[2018-04-27]the economist

Article

 The only end of age-Life is too precious to worry about

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Useful expression

    -skewer the fads that promise eternal youthfulness

    skewers    戳穿

    fads    一时的风尚

    eternal    永恒的，无休止的；非正式的

    ecletic    折衷的

    scattershot    随意的

    seminal    产生重大影响的

    bossy    发号施令的

    flawed    有缺点的

    massacre    大屠杀，非正式的惨败

    patrogen    病原菌

    capicious    变化无常的

    celebrity-endorsed    名人代言    

    sucessful ageing

    clinical symptoms    临床症状

    life expanctancy    预期寿命

    musing on    思考

    grim reaper    死神

    The decision to forgo cancer screenings and physical exams has set her apart from her friends, whose calendars are full of doctors' appointments and whose cupboards are crammed with supplements and medicines. 

    Concomitantly    连接词

    Docters have ousted priests as the anointed experts in mortality.

    Articulating her "dystopian view of the body", she rejects the concept of it(biology referred to the article)  as a well-oiled machine. Instead it is a battleground.

    It may be easy for a well-heeled American to feel over-medicalised; less so a single mother without insurance.    可能让一个富有的美国人感到对自己的身体过度调理了很容易，但对一个没有保险的单亲妈妈却不是这样。

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Main idea

The writter, Barbara Ehrenreich who has a phD in cellular immunology, wants readers to ditch the "illusion of control" over their body. She refuses to live a "medicalised life". Nowdays, the fads that emphasising "successful ageing" and oversold procedures such as cancer-screening lead to over-controlled health. She holds "dystopian view of the body" that our body is not a well-oiled machine, but a battleground. Although the life expectancy improved due to science and economic growth, disease will still strike everyone eventually. Maybe her idea, which is respective disappointing for many people, does go too far for current conditions. It's profound that real choice in health care must involve the freedom to refuse it.

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Structure

the book

Topic    Barbara Ehrenreich wants readers to ditch the "illusion of control" over their body.

Why    author's current conditions —— suggest "Natural cause"

            Social mainstream about health —— altitude towards death and life

            Explain "Natural cause" —— although life expentancy is improved，we can still can't avoid             death —— emphasis "dystopian view of the body" and support it

Purpose    less self_medicate

Viewpoint

towards the book —— support or denial