Randall and Claire Nathan walked in the survivor lap at Relay for Life last night. Between them was their grandson. He's 11 now, and they have walked in 9 survivor laps together. As always, they were tremendously proud to walk with him, to be seen with him, just to have him there.
As they walked, Randall thought about the new predictions on cancer. Cancer deaths will double in 20 years we are told, even though we have made great progress in treatments of certain of the most common cancers.
We are making great progress in treatment of cancer, but are going backwards in prevention.
We assume the impossibility of prevention and concentrate on treatment, which is much more expensive, not only in money, but in lives.
It is a cultural phenomenon that is not confined to cancer. That cultural assumption is the acceptance of technical change while assuming the impossibility of preventing the degradations of technology.
We assume the impossibility of controlling diabetes--can't change fast food and sugar habits, and obesity. No control of cancer--can't change the increase in environmental pollution. No control of greed-can't change human nature, so there's no point in regulation of bankers or oil companies. No control of gun violence--can't change our love of guns, or the constant NRA push for "any gun for any person at any time in any place for any reason." No control of climate change--can't change our love of gas guzzlers.
There is a technical word for civilizations, and persons, that accept the impossibility of change from treatment to prevention, Randall Nathan thought, as he walked proudly with his grandson and his wife. It is "dead."
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