(It surprises me how, anecdotally anyway, it seems many of these survivors live to old ages despite the all they've been through. Makes me wonder if the anti-aging effects of calorie restriction might be true.) posted by orthogonality at 1:30 AM on October 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
Polish-language story and details here from Gazeta Wyborcza and here from Rzeczpospolita.
After the war, he went on to become a noted cardiologist, was interned during Poland's martial law period in 1981, worked with Solidarity, participated in the Round Table Talks that helped negotiate the end of communism in Poland in the 1980s, and served in the Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament, between 1989 and 1993.
(It surprises me how, anecdotally anyway, it seems many of these survivors live to old ages despite the all they've been through. Makes me wonder if the anti-aging effects of calorie restriction might be true.)
As far as I know, statistics show that both holocaust survivors and the first generation of their descendants (at least, maybe data on the next generation isn't available yet), have a significantly higher rate of breast cancer mortality than would be expected from their genetic profiles. I don't know know about other diseases, specifically, but my impression is that it's similar. This is also what I've observed anecdotally among me and my friends.
In any case, I doubt the Holocaust would be a good test for the theory - it's really extreme calorie deprivation (often), and not really long term. posted by Salamandrous at 8:10 AM on October 3, 2009
Perhaps its simply that those who have had to preserve their lives in extraordinary circumstances are more likely to take more care of themselves in ordinary ones. posted by AdamCSnider at 8:38 AM on October 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
The same people who lionize Edelman for his resistance against the oppression demonize those who resist their oppression. Same as it ever was. posted by Jimmy Havok at 2:37 PM on October 3, 2009
The same people who lionize Edelman for his resistance against the oppression demonize those who resist their oppression. Same as it ever was.
Oppression always makes an effort to dress differently than its earlier incarnations. Years have passed by, after all, and the tools of marketing and PR have been sharpened in the mean time. A certain amount of learning has gone on by those who are interested in how best to direct public opinion. The progression of technology has its downside. This is just a byproduct of that.
Offer the same old shit, don't increase the cost per unit, water it down and dress it up in a manner more likely to be palatable to the demographic it's being sold to, and you have yourself a successful marketing campaign. The fucking monkeys have found themselves a new stick with which to beat each other over the cranium.
But I'm an utter misanthrope, so take all that with a truckload of salt. posted by metagnathous at 3:17 PM on October 3, 2009
Given the modern political climate in Poland he's probably lucky they didn't spend his remaining years trying to prosecute him for crimes against non-Jewish Poles, as other Jewish resistance figures have been, albeit posthumously. posted by rodgerd at 6:09 PM on October 3, 2009
The same people who lionize Edelman for his resistance against the oppression demonize those who resist their oppression.
Example, please. posted by dchase at 9:13 PM on October 3, 2009
posted by DreamerFi at 1:06 AM on October 3, 2009