Why do I read the comments....?

I was reading this post about how there are things about American society that make it "dangerous" to voluntarily live at a lower standard of living. One of the reasons the author gave for this argument is the fact that health insurance can be expensive or impossible to get outside of a job, and thus, many people who could otherwise retire, semi-retire, or work part time are "forced" to remain in their job for the health insurance. Makes sense to me. Then I read the comments, and I really shouldn't do that. I know better than to read them on CNN or Salon or other news sites, but this is a smaller, personal finance site, and apparently, I need to add it to the list of places I don't read the comments, because they just frustrate the hell out of me.

Many of the commenters agreed with the author. And all the comments I read were fairly civil. But, there was a pervasive attitude of "if you quit eating junk/change your behaviors/look to alternative medicine, you won't need health insurance anyway, because you won't be sick".

People. Not everyone who has a chronic condition has it as the result of poor health behaviors. I will grant you that poor health behaviors often exacerbate chronic conditions, but they are not always the cause, and maybe not even always the primary cause. Sometimes, you're just born that way, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about that. Nothing in the world is going to change the fact that I was born with a sinus defect that lends itself to chronic sinusitis. Or the fact that my immune system is more than a little bit hyperactive. Or the fact that my respiratory system doesn't quite function the way it's supposed to.

Now, there are things I can do that will help these conditions (and I do behave myself for the most part. And when I'm not behaving myself, I do recognize it and try to do better; hence the 30x30 challenge). But nothing in the world (thus far) is going to make these things go away. So, yeah, unless or until I am independently wealthy (yeah, I know, that's funny) or socialized medicine comes to these shores (I am so not holding my breath), I'd best have some health insurance. Because keeping myself healthy is not an inexpensive proposition.

So, let's not assume that "unhealthy" people are that way because they aren't disciplined/don't want to change/don't want to be healthy, mmmmmkay?

30x30 day 8 update- well, there was some yoga stretching this morning because my back decided to be cranky. And there were several extra trips up and down the stairs in the church because I needed to refill my water bottle (and consequently, use the restroom), but there was no concerted effort to be active for 30 minutes, because it is still stinkin' hot. Actually, it's more that it's stinkin' humid, which is really worse. Tomorrow, I will try harder, which is really all I ask of myself.