always fascinate me.
When someone is banging on about "the southern border" and all these other dire threats, and you ask them to list the top ten things they think will put them in the hospital or grave, they almost always list murder in the top three, and the rest of the list is a hodge-podge of silliness.
When you show them for THEIR ethnicity, gender, and age group what actually does, they waffle
@mloxton @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
Yes, I've had this exact conversation multiple times. Feel like I am talking to cultists after a while.
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@PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
i don't know but i would say that some of those COVID deaths should be classified as homicide or suicide
people who died of COVID who did everything right but were betrayed by a MAGA moron who introduced the disease into their life and killed them
and MAGA morons who essentially committed suicide by COVID because they took no precautions and imagined their prideful ignorance was a magic shield, or just didn't care if they died
@benroyce
They certainly put their bodies and those of their families at risk for the sake of loyalty. -
@infobeautiful @ourworldindata
So:
Eat too much.
Don't exercise enough.
Too much ultra processed food, chemicals and pesticides.What are the causes of the 7.8% Accidents?
How much on the road, power tools, weapons or other?@raymaccarthy @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
Accidents can bleed over into other categories. I know of two coworkers who died commuting that were probably heartattacks/strokes.
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@mloxton @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
Yes, I've had this exact conversation multiple times. Feel like I am talking to cultists after a while.
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@benroyce
They certainly put their bodies and those of their families at risk for the sake of loyalty.@mloxton @PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
killing grandma for the orange god
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@benroyce @infobeautiful @ourworldindata it would take a magical level of re-observation, but a fair chunk of covid, accidents, and others could be reclassified as "recklessness".
@PizzaDemon @benroyce @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
I'm afraid stupidity doesn't count as suicide. It must be your wish to die not the result of your wired beliefs.
About the homicide I could agree.
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@PizzaDemon @benroyce @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
I'm afraid stupidity doesn't count as suicide. It must be your wish to die not the result of your wired beliefs.
About the homicide I could agree.
@deusfigendi @PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
true
our awareness of their stupid choices does not mean they are aware
thank you for the correction
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What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
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What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
@infobeautiful diabetes is that low? Damn, that's impressive for the worst food on earth.
Jokes aside they talk that much about homicide but how many times is it to ban guns? -
@raymaccarthy @infobeautiful @ourworldindata If you're in Russia, it's from falling out of windows.
@PattyHanson @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
Occasionally Russians abroad fall out of windows. -
What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
@infobeautiful @ourworldindata
How many deaths 2025 are caused by diseases for which vaccines exist? -
What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
@infobeautiful @ourworldindata
How very clever. You are comparing apples to herrings.
If somebody dies from illness in their own or hospital bed, it very seldom is news. Usually no need to be.
If somebody is killed in a terrorism act or murdered, it normally is news. And for a reason.
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@PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
i don't know but i would say that some of those COVID deaths should be classified as homicide or suicide
people who died of COVID who did everything right but were betrayed by a MAGA moron who introduced the disease into their life and killed them
and MAGA morons who essentially committed suicide by COVID because they took no precautions and imagined their prideful ignorance was a magic shield, or just didn't care if they died
@benroyce @PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata Same argument could be made for the other diseases listed too. How much heart disease is caused by corporations insisting on a "right" to push cheap, addictive, harmful foods? Or by insurance companies refusing to pay for preventative care? How much of that cancer is caused by the obscene profits made by dumping carcinogens into our environment? How many of those strokes are...actually I dunno enough about the causes of that one...but I'm still pretty sure the billionaires have *something* to do with it! lol
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@benroyce @PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata Same argument could be made for the other diseases listed too. How much heart disease is caused by corporations insisting on a "right" to push cheap, addictive, harmful foods? Or by insurance companies refusing to pay for preventative care? How much of that cancer is caused by the obscene profits made by dumping carcinogens into our environment? How many of those strokes are...actually I dunno enough about the causes of that one...but I'm still pretty sure the billionaires have *something* to do with it! lol
@admin @PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
strokes are high blood pressure so same as heart disease
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What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
@infobeautiful @ourworldindata
In J-School, first-year students learn the definition of news with the difference between the 'Dog bites man' and 'Man bites dog' headlines. The above is also a great representation. The uninitiated would confuse newsworthiness with perception of importance, as evidenced by the conspiracists (U.S. folks?) in this commentary. -
What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
@infobeautiful @ourworldindata I would love to see a similar graphic designed to add one or more comparison countries. E.g., if Canada was added the rates of Heart disease and cancer are probably similar to US, and probably equally ignored in media...
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@infobeautiful @ourworldindata I get what this is saying, but isnt this the old "man bites dog" issue?
Of course the media will report sensational, extraordinary things. This is what people want to hear about.
It's also easier when there are clear villains and victims, and not something abstract like economic forces, infrastructure, or lifestyle.@DrorBedrack @infobeautiful @ourworldindata my thoughts exactly. The news reports on things that are, well, newsworthy. It's worth noting that, according to the chart, COVID deaths were 2% of the deaths, but 5% of the reporting. It's almost like there was something worth reporting on at the time!
News media sucks in lots of ways, but "death-related reporting doesn't accurately reflect causes of deaths" is not one of them.
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What Americans die from vs. what's reported in the media
This is why I always tell people to follow the data, not the headlines
Media optimizes for clicks and emotional reactions. Reality optimizes for... reality
The gap between what we THINK kills people and what ACTUALLY kills people explains so much about how we allocate resources, funding, and attention as a society
Heart disease quietly takes out more people than anything on the front page, but it does not generate engagement so it stays invisible
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@mloxton @PizzaDemon @infobeautiful @ourworldindata
killing grandma for the orange god
@benroyce
In one specific and very real case that I know personally, killing Grandpa.
Which also led to a spiral in Grandma, and her death a year later. -
@benroyce
In one specific and very real case that I know personally, killing Grandpa.
Which also led to a spiral in Grandma, and her death a year later.
