The US Healthcare System Has Completely Broken Our Spirits

[@joeseg19]

Chronic pain will ruin EVERY single aspect of your life. It will take your job, your friends, your family. It will take your mental wellbeing. Regardless of Luigi’s politics, I completely understand his motivation.

[@DimaRakesah]

I used to have headaches almost daily, and even that was ruining my life!

[@jasmine_evans17]

Love the aesthetics of your brand! Just a tip from an accessibility perspective. The purple on purple text and graphics tend to be too low contrast for people with visual disabilities to decipher, so it would be good to offer that access in another way by verbally expressing what is being shown on the screen.

[@ForHarriet619]

This is useful! Thanks!

[@jasmine_evans17]

@@ForHarriet619 no problem! I specialize in user experience accessibility. Happy to answer any questions you may have if I am able to.

[@k.h7180]

@@jasmine_evans17 From one UX to perspective to another, I appreciate that you mentioned the importance of accessibility here and how it helps bridge any communication gaps to the various types of users. Especially the greatness that this channel produces 🙂

[@Alex-ph5ir]

Ah Kim, thank you for mentioning the way your surgery recovery amplified your empathy for people with chronic illness and chronic pain. I'm not quite sure why it hit me like it did, but it was really meaningful to hear. I guess it just felt like a genuine expression of validation and compassion that often isn't truly present in people who haven't lived with chronic illness themselves.

[@tkhachi]

I literally cried. There is so little understanding for the mental battlefield that is chronic pain and disability. The added factor of navigating this system while being in that pain makes it easy for any human to become extremely desperate and disillusioned.

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

@@tkhachi especially when that system keeps telling you the lie that we are the best, have the best and will always help each other out (the way they show it on tv), only to find all of it is not just a lie but parasitic

[@missgigip]

As someone who deals with chronic pain 1:08:07 thank you for saying this..there are those of us being punished because of this opioid crisis and being denied proper medication..pain is no joke..I deal with chronic pain due to a car accident and if I didn’t have my meds..baby I wouldn’t be able to move..I have a life due to my meds..I hate that I have to fight every month to ensure I get them

[@niamhheron5587]

‼️

[@lc9620]

This. Every word of it. As a person living with chronic pain since I was a teen, it is a constant fight, even after going through the scrutiny that happens before any discussion on painkiller prescription. There seems to be a endless need to prove to medical professionals you are in pain, and you indeed need your meds: "It cannot be that bad", "It is not justified", "You don't feel like that". I live in Europe, under a welfare state medical system, and still the opiate crisis in the US has had absolutely devastating effects on the social perception of those of us in constant pain and needing meds, and especially on how unwilling doctors are to listen and help and how fast they are to dismiss us and claim seeking behaviours, without any reason whatsoever. Living in pain is horrendous, it removes you from your live. There is a type of pain that it's impossible to deal with. It's heartbreaking and pain management is essential. I hope you find someone who listens and some relief.

[@TimD-j2n]

I thought Obamacare was supposed fix all this? I guess not.

[@cratlass5]

@@TimD-j2n the affordable care act is useful in being able to pay for medications, but it doesnt stop doctors from refusing to prescribe them lol. what are you talking about here

[@TimD-j2n]

@@cratlass5 Why would a doctor not prescribe their patients with the proper medications needed. Unless they suspect abuse. I worked in insurance.

[@johnmanpls5577]

Remember people it is okay - NO, it is GOOD to change your views, perspectives and positions whenever you read up more on a particular issue. It’s a sign you actually have your own beliefs rather than blindingly following something bc it is ‘good’

[@_gonna_renew_my_sinew]

Omg trump keeps saying certain aspects of project 2025 are “conservative and good” this popped into my head when I got to the end of your comment. What the hell constitutes as ‘good’ these days? Who knows 😅

[@chelseashurmantine8153]

My dad said similar things about his experience in pain recently: he understood how people could become addicted to pain meds. Because when he was in pain he wanted to die or hurt someone.

