Friday, May 3, 2013

Social Fractures




“Middle-Aged Suicides Surge” By T. Martin (2013, April 28) The Wall Street Journal,

[Excerpted] “The number of deaths caused by suicide has risen precipitously in the past decade, surpassing those caused by car crashes and even some of the most fatal diseases, according to a government report released Thursday.

…Suicide rates for youth and elderly remain steady. But suicide rates for working adults were double that of other demographics, with people in their 50s showing the highest numbers…[end]

Majia here: the article goes on to explain that most prevention programs target young people and old people, not those in their middle-years.

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention attributes the rise to lack of a safety net for working adults.

Today’s middle-aged workers, particularly those in their 50s, have a very hard time finding full-time work for living wages if they are unfortunate enough to lose their jobs, even when those jobs are professional in kind.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports “Fresh Signs of Weakness for Factories and Job Market” by S. Reddy (May 2, 2013) p. A6:

[excerpted] Key gauges of the factor sector and labor market showed further deterioration in April, reinforcing fears about another spring economic slowdown…

…a separate report Wednesday on private-sector employment indicated a continued labor market slowdown…[end]

Majia here: The post-recession landscape has been very cruel for those who lose professional jobs and for younger people seeking to enter the professional job market.

Apr 24, 2012
About 1.5 million, or 53.6 percent, of bachelor's degree-holders under the age of 25 last year were jobless or underemployed, the highest share in at least 11 years. In 2000, the share was at a low of 41 percent, before the ...


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