Ghana: Average Life Expectancy: 56
Last week in my "Human Behavior & Diverse Populations" class we finished up our group presentations. Usually, in classes that have group presentations, half the class seems to sleep during the presentations. This time, however, it was different. On Wednesday, besides my group presentation over "Children Grieving from the Loss of a Loved One," our class heard two other presentations. One was about "Ghana" and the other was about "Self-Mutilators." Both were extremely interesting topics and, it seemed, they actually kept everyones attention. Tonight I would like to write, particularly, about Ghana.
The Republic of Ghana (Population 20, 757, 032)
After doing some research on my own, I found that the average life expectancy 100 years ago in the United States was 47 years. Fifty years ago, this expectancy had increased to 65 years. Today, in the United States, the average life expectancy for a person is 75 years. That number seems much more promising than a measly 47 years. Then, there is Ghana.
According to the presentation, the average life expectancy today for a person residing in Ghana is a mere 56 years. Yes, 56 years. That is only 9 more years ahead of where we, the United States, were 100 years ago. When I heard this, I was shocked. It's not that I didn't believe this, but simply that I had never really thought about it in this way. To think that in today's world, a world which largely seems so much more up-to-date and post-modern -- the technologies, the discoveries, the life -- to think that there is still such a low life expectancy existing in the world is perplexing. I can only imagine a world in which 56 was the average age to live. In such a world, I might never have never known my grandparents and I might only have known my mom and dad up until the end of my teenage years.
What causes such a low life expectancy? According to the presentation, it is diseases, such as AIDS, as well as the bitter forces of poverty. These can end life rather harshly and quickly.
I guess it's easy to ignore these things. Honestly, it's pretty easy for me to wake up in the morning, think about my plans for the day, worry about eating too much junk food, think about what favorite shows will be coming on at night -- without ever giving thought to the literally millions of people who are battling just to live one more day in the world. Many of these people struggle each day just to find drinking water that's not too dirty and brown. A great number of Americans, and others around the world, struggle each day just to find reputable, expensive bottled water that they don't even know the source of. I know some of the arguments people might say to all this, but for now this post is not a debate -- just simply my thoughts.
Another thing: The group that presented this topic interviewed a local grad student who is from Ghana. Before this man left his country, he enjoyed a very nice social status. He was not judged based on who his family was or on how much money he brought in at the end of the end of the year. According to him, his character and his leadership abilities brought him good standing with the people of his country who, he claims, are very accepting. Then, he said, when he came to America it was, of course, a different story.
As soon as he got here, it was quite a culture shock. Despite being a grad student and a very wise, knowledgable man, he felt he was thrust into a culture that considered him a "nobody." Trying to support his family, he took whatever job he could get: that being a job at McDonald's. Most of us know the "McDonald's" stereotype -- "You don't want to end up working at McDonald's". Notice how it says "You don't want to end up 'working' at McDonald's." Strange. Anyway, he did end up working there so that he could survive. Soon, he noticed the stereotypes. He felt that, here, if you don't drive a nice car, have a great paying job, or own your own home... you're not very important. It's sad to think about, but isn't this often the case?
Well, here are my thoughts for ways to overcome this feeling of unimportance...
Life is more than just being a somebody. Life doesn't even have to mean being a somebody to everybody. No matter how many material things we manage to accumulate in our lives, there is always going to be a higher standard than what we achieve [in society]. To me, the importance of life comes in the form of establishing and maintaing meaningful relationships. These are with friends, family, and loved ones. People to share your life with in an intimate way (by intimate, I do not mean sexual). This is ultimately more important than constantly striving to obtain the "ultimate" socioeconomic status. It's about living comfortably with what you have and with the people you have in your life. Those are the people who give us importance. Not society as a whole. Not strangers who drive by and see you in your new car or who see you in the front yard of your new house. It's about loved ones -- our importance to them and their importance to us. That's what's important.
Final thought: Wouldn't it be nice if social status was more often judged by good character, as the one grad student from Ghana felt was the way of his culture, than by wealth?
