I was just comparing the aspect of non-experts making big decisions based on expert advice. I wasn't saying a wiped hard drive is the same as cancer.

But it's also not true that any health problem (getting the flu, cutting your finger pitting an avocado) is worse than any computer problem (losing the only copy of your dissertation, getting phished for thousands of dollars).

Part of the way out of the dialectic gridlock we're having is to stop treating every health issue like it's both confusing and life threatening. But there are certainly edge cases. Nobody wants people dying of cancer due to bad advice or lack of funds.

> I’m happy we collectively chose to draw the line at an argument honestly comparing computer repair to health care

People not listening to people isn't the most human (or soulful) option on the table.

To be honest, my problem with the original comment was the lack of clarification and contextualisation. When it comes to sensitive issues (like health and people losing their actual lives), I think it's not OK to forego acknowledging the human aspect and focus on numbers or economic theory alone.

A good point can be made poorly, and it can hurt and alienate a lot of people in the process. Flatly "telling it like it is" does not always benefit mutual understanding or societal healing; it risks driving us further apart. Which is an ironic thing for me to say, because I put my foot in my mouth every other day. I guess it really does take one to know one :)