[@CariDMM]

December has been a wild year. 😶‍🌫️

[@amimi92]

As someone with a similar educational background (IT), I found myself empathizing with Luigi on a lot of his grievances. He's an Ivy League graduate with two degrees but that wasn't enough to prevent him from being laid off. I don't know if he was insured through his job but just the thought of me getting laid off and losing my medical insurance is enough to give me a panic attack. Also, while having a cushiony desk job is nice, screen burnout is real. Being outdoors and physically active helps so much. That's why I picked up cycling as a hobby during the pandemic. It sounded like his chronic pain was debilitating enough to prevent him from enjoying the things he would normally do, like hiking and surfing. A sharp decrease in quality of life would be enough to radicalize anyone.

[@milesfurther4395]

Also committing the killing itself at age 26 knowing you would get caught and spend decades in prison, it’s like he thought he had nothing to live for anyway.

[@tlangingwenya9690]

Absolutely agree with the Dresner take about laissez-faire capitalism- if governments are not honouring the social contract to, at the very least protect people from anticompetitive behaviour, provide adequate regulation to protect life and intervene in cases of market failure and exploitation, then populism at best, antisocial behaviour at the worst is what we are going to get.

[@BauerBeauty]

💯💯

[@karakim9213]

Around 1:20:00 u really hit the nail on the head for me. If we live in a cold world that doesnt care for us its really hard to care for those who we percieve as keeping the fire to themselves and only rarely feel the cold that kills everyone else

[@Alex-ph5ir]

Your convo about aesthetics in the beginning reminded me of something a lit prof said in one of my courses when clarifying how we might understand the category of "aesthetics": He suggested people think about what "anaesthetic" means, and what anaesthesia does. The numbing, the removal of feeling. And that helps crystalize what "aesthetics" means, because it doesnt just refer to surface-level appearance, but to *that which makes us feel something.*

[@nuggetsnicole4851]

My daughter keeps calling you Cinderella and says that you have princess hair😊❤ loving the braids

[@kaywaterton8452]

Her hair does look super good. You’re so right.

[@logenesis3108]

I must say, Kim, you are on a roll! I’ve been seeing lots of videos from you (which I’m super excited) and these videos are not some quickly baked cookie cutter blob. We talking layers of quality here and I’m here for it. Get it girl ❤

[@L30N758]

The funny thing is MANY women have allegations on 50cent. He's not a good person, people need to stop acting like his above critique or better than the rest of them. All these men in rap point their fingers at each other yet have done the same things or worse. If it's not rape, it's domestic violence. At this point, I don't care.

[@DimaRakesah]

The reaction from Ben Shapiro's followers is very telling. Even people so far on the right they follow BEN SHAPIRO are cheering Luigi on and realizing Shapiro isn't on their side. He's on the side of the wealthy who benefit from the suffering of working class people.

[@niamhheron5587]

Sorry but negotiating whether you “deserve” 1 or 3 days post surgery is so fucking dehumanizing already. My heart goes out to people having to negotiate their humanity like this. I mean capitalism and healthcare are two words that should never be allowed to go together. Seems kind of fundamentally opposed to the constitutional notion of equality. Also as a cancer survivor with a permanent opioid prescription I’m really concerned about how “addiction” has been made this bogeyman without any real compassion for the really necessary use of opioids for a lot of people. Even people who are “just” addicted to pills bc without them they get withdrawal deserve a LOT more compassion and dignity. Addiction doesn’t have to be this life ending condition. It can be managed without having to quit cold turkey and shouldn’t be shamed and treated as this ominous specter over someone’s life as long as it’s present. But it definitely requires a lot of care from compassionate professionals I feel like we now somewhat all agree that criminalizing drug use doesn’t work, but I think those attitudes still pop up in supposed addiction treatment approaches. As someone who hasn’t had to fight with insurance companies I honestly think it sounds like a fucking racket what people in the US deal with. Not sure we should be allowed to call this an advanced civilization. The dehumanization is wild

[@GeoQuag]

Love hearing you speak on things, it always makes me feel smarter just listing to you! My one minor aesthetic complaint is the little purple light tracing the outline. My neurodivergent ass can’t focus on anything except following it with my eyes the entire time.

[@tinak33507]

Same here, especially if I watch the video on 1.1 or 1.25 speed and the light goes really fast 😂

[@GeoQuag]

@@tinak33507yeah I’m a 2x watcher and it’s zooming

[@91toinfinity]

Allegedly Stephanie has a great breakdown of the Jay-Z lawsuit. I've been a follower of hers for sometime. Nice to see you shout her out. ❤

[@amanichabikuli7125]

You explain aesthetic theory sooo eloquently. I’m in grad school so I appreciate discussions about aesthetics in an academic sense, which, to me, has been so expansive!

