Is the quality of life improving or deteriorating? There are more guns in America than people. What does the availability/plethora of guns have to do with the quality of life or lack thereof? Why?

I don't see any connection with the quality of life and guns, unless of course your family is mortally threatened by human or animal, that would definitely have an effect on what quality your life may have.

i think its deteriorating with guns around

I think any correlation we could draw between gun ownership and quality of life would be one where the gun ownership is a SYMPTOM of declining subjective quality of life, not a cause.

Interestingly, I saw some recent research indicating that analgesic consumption (Tylenol in the study) can reduce empathy for others. Then I thought about how Americans, especially middle-aged reasonably well-to-do Americans, are on an epidemic binge of addiction to opioid painkillers (Vicodin, Percocet, et al.).

Could THAT be a signifcant factor in why our "quality of life" is declining?

Thank you for your reply BSurf and Happy Sunday.

Thank you for your reply pearl! :)

Maybe. How odd that would be a side effect though OS. Although taking painkillers anesthetizes you against pain so it would make sense that they would anesthetize you from feeling the pain of others. I guess that does make sense doesn't it? Mahalo for your repy and Happy Sunday! :).

 You seriously believe that m2c? I see. Thank you for your reply.