04/02/2022
Worldwide over 150,000 people die every day.
That’s a horrible statistic to ponder but you will be pleased to know the birth rate is way higher such that in the first week of 2022 there was a net population growth of about 1.5M – the human race is in no danger of extinction it would seem. For now anyway.
Advances in medical science means you will be able to be propped up for way longer than you may have been 50 or 60 years ago. What is interesting though is that the numbers of people living past 100 are not increasing. Science has not caught up just yet.
The broad categories of how you might die are:-
- Road accidents, homicides, conflict deaths, drowning, fire, natural disasters, and suicides;
- Non-communicable diseases (eg chronic long term illnesses including cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancers, diabetes, pulmonary disease to name a few);
- Communicable diseases (eg AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, maternal deaths, neonatal deaths, and deaths from malnutrition).
Category (b) results in about 2/3rds of all deaths worldwide.
And in 2020, 1,880,000 died of Covid 19 (which falls into Category (c)) alone (that’s about 5000 of the 150,000 deaths per day worldwide).
When you look at the stats your own mortality is easily rationalised and put into perspective. One way or another something is going to get you. Anyway, rather than morbidly dwelling on our own morbidity and moving to a lighter note on a dark topic we are pleased to announce the Connolly Suthers 2021 Heaven, Hell and Limbo List for 2021. Many people (famous and not so famous) have lived interesting and fulfilling lives. Here are our top 10 of them (in descending order).
No. 10 - The Quiet Monkee - Brian Nesmith https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/10/arts/music/michael-nesmith-dead.html
No. 9 - Raindrops keep falling on my head - BJ Thomas https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/30/obituaries/bj-thomas-dead.html
No. 8 - The architect of all scandals now called "Gates" Gordon Liddy https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/us/g-gordon-liddy-dead.html
No. 7 - The unassuming rock and roller - Rolling Stone Charlie Watts https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/arts/music/charlie-watts-dead.html
No. 6 - Quick on your feet Bert Newton https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/30/bert-newton-an-instant-hit-who-became-australias-most-enduring-tv-personality-dies-aged-83
No. 5 - Rugby League Legend Tom Raudonikis - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-07/rugby-league-legend-tommy-raudonikis-dies-aged-70/100052450
No. 4 - Strop - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-23/comedian-john-cornell-dies-aged-80/100317142
No. 3 - British Royalty - Prince Philip https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/09/obituaries/prince-philip-dead.html
No. 2 - A Real Australian Legend - David Gulpilil https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/movies/david-gulpilil-dead.html
No.1 - A Fearless Leader - Captain Stubing https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/29/arts/television/gavin-macleod-dead.html