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Katha Pollitt and Andrew Sullivan

Katha,
Sorry to be late up. Crashed out last night and took a long time to emerge. The joys of free-lancing.

The idea of emulating the Japanese way of life is, well, not exactly one I'm keen on. The reason no-one gets cancer, I bet, is what they eat: all those vegetables, and raw fish. Ugh. I've never been there (I think I'd rather go to Siberia) but whatever I've seen of it horrifies me. The reason they don't spend much money on health is the same reason, I'd guess, they don't spend much money on anything (except inflated property prices). Smacks too much of selfish pleasure and too little of communal worth. Save me from such communitarianism.

And the American left's infatuation with thrifty socialized medicine is made possible by their never having to deal with it. The Japs and the Brits are a stoic bunch, suffering in silence, blaming themselves for any illness, apologizing for any sort of dependence on the health system, probably never reporting many deadly illnesses for fear of cultural shame. I'll never forget having my front teeth removed by the wonderful National Health Service: nurse's foot on my chest (I kid you not), dentist's pliers in my mouth, blood everywhere, no gas, and when I screamed, I was accused of not being a grown-up. I was eight. Still, really cheap. 6 percent of GNP on health in Britain, and all those lovely physiques and smiles to show for it.

I love the American health system, its waste and all. Without it, I'd probably weigh about 90 pounds by now. Yes, managed care is a good way to squeeze some fat out of the system, but the rising costs are simply a reflection of America's cultural desire for higher standards of quality of life, and the astonishing technologies that are making it possible. Let it rip, say I, even if my premiums (actually Marty Peretz's) go up. And when you need a serious operation, I bet you'll be going to Beth Israel, and not Tokyo General.

best
Andrew

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