800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Drew Hankins ·
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:46pm
I came across this and was stunned by these numbers. I am curious to hear people's thoughts on this and what the potential implications are.
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Feb '11
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Paging Mark Steyn...
Oct '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
When mom and dad died, the kids were sent into depression and suicide.
No surprise.
May '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
My understanding is, through the stagnation of the Brezhnev years, to the upheavals of Gorbachev and post-Gorbachev, to the incompetocracy of Putin, the one commodity the Russian economy has never failed to produce bountifully is liquor.
I can't imagine what that has to do with your question, but it popped into my mind for some reason.
Jan '11
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
I would be very suspect of the numbers. Not saying that living in Russia is the place to be but there is a habit in corrupt societies of rigging these types of stats (infant mortality stats are commonly played with).
Old Putin may be classifying preventible deaths or drug/alcohol deaths as suicides to make things look better for him - wouldn't be the first time a Russian did so.
May '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Hey, a new anti-American propaganda opportunity for the Left!
Just as Bush 41 was responsible for murdering all those Iraqi children by starvation, Ronald Reagan killed all those innocent Russians!
Jun '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
It would be interesting, for the sake of context, to know what the rate was during the 20 year period prior to the fall of the USSR.
May '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Economic reforms cannot undo the spiritual damage of 70+ years of state-enforced atheism.
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Highest divorce rate in the world, highest abortion rate in the world, and as katievs mentions, over 70 years of state-enforced atheism. Add to that the overwhelming lack of agency that people feel they have over their own circumstances, a lingering suspicion of democratic processes, and a pessimistic outlook on life.
Plus the northern parts of the country and Siberia don't get all that much sunlight.
Mar '11
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Very simple explanation -
Jun '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
I guess, if you're an atheist, you can rationally decide that nobody loves you, and if nobody loves you, it's very hard to keep living. You need to believe that somebody cares, that somebody has your back, even if God is the only one left.
Dec '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
From the article, it sounds as though suicide in Russia mirror that in the US. In both places it occurs predominantly in men, and is far more common in the rural (if you can call Siberia Rural) parts of the country. They say the average age for men who commit suicide in Russia is 43. I wonder if that number is skewed a bit by the process of averaging. I know in the US it is most common among the young (teens and 20's) and the elderly.
Is this number that much higher than the US's rate?
Edited on Oct 21, 2011 at 4:54pmMar '11
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
I was thinking that too, and as Kowaliczko Tom asked, whether or not we can trust the numbers that we get from that period either.
The Soviet Union didn't have many plane crashes, but the same planes and the same pilots flying the same routes to the same airports started having more accidents when Russia opened up and more foreigners started moving around the country.
Dec '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
To answer my own Question, Russia's suicide rate was almost 4x that of the US at it's worst, and still doubte the rate in the US last year.
In an athiestic society, with no eternal purpose, and no inherent value the individual, I suppose it would be regarded as noble to relieve your relatives of the burdon you impose on them if you are old or sick or simply chronically morose.
They authors of Freakonomics did a great podcast on the subject that is well worth checking out.
Edited on Oct 21, 2011 at 4:52pmOct '11
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Beasley:
Is this number that much higher than the US's rate? · Oct 21 at 4:41pm
That's why I was so shocked. The US rate is 11.1 per 100,000. Russia is 31.7.
Oct '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Diane Ellis, Ed.: Highest divorce rate in the world, highest abortion rate in the world, and as katievs mentions, over 70 years of state-enforced atheism. Add to that the overwhelming lack of agency that people feel they have over their own circumstances, a lingering suspicion of democratic processes, and a pessimistic outlook on life.
Plus the northern parts of the country and Siberia don't get all that much sunlight. · Oct 21 at 1:58pm
Anthropology works, also the per capita consumption of Vodka. Doubt anyone would try to drink a Russian under the table. Do not much care for laying those comparisons, though they may apply.
Oct '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
What was the suicide rate for the American Left in the same period? A Liberal friend of mine toured the USSR during that period and came back in a dark frame of mind.
Dec '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
My first thought was, it's a society of people who are godless and despondent. Ole Screwtape doesn't even have to work very hard.
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
The birth rate in Russia is also exceedingly low. They no longer that the future will be better, and let's face it: they are right.
Dec '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
wilber forge
Diane Ellis, Ed.: Highest divorce rate in the world, highest abortion rate in the world, and as katievs mentions, over 70 years of state-enforced atheism. Add to that the overwhelming lack of agency that people feel they have over their own circumstances, a lingering suspicion of democratic processes, and a pessimistic outlook on life.
Plus the northern parts of the country and Siberia don't get all that much sunlight. · Oct 21 at 1:58pm
Anthropology works, also the per capita consumption of Vodka. Doubt anyone would try to drink a Russian under the table. Do not much care for laying those comparisons, though they may apply. · Oct 21 at 4:54pm
The correlation to drinking is no cheap blow. At least here in the US alcohol is involved in 70% of suicides.
Oct '10
Re: 800,000 Russians Have Committed Suicide Since Soviet Union Collapsed
Will add something interesting about the arguments with suicides and gun control. Canada imposed strict gun controls and confiscations with all the usual billboard ads.
After a few years the suicide rates increased, so did the sales of rope.
Covers a lot of ground on the human condition where the nanny state lacks optics. Save some shallow, superficial feel good promotions
Edited on Oct 21, 2011 at 6:12pm