[@ginatinarina683]

SAT II is a throwback omg!!! lol I remember my mom driving me to take the SAT, SAT subject tests, and the ACT multiple times. We aren’t encouraging the next generation to actually learn and think lol. (And I say this as someone who graduated HS in 2015 lol) The lack of educational rigor in this country will bite us in the ass, as it already has. Folks can’t do basic math and love to run away from doing the hard things. Yes many of us don’t use geometry in our salaried work, but learning how to persevere and do hard things at an early age is so useful…and you never know if you actually will have an epiphany later in life and wish to explore a different career path that requires the reading, writing, and mathematical standards that these standardized tests at the very least encourage us to have as a society. Yes, I understand the disparities that exist to prevent many from even being able to adequately learn in schools to be able to take and excel in these exams, but students in well funded schools are also running away from this necessary rigor as if we don’t have a physician shortage and need to fund STEM/STEAM programs😭 artists need to know math too! Because who will paint the next ceiling of the Sistine chapel if they can’t run the calculations to plan their paintings, for example?🌚 These are my ‘old head’ thoughts lol. The children need more rigor!!!!

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

as an artist, you use math for any thing you need to send out production ready. timing for animation, ratios for graphic design, weights for textile, geos for fashion design and 3d mapping, ect.

[@ginatinarina683]

@ very cool!! Math is truly everywhere tbh.

[@jetunnadine]

I am realizing this now that i'm in the "do the hard thing" phase of my life.

[@lauraigla6319]

When I hear you say all the things you had to ignore to imagine kamala winning, I can relate. I had to ignore, so I could have some hope. I had to ignore so I could have some peace!

[@mamimelusine]

Kim your analysis be cooking. What you said about the impulse to turn everything into spectacle puts into words what I have been thinking but really didn’t care enough about this whole thing to try to articulate.

[@emilyonizuka4698]

I'd be interested to hear you talk about the resistance to formal education because you've touched on it before. Maybe it's just in the circles I'm in, but most people I know who don't like it is because of education systems being very inaccessible to disabled and poor people and colonial aspects of its limited acceptance of valid research (Indigenous ways of learning and keeping information etc). But I also hear people without a single critical thought speak and kinda wanna tell them to do like at least one semester.

[@johnmanpls5577]

I think there’s different camps of people who don’t like formal education. The first camp is formal education and the hurdles associated with it, the structural issues etc And the second camp is people who think that critical thinking and academia aren’t needed. The same people who start a Podcast and talk out they asses about issues where they get their talking points from other people who do the same thing 😭

[@kannot1]

Imagine, hypothetically, that when you pass away. People celebrate your death... That honestly speaks volumes, about what, idk🤷🏽‍♀

[@includingsociety8301]

I really appreciate thinkers who say when they are wrong or when they don’t know- that’s why I love Ta-Nehisi Coates - he says that quite a lot. This also made me realise that advantages of being from the “global south”- We have to engage the US in a way that Americans don’t really have to - because of power dynamics we are taught and are force fed more about global history and events then we would like but it does help deftly navigate the world. Because of those powers dynamics - Our politics are also more internationalistic -

[@chelseashurmantine8153]

My degree is in Anthropology and yeah IQ is sooooo loaded

[@xr2kid]

I loved my Anthropology courses so much in undergrad

[@BlackStar_eclipse]

Part of my integrative studies undergrad was anthropology. If I could do college all over again I’d study anthro forever

[@calicosta]

John Q staring Denzel Washington

[@laurenerias3025]

im dying laughing "isnt that your job?"

[@tizzzythegreat]

This is a look Kim! You look good! Beautiful!!!!

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

I have a lot of empanthy for those in pain, even though I've never been through it. people I don't even like, I cant help but want to figure a way to lessen their hurt. i get almost lethargic over just a scrapped knee, I drink a lot more during my monthly, I can't even imagine being denied medication when you know its right there.

