Natural causes : an epidemic of wellness, the certainty of dying, and killing ourselves to live longer Cover Image

Book

Natural causes : an epidemic of wellness, the certainty of dying, and killing ourselves to live longer / Barbara Ehrenreich.

Summary:

Ehrenreich's core philosophy holds that aging people have the right to determine their quality of life and may choose to forgo painful and generally ineffective treatments. She presents evidence that such tests as annual physicals and Pap smears have little effect in prolonging life; investigates wellness trends, including mindfulness meditation; and questions the doctrine of a harmonious "mindbody" and its supposed natural tendency to prolong life. Mostly, she urges that we recognize that death is natural, that we enjoy our lives while we can, and that we disabuse ourselves of any self-serving notions of post-mortem permanence or even influence.

Record details

ISBN: 9781455535897
ISBN: 1455535893
Physical Description: xv, 247 pages ; 21 cm
Publisher: New York, New York : Twelve, 2019.
Copyright: ©2018.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-234) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Midlife revolt -- Rituals of humiliation -- The veneer of science -- Crushing the body -- The madness of mindfulness -- Death in social context -- The war between conflict and harmony -- Cellular treason -- Tiny minds -- "Successful aging" -- The invention of the self -- Killing the self, rejoicing in a living world.