The Republic of Ghana (Population 20, 757, 032)
After doing some research on my own, I found that the average life expectancy 100 years ago in the United States was 47 years. Fifty years ago, this expectancy had increased to 65 years. Today, in the United States, the average life expectancy for a person is 75 years. That number seems much more promising than a measly 47 years. Then, there is Ghana.
According to the presentation, the average life expectancy today for a person residing in Ghana is a mere 56 years. Yes, 56 years. That is only 9 more years ahead of where we, the United States, were 100 years ago. When I heard this, I was shocked. It's not that I didn't believe this, but simply that I had never really thought about it in this way. To think that in today's world, a world which largely seems so much more up-to-date and post-modern -- the technologies, the discoveries, the life -- to think that there is still such a low life expectancy existing in the world is perplexing. I can only imagine a world in which 56 was the average age to live. In such a world, I might never have never known my grandparents and I might only have known my mom and dad up until the end of my teenage years.
What causes such a low life expectancy? According to the presentation, it is diseases, such as AIDS, as well as the bitter forces of poverty. These can end life rather harshly and quickly.
I guess it's easy to ignore these things. Honestly, it's pretty easy for me to wake up in the morning, think about my plans for the day, worry about eating too much junk food, think about what favorite shows will be coming on at night -- without ever giving thought to the literally millions of people who are battling just to live one more day in the world. Many of these people struggle each day just to find drinking water that's not too dirty and brown. A great number of Americans, and others around the world, struggle each day just to find reputable, expensive bottled water that they don't even know the source of. I know some of the arguments people might say to all this, but for now this post is not a debate -- just simply my thoughts.
Another thing: The group that presented this topic interviewed a local grad student who is from Ghana. Before this man left his country, he enjoyed a very nice social status. He was not judged based on who his family was or on how much money he brought in at the end of the end of the year. According to him, his character and his leadership abilities brought him good standing with the people of his country who, he claims, are very accepting. Then, he said, when he came to America it was, of course, a different story.
As soon as he got here, it was quite a culture shock. Despite being a grad student and a very wise, knowledgable man, he felt he was thrust into a culture that considered him a "nobody." Trying to support his family, he took whatever job he could get: that being a job at McDonald's. Most of us know the "McDonald's" stereotype -- "You don't want to end up working at McDonald's". Notice how it says "You don't want to end up 'working' at McDonald's." Strange. Anyway, he did end up working there so that he could survive. Soon, he noticed the stereotypes. He felt that, here, if you don't drive a nice car, have a great paying job, or own your own home... you're not very important. It's sad to think about, but isn't this often the case?
Well, here are my thoughts for ways to overcome this feeling of unimportance...
Life is more than just being a somebody. Life doesn't even have to mean being a somebody to everybody. No matter how many material things we manage to accumulate in our lives, there is always going to be a higher standard than what we achieve [in society]. To me, the importance of life comes in the form of establishing and maintaing meaningful relationships. These are with friends, family, and loved ones. People to share your life with in an intimate way (by intimate, I do not mean sexual). This is ultimately more important than constantly striving to obtain the "ultimate" socioeconomic status. It's about living comfortably with what you have and with the people you have in your life. Those are the people who give us importance. Not society as a whole. Not strangers who drive by and see you in your new car or who see you in the front yard of your new house. It's about loved ones -- our importance to them and their importance to us. That's what's important.
Final thought: Wouldn't it be nice if social status was more often judged by good character, as the one grad student from Ghana felt was the way of his culture, than by wealth?
posted by Holly at 8:06 PM
4 Comments:
I believe that the same statistic is true of men in Russia. There's widespread alcoholism there, apparently, and that accounts for many "early" deaths. I found your post engaging.
Voracious,
Wow, I had no clue that Russia is like that too. It's also kind of shocking that alcoholism is the primary cause -- yet I can believe it. It is, afterall, debilitating disease. Thanks for your comment! Glad you liked the post.
I wish social staus was more about the things you do rather than what you have aquired.
great post
Thanks ayannali! Amen to that.
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