Dr. Dean Edell's Hobbesian Worldview

Dr. Dean Edell, the popular radio talk show host, airs on weekends here in Los Angeles on 640 KFI. I've been listening to him for the last 20 years and I've noticed that he has a Hobbesian worldview, that is a rather unflattering opinion of the intellectual and moral development of the average human animal. This was most evident on this afternoon's broadcast in which he started by saying that our medical system is designed so that we're actually at an advantage to have a huge pool of smokers who, statistically speaking, die prematurely and as such lighten the burden on the medical care system. Edell stated that if there were no smokers the hospitals would be overwhelmed with caring for people living well into their old age and the medical care field would have to address other health concerns that hit healthier people as they live into their eighties and beyond. To live under a health system in which we need to rely on people's life-shortening habits attests to the moral bankruptcy of our health care system.

The second point Edell made today addresses stupidity and the institutions that indulge it. Case in point. Edell discussed a woman who bought straws for her daughter at Wal-mart.  Some of the straws were shaped like hearts. But others, in the mind of this woman, had a strong resemblance to the male penis and she issued a complaint, so vociferous, that Wal-mart has agreed to remove these "dangerous" straws from their shelves. Edell of course believes this woman is being ridiculous and needs to "see a psychiatrist." The bigger issue isn't one crackpot, but that the store policy of a huge institution like Wal-mart can be influenced by such a crackpot. We live in a Hobbesian world indeed. 

Comments

[Ed S.]

I like Dr. Edell, have listened to him forever and bought his books. I wish he would tell every caller "Hey, just go see a doctor!" He has his pet issues, some non-mainstream. I agree with his stance against male circumcision, for instance. (My son will thank "Dr. Dean" someday.) And at least he's a real doctor, unlike the ghastly "Dr. Laura."

[Jeff McMahon]

Yeah, from what I've heard your son will thank you indeed. If my wife and I ever have a son, we'll have to seriously discuss that issue.