[@inmydesiredreality]

Hi Kim! I had a myomectomy almost six years ago and was in the hospital for two nights. I hope you're recovering well! And yep, I've been paying over $600/mo for Obamacare too because I don't qualify for financial assistance.

[@kharikhy-ree2242]

1:07:15 You better preach. During my battle with cancer 2020-2022... Pain Management... "NURSEEE!!! MORPHINE PLEASE ITS TIMEEE" Cancer pain feels like aching death, from my groin, through my abdomen, into my lungs(10/10 pain). Getting the chemoport in my chest(9/10 pain)felt like getting stabbed in the chest😅). A Pulmonary Embolism occurring because of the chemotherapy(12/10 pain) it hurt to breath and move for 2 weeks). Bone Marrow Biopsy(7.9/10) getting needles and a drill in your hip bone and spine while laying in fetal position; haunting pain). Central Catheter placed in your arm through your chest. Then again through your collar bone/neck through chest... while awake humming to not cry(5/10) psychological horror pain) Two back-to-back Bone Marrow Transplant with High Dose Chemotherapy(10x-20x more power than regular Chemotherapy) 3week stay for each procedure...experiencing "Mucousitous" (20/10 pain) The most painful experience ever of the entire cancer battle process. Mouth, throat, tongue, gums, inner cheeks roof of mouth, throat covered in sores for 2 weeks🥵. You can't eat, you lose 15lbs-20lbs each stay, for both transplants. The definition of agony😅😂). Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection surgery... (7/10) Moral of the story is Morphine, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Fentanyl Patches were used for 2 years. Mind you there were multiple other surgeries and procedures not mentioned. Nothing is better than IV morphine whooshing through your belly and body when it's fifteen minutes passed delivery time, while watching Food Network or HGTV at the hospital. 😅😂

[@KimberlyNicoleFoster89]

OMG I had no idea you had cancer! I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

[@TikTokUni-wh8ts]

Loving this hairstyle !!

[@BlackStar_eclipse]

I would like to hear more of a discussion and the rejection of formal education. And I wonder how that attitude will evolve as project 2025 defunds the department of education further. I’m about to complete my masters degree and I personally have always loved the academic space but it’s clear that many in my generation do not feel the same especially men. I also workout at a bodybuilding gym and talk to a lot of young guys my age or younger. I’m a bit surprised by just how many of them are choosing a non-college route. I will say this it shows a lot in their politics. But yeah I would love a further discussion on this new anti-intellectual trend.

[@voxomnes9537]

New anti-intellectual trend?

[@jimin8006]

Is this happening to white people mainly? I have seen some TikToks of anti vaccine moms teaching their kids at home and they are mostly white. Very interesting as in Asia your marriage prospects increase by the level of education you have and what prestigious college you went to.

[@lillian_desu]

Also, your stream layout is cute and suits you and your channel 😊

[@ellletea]

I also handled my fibroids with an embolisation. Let's invasive than surgery but the pain was crazy and I 100% understood addiction at that point because you'll do anything to make the pain stop. I'm South African btw so no issues with my private health insurance, it was a breeze, really. I paid nothing once I was admitted

[@seashells-seashells]

Does your holiday party include practices to mitigate the transmission of airborne diseases?

[@xoxo_kiyla]

It hasn’t broken our spirits, it’s pissed us off. Anger is a natural response to threats and/or someone trying to take your personal power away.

[@emilyonizuka4698]

So sad I missed the livestream but still excited to watch

[@sarahsmith7548]

I have been struggling for months to try to get my son’s behavioral therapy approved. My poor boy suffers at school and his mental health circles the drain while his care is being held up because a magical code was input wrong somewhere in the system and apparently no one can figure out how to fix it. He also hasn’t been able to get his medication in over a month because of how confused and inefficient our system is. I feel powerless as a mother.

[@popposterboy]

I might’ve missed it, but I didn’t hear the details of how his back injury happened. Does anyone know?

[@JH-wl4yy]

surfing accident in hawaii. so...affluenza lol

[@dahliaramsay]

As long as you are relatively more *upstream* along Shit River, you can feel good about yourself.

[@emilyonizuka4698]

Bailey Sarian did a Dark History episode on SAT that was interesting and highlighted how arbitrary and classist they are, which astounded me as a Canadian. I'm glad they're gone. I'm sorry you had to suffer through them.

