Its toll has become much 'cheaper'

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Hi teachers,Excerpts:War may indeed be hell, but hell, apparently, isn't all that bad for your health. According to a new study, during most armed conflicts since the 1970s, mortality rates have actually declined.  That's not to say that war, in and of itself, leads to longer life spans.  Instead, a major reason fo rhte dro is that conflict has become an impetus for international humanitarian groups to ramp up their efforts in poor countries, and they've learned to work public-health miracles in a short amount of time. [....] The metrics on other health initiatives, from treating malnutrition to distributing bed nets, tell a similar story.  "It's never any fun living in a refugee camp." "But the mortality rates are better in many of those camps than they were before the war."  That's no reason to celebrate warfare.  But it does suggest that its toll has become much cheaper. 1.  Does better mean 'lower'?2.  What does "cheaper" exactly mean here?  And what is cheaper than what that it is being compared?Thank you very much.Tinanam

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1-- Yes.
2-- Cheaper = less lives are lost (than before)

CalifJim · Answer

tinanam0102But the mortality rates are better in many of those camps than they were before the war.
... 1. Does better mean 'lower'?To be precise, better doesn't mean lower, but within the given context, the writer assumes that the reader agrees with him that lower mortality rates (fewer people dying) are better than higher mortality rates. So, in this specific context, better "means" lower.

In a different context, better may signify higher! I hope that interest rates on my savings will be better in the future.
tinanam0102That's no reason to celebrate warfare. But it does suggest that its toll has become much cheaper.
... 2. What does "cheaper" exactly mean here? And what is cheaper than what that it is being compared?cheaper means less expensive. What is cheaper costs less. In this context the cost is not measured in terms of money but in the loss of human life. So here "the toll has become cheaper" means "the cost in human life has become less" (fewer people die). The comparison is between the situations that exist in countries which have just been through a war recently and the situations that used to exist in countries which had been through a war many years ago. Fewer people die as the result of a war in their country than used to die in the aftermath of previous wars.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

Yes, better mortality rates would be lower.

Your article seems to be measuring the toll (cost) of war strictly in terms of the loss of life. I believe civilian casualties are included in the present case. That toll is cheaper than it was before (in past decades etc.).

apparently, isn't all that bad for your health

Just as an aside, this remark seems ill-advised. My understanding is that from the US point of view, deaths are down because of great improvements in our ability to keep those who suffer battlefield injuries alive. But those who make it back home are suffering from far worse conditions than they have been in the past. That is, in the past, they would have died in the field. You can't say these men are in good health.
The article seems to address only improvements made in refugee camps.

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Mister Micawber, hi CalifJim, hi Avangi,

Thank you for guiding me to see the points.

Tinanam

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Avangi apparently, isn't all that bad for your health

Just as an aside, this remark seems ill-advised. My understanding is that from the US point of view, deaths are down because of great improvements in our ability to keep those who suffer battlefield injuries alive. But those who make it back home are suffering from far worse conditions than they have been in the past. That is, in the past, they would have died in