Thread by @emverse

My protest to #SaveTheOA has five movements. This is the first. I'll be posting the rest as I can.

PART I - THE OBLIGATORY ABSURDITY

To all the people thinking it is absurd to hunger strike over a TV show: I agree. But you want to know something even more absurd?

Tens of thousands of people die in the United States every year because they cannot get help. They cannot afford services to treat mental health issues and medical conditions. Untreated conditions make it harder to obtain employment, making it even more impossible to get help.

It's a vicious cycle. It's a capitalist cycle, because in capitalism, an individual who cannot contribute to the system has little to no value.

Even if that person can be treated and eventually generate enough profit to cover the cost of their treatment (a big if!), it's cheaper to pick somebody else without these upfront or ongoing costs.

So that's what usually happens.

A lot of people fall by the wayside for the simple reason that their existence is not immediately profitable, or not profitable enough to justify the long-term costs.

Yes, there are social programs and organizations out there that provide services free of charge—and some people do get the assistance they need—but these programs are chronically understaffed, underfunded, and have far fewer resources than they need.

Which leads to a very strange truth about our society.

Sometimes, a TV show is the best thing you have.

PART II: