What's The Value of a Human Life?

[Boner_18]

Obviously it varies based on an infinite range of factors.

I think a 90+ year old american human is worth 100k. 30 year old college educated male, couple mil? Less than 10. More than 1. A baby has to be less than that, right?

Rj, apologies in advance if this puts the site on some watch list. I'm talking about theoretical economics applied to our current human health crisis - I'm not interested in buying/selling humans. That practice is disgusting (tho potentially enlightening for the immediate discussion).

 

[Tron]

I think I posted a link from Five Thirty Eight in reference to this......I’ll try and find it.

 

[Boner_18]

Oh you did, thanks. I read it, but obviously forgot because I only care about the shock and awe aspect of this sort of discussion.

 

[Tron]

What Should The Government Spend To Save A Life?

The staggering economic toll of the new coronavirus is becoming abundantly, unavoidably clear. On Thursday, a Department of Labor report showed that a record-sh…

fivethirtyeight.com

 

[Tron]

I have to read it again. Current hangover is a 8 on the 10 scale so I’ll have to read it again later.

 

[roguejuror]

depends on their origin

 

[Matty]

Apparently, healthcare insurers value you at $50k per year of quality life.

The Value of a Human Life: $129,000

In theory, a year of human life is priceless. In reality, it's worth $50,000.That's the international standard most private and government-run health insurance plans worldwide...

content.time.com

 

[CASPERWAIT$]

We have to take aesthetics into account as well correct? Especially for the female gender.

If Kim Kardashian looked like a 30 year old Bea Arthur, she would t be worth a tenth what she is worth.

 

[Vegas Dave]

I mean you could make a strong case for "completely worthless" or "priceless".

 

[Matty]

Apparently, healthcare insurers value you at $50k per year of quality life.

The Value of a Human Life: $129,000

In theory, a year of human life is priceless. In reality, it's worth $50,000.That's the international standard most private and government-run health insurance plans worldwide...

content.time.com

If you use that $50k and multiply it by the difference between the median age (38yo) and the median life expectancy (78 years) in the US, you get 40 years times $50k times 330 million people =

660,000,000,000,000 dollorz

$660 trillion

That's the low estimate. The higher $129k estimate gives $1.7 quadrillion.