The BBC’s, The Joy of Statistics, produced a very illuminating illustration of how human life expectancy has increased over the last 400 years around the world. But it does more than that, I think. The clip demonstrates several important, and not obscure, points. The obvious first one is that wealth leads to health. But lets dig a little deeper. Freedom leads to wealth. And freedom and wealth lead to better education, which leads to better science, which leads to better medicine, which also leads to healthier lifestyles. Moreover, the benefits of wealth—in a milieu of human exceptionalism that shares the benefits of scientific and medical achievement with those not having the capacity to develop it on their own—lifts all boats, including those still mired in poverty. To me, this means any policy that seeks to suppress wealth, in the long run, suppresses health.
But enough of my advocacy. Hit the arrow below and watch the show.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
