Self Portrait by Kurt Vonnegut
On Saturday Robert Samuelson had a column in the Rocky Mountain News - The coming clash - Tax hikes for boomers will ignite conflict. Samuelson led with Christopher Buckley's idea in his novel, Boomsday, in which the coming entitlement crisis is solved by paying retirees to kill themselves - a program called Voluntary Transitioning. Volunteers for Voluntary Transitioning could receive a lavish vacation beforehand ("a farewell honeymoon"), courtesy of the government, and their heirs would be spared the estate tax. If only 20 percent of boomers select suicide before the age of 70, "Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid will be solvent. End of crisis."
Actually this is not an entirely new idea. Kurt Vonnegut wrote about something much like it in God bless you, Mr. Rosewater. Early on in the novel, we are told about Kilgore Trout's novel - 2BR02B, in which "he hypothecated an America in which almost all of the work was done by machines, and the only people who could get work had three or more Ph.D's. There was a serious overpopulation problem, too.
All serious diseases had been conquered. So death was voluntary, and the government, to encourage volunteers for death, set up an purple-roofed Ethical Suicide Parlor at every major intersection, right next door to an orange-roofed Howard Johnson's. There were pretty hostesses in the parlor, and Bara-Loungers, and Muzak, and a choice of fourteeen painless ways to die."
Kurt Vonnegut died this week. Thank heavens he'd already written a bunch of books...enough, I hope, to keep me going to the end. There's nothing like the comfort of finding a compatible point of view - the feeling of being understood and accepted. Thank heavens for Kurt Vonnegut! and Bon Voyage! Sorry we didn't have either the Ethical Suicide Parlors or the Farewell Honeymoon ready yet. Sometimes good ideas take a while to mature.
I finally got to the end of the article - The Sanctuary Model part - and Sandra Bloom's solution is not nearly so neat and easy as either of those ideas. "It is clear that there is no subset of traumatized people for whom we can build new structures, new institutions that will more adequately suit their needs. The world is a traumatized place, and underlying what we now consider "normal" society are basic assumptions, beliefs, policies, and behavior that if not transformed are certain to doom the entire species - and very possibly all living things - to utter annihilation. Like it nor not, the coming years will determine whether or not reason can harness our biological urges with sufficient power to curb the self-destructiveness that threatens our very survival." 2BR02B, indeed.
Actually this is not an entirely new idea. Kurt Vonnegut wrote about something much like it in God bless you, Mr. Rosewater. Early on in the novel, we are told about Kilgore Trout's novel - 2BR02B, in which "he hypothecated an America in which almost all of the work was done by machines, and the only people who could get work had three or more Ph.D's. There was a serious overpopulation problem, too.
All serious diseases had been conquered. So death was voluntary, and the government, to encourage volunteers for death, set up an purple-roofed Ethical Suicide Parlor at every major intersection, right next door to an orange-roofed Howard Johnson's. There were pretty hostesses in the parlor, and Bara-Loungers, and Muzak, and a choice of fourteeen painless ways to die."
Kurt Vonnegut died this week. Thank heavens he'd already written a bunch of books...enough, I hope, to keep me going to the end. There's nothing like the comfort of finding a compatible point of view - the feeling of being understood and accepted. Thank heavens for Kurt Vonnegut! and Bon Voyage! Sorry we didn't have either the Ethical Suicide Parlors or the Farewell Honeymoon ready yet. Sometimes good ideas take a while to mature.
I finally got to the end of the article - The Sanctuary Model part - and Sandra Bloom's solution is not nearly so neat and easy as either of those ideas. "It is clear that there is no subset of traumatized people for whom we can build new structures, new institutions that will more adequately suit their needs. The world is a traumatized place, and underlying what we now consider "normal" society are basic assumptions, beliefs, policies, and behavior that if not transformed are certain to doom the entire species - and very possibly all living things - to utter annihilation. Like it nor not, the coming years will determine whether or not reason can harness our biological urges with sufficient power to curb the self-destructiveness that threatens our very survival." 2BR02B, indeed.
Here are some pictures by Kurt Vonnegut -
Thanks, Kurt Vonnegut, and Farewell!! Hope to catch you on the other side! (Plan to wait for the farewell honeymoon, tho.)
3 comments:
So it goes!