[@Boahemaa]

I don't know if this analysis of why you were wrong about Kamala rings true given Trump voters didn't increase from 2020. The voter apathy towards the Dems did them in rather than fresh enthusiasm for MAGA.

[@ForHarriet619]

It is absolutely remarkable that Donald Trump did not have to message beyond his base to win the election. Trump is extremely disliked, and Maga has always been a minority coalition. I don’t assume that people who voted for Republicans in 2020 or 2016 identify as Maga. But it is a big deal that there was a 20-plus point swing toward Trump among under 30s from 2020 to 2024.

[@ginkgobilobatree]

I think the point here is that nothing swung toward Trump and Republicans, just away from the Dems, because they are basically the same. Why do you think that since the 1970s (and Roe v Wade) Democrats have done nothing to amend the Constitution to enshrine the rights of abortions, nor the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment), nor to enforce stuff they passed. Why do you think we even continue to have health insurance in this country? Why do you thing lobbying groups pay both parties during elections? Kamalo vowed to continue to be the "Top Cop" and continue funding the Israelis, but never bothered to win a primary, nor make an economic plan for everyone suffering under the rule of cash money we have now.

[@michellekholmatov9562]

Finally I get here before it even starts!!

[@MakaykayLAMB]

Does anyone know what happens to all that campaign money Kamala raised? Is it just.. gone?????

[@ginkgobilobatree]

She paid out big bucks and spent MORE than she actually had. She was still fundraising after the election.

[@lillian_desu]

"I would say the police need to do their job🤷🏽‍♀️ I would say 🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️" Madam-- LMAO

[@SM-vr8dz]

The live chat is distracting and leads to dead air. I’m not suggesting with completely going away with it, but I just say I miss your older videos where your ideas were incisive and concise.

[@HUeducator2011]

1:32:49 that’s why Bernie be pissing me TF off. It was not about the Democrats abandoning the working class…just stupid

[@Psalm2Charity]

Auntie Kim always gets me right when I'm starting to lose the plot.

[@louisachalarca6494]

It’s so interesting you don’t like saying rape because I feel like saying the word gives me some sort of power back to my experience of it so it’s interesting to remind myself that’s not everyone’s source of empowerment

[@shananigans0117]

I’ve gotten insurance commercials all throughout listening to this 😅

[@30arminda]

Let’s also talk about the hypocrisy of the reaction to Luigi vs Kyle Rittenhouse who was so embraced by the republicans.

[@MakaykayLAMB]

16:53 it’s funny because you did an analysis of Trump getting “shot” that really opened my eyes to how big of a figure he is to his base.

[@katherinesavarese6009]

I wonder if he will plead insanity

[@ml.9417]

The Logan Paul video also came out as desperate to me

[@gael665]

1:19:00

[@lezbeeanz]

Thought some racist stuff happened with Emily Baker?

[@r.walker7986]

Hes white... young and handsome...

[@91toinfinity]

People had sympathy for him before they saw his face

[@jimin8006]

I would say it is also because he attended Ivy League and did computer science, currently the most prestigious degree after medicine of course. It immediately increases the value of his philosophy, people are also analysing his goodreads review

[@veerow6035]

It seems like Luigi made his weapon first and then found a cause. He claimed he was not capable of describing exactly why he was targeting the CEO and it doesn't seem like he has had problems with insurance in the past. A lot of people of people don't know how insurance works. If you don't know, insurance does not set the costs of services. Providers do. So a lot of the anger directed toward insurers is misdirected. They don't want to cover your hospital stay because hospitals charge thousands per night. Hospitals and Doctors want you to use as many services as possible whether you need them or not and they charge way more than they should per service. They want you to have a procedure that you may or may not need so that they can charge your insurance $100k. Obviously, your insurance does not want to pay $100k whether you need the procedure or not. Insurance companies have problems too, but it all starts with providers.

[@hdhdu7634]

"I do not support extraju...." Girl bye, no time for class traitors

[@ForHarriet619]

I'd take this comment more seriously if you used your real name and picture since you think I shouldn't care about protecting myself.

[@BlackStar_eclipse]

THANK YOU FOR CLOCKING THE IQ 🥷🏾…