# Open Letter to Michael Easter, Author of "The Comfort Crisis"
Dear Mr. Easter,
I hope this letter finds you well. I'm just getting started with "The Comfort Crisis" as part of the 75 Hard program. The book was recommended by several men in my group who spoke highly of it. However, I've only begun reading and already a significant historical claim jumped out at me that I feel compelled to address. This has unfortunately led me to the uncomfortable task of more rigorously fact-checking the book as I continue reading.
As a humorous aside, I'm writing this letter on Easter Sunday – an ironic coincidence given your surname! Perhaps there's something fitting about addressing historical accuracy on a holiday that itself dates back to pre-historical spring equinox celebrations (occurring on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox). Even our most ancient ancestors marked these celestial events, showing how deeply connected we are to those who came before us.
While I appreciate the overall message about reconnecting with discomfort as a path to growth, I feel compelled to address a claim in your book that historical evidence contradicts. Specifically, your assertion that "evidence suggests that suicide didn't happen throughout nearly all of human history" (citing Waters' 2013 study on the Mla Bri hunter-gatherers) represents an overgeneralization that doesn't align with the historical record.
The Mla Bri study is valuable but limited to one small population in Northern Thailand. Extrapolating from this single case study to all of human history creates a misleading narrative. The historical and archaeological evidence demonstrates that suicide has been a consistent aspect of human experience throughout recorded history:
*Biblical Examples (2000-3000 years old):*
* King Saul fell on his own sword after being wounded in battle (1 Samuel 31:3-4)[^1]
* Saul's armor-bearer also took his own life after seeing Saul was dead (1 Samuel 31:5)
* Ahithophel hanged himself after his advice was rejected (2 Samuel 17:23)
* Zimri set fire to the palace with himself inside when his city was captured (1 Kings 16:18)
* Samson knowingly caused his own death by pulling down the temple (Judges 16:29-30)
* Judas Iscariot hanged himself after betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5)
*Ancient Greece (2400-2800 years ago):*
* Empedocles (c. 434 BCE) ended his life by jumping into Mount Etna's volcano[^2]
* Democritus reportedly starved himself to avoid the debilities of old age[^3]
* Ancient Greek physicians extensively studied suicide as a medical phenomenon, categorizing it primarily as a result of mental disorders like melancholia and mania[^4]
* Ajax killed himself during the Trojan War after experiencing shame and dishonor[^5]
* Socrates' death by hemlock, while technically an execution, involved his choosing to drink the poison rather than escape[^6]
*Ancient Rome (2000-2500 years ago):*
* Lucretia's suicide (c. 510 BCE) after being sexually assaulted was considered "a socially acceptable and honourable way to deal with shame in Roman society" and initiated the revolt that replaced the Roman Kingdom with the Republic[^7]
* Cato the Younger's suicide after defeat at the Battle of Thapsus was considered a "virtuous death" guided by reason and conscience[^8]
* Seneca, on orders from Emperor Nero, opened his veins and took poison[^9]
* Emperor Nero himself committed suicide when declared a public enemy by the Senate[^10]
* Roman society classified suicides into distinct moral categories, considering some forms honorable and others shameful[^11]
1 comment
[ 3.8 ms ] story [ 13.3 ms ] threadDear Mr. Easter,
I hope this letter finds you well. I'm just getting started with "The Comfort Crisis" as part of the 75 Hard program. The book was recommended by several men in my group who spoke highly of it. However, I've only begun reading and already a significant historical claim jumped out at me that I feel compelled to address. This has unfortunately led me to the uncomfortable task of more rigorously fact-checking the book as I continue reading.
As a humorous aside, I'm writing this letter on Easter Sunday – an ironic coincidence given your surname! Perhaps there's something fitting about addressing historical accuracy on a holiday that itself dates back to pre-historical spring equinox celebrations (occurring on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox). Even our most ancient ancestors marked these celestial events, showing how deeply connected we are to those who came before us.
While I appreciate the overall message about reconnecting with discomfort as a path to growth, I feel compelled to address a claim in your book that historical evidence contradicts. Specifically, your assertion that "evidence suggests that suicide didn't happen throughout nearly all of human history" (citing Waters' 2013 study on the Mla Bri hunter-gatherers) represents an overgeneralization that doesn't align with the historical record.
The Mla Bri study is valuable but limited to one small population in Northern Thailand. Extrapolating from this single case study to all of human history creates a misleading narrative. The historical and archaeological evidence demonstrates that suicide has been a consistent aspect of human experience throughout recorded history:
*Biblical Examples (2000-3000 years old):* * King Saul fell on his own sword after being wounded in battle (1 Samuel 31:3-4)[^1] * Saul's armor-bearer also took his own life after seeing Saul was dead (1 Samuel 31:5) * Ahithophel hanged himself after his advice was rejected (2 Samuel 17:23) * Zimri set fire to the palace with himself inside when his city was captured (1 Kings 16:18) * Samson knowingly caused his own death by pulling down the temple (Judges 16:29-30) * Judas Iscariot hanged himself after betraying Jesus (Matthew 27:3-5)
*Ancient Greece (2400-2800 years ago):* * Empedocles (c. 434 BCE) ended his life by jumping into Mount Etna's volcano[^2] * Democritus reportedly starved himself to avoid the debilities of old age[^3] * Ancient Greek physicians extensively studied suicide as a medical phenomenon, categorizing it primarily as a result of mental disorders like melancholia and mania[^4] * Ajax killed himself during the Trojan War after experiencing shame and dishonor[^5] * Socrates' death by hemlock, while technically an execution, involved his choosing to drink the poison rather than escape[^6]
*Ancient Rome (2000-2500 years ago):* * Lucretia's suicide (c. 510 BCE) after being sexually assaulted was considered "a socially acceptable and honourable way to deal with shame in Roman society" and initiated the revolt that replaced the Roman Kingdom with the Republic[^7] * Cato the Younger's suicide after defeat at the Battle of Thapsus was considered a "virtuous death" guided by reason and conscience[^8] * Seneca, on orders from Emperor Nero, opened his veins and took poison[^9] * Emperor Nero himself committed suicide when declared a public enemy by the Senate[^10] * Roman society classified suicides into distinct moral categories, considering some forms honorable and others shameful[^11]
... continued in article... [https://open.substack.com/pub/anthonydavidadams/p/open-lette...]