-SWF
Dear HMG,
Could please add diversity to your discussions. I have never worked a place(Social Services) where there are so few people of Color in Denver area. It shows in how others talk, attempt to treat and general failure treatment of minorities. I hate going on some of these units where I am the "token" Black person and staff ask me if I need help(like I don't work here).
It's sometimes funny to look on the board of pictures of people on units and their are no minorities(or like maybe 2). It has nothing to do with who is most qualified(I have more education than anyone on my unit that works direct care). It is also "BS" becouse Social Services is a very diverse field anywhere you work within a city(has to be). Additionally, it is also saddening to know that this hospital still works on the "Good Ole Boy" system and some remarks I have heard said about others were somewhat HR issues. Thank God it was not about me or my culture(I would hate to cuss someone out). Some do tow that line of a possible "cuss out' session (be careful of your sly degrading remarks, direct care or supervisors).
So please HMG diversify this hospital and make it a decent place to work for all.
If not the only one's truly hurt by this is our patients. Me, I'll just get another job it's Denver not Boise,Idaho.
I think many are decent people here, but some I have seen here need to watch what they say. Especially about religion, cultures and stereotypical behaviors/work ethics of others, etc. You never know who is listening and they might tell you about yourself(not to nice either).
So yes I am one of the few that work here. I think maybe ten of us all together. Sprinkled on various shifts which is really sad in this field. What is even more sad is the patients suffer because of this; from being sent to jail quicker, treatment issues not really being dealt with and generally lack of understanding of others cultures or ability to truly interact(besides false faces put on by patient or staff).
What do I know?
Know enough to know some think I should be pushing a laundry cart and not working the unit(though they would not dare tell me that).
Just a little diversity it helps the work environment and breaks down stereotypes too.
I know HMG is out of the loop understandable your administration have other things to do. But put a "bug" in the ears of those that hire that it actually needs to be an Equal employement facility that allows diversity to prosper. Keeps lawsuits/class actions, etc down anyway.
Thank you
Ps,
Those units that do not have anyway minorities. Truthfully, shame on you and I will not ever help you out if your in a crunch. Your hiring abilities show me what you think of me. So kiss my a$$ and don't call me.
Sincerly,
"Actions speak louder than words."
Agree with not being enough minorities here..but the true reason is this.
1)Pay is not competive for qualified Nurses.
2)Scheduling is not attractive to most nurses that have worked in a hospital setting.
3)New Hire clinician start at 14.50 a hour, that eliminates all BA degree qualified hires from taking a job. Unless they have issues on resume, poor interview personality, older or just do not know their worth in job market.
4)Demands placed on new hires prior to excepting position.
5)Our location is not central to Denver and hurts recruitment.
6)No education incentive or psychiatric training for personnel.
7)Very few personnel go to school unless planning to leave because no education help provided by facility.
8) Loyalty--many hires will leave in less than two years after finishing school--goes back to education. Personnel remember the facility that stood behind them while going to school--pay, schedule, upperward movement and recognition.
Symptoms of poor recruitment.
1)Retirees allowed to come back in very high numbers. The very least an incentive for new hires to know PERA is not that great obviously and not waste to many years here.
2)LPT/LPN in clinician position, one requires a diploma or 8 months of college. Clinician is a BA degree level at most quality psych. companies.
3)Will lack diverse workforce
4)Overtime will be extremely high
5)Veteran clinician make up to 21 a hour while new hires are drastically underpaid at 14.50 a hour. Creates contempt especially if veteran clinician is lazy or has limited knowledge of modern psych.
6)Limited psychiatric groups provided by staff due to limited training & education.
7)Rate of success with clients that can succeed will drop- creating "revolving door".
8)Morale will decline-- no new hires to give different perspective, break doldrums, and just inject new blood into the mix.
9)Stereotyping and culturally deficient treatment plans--- that goes back to diversity.
10) Very few nurses 28-37 years of age.
I am a minority to---not a women and is frustrating to me also.. The issue here is more the function of recruitment and lack of knowledge to attract qualified personnel. Adminstration does not understand that we are a dumping ground for Denver area psychiatric care. With that said the problem will continue until we start hiring adminstration from the private sectors to revamp the hospital goals and vision. If you are not going to school-- enroll and open up your options. The job market is great to those who have education or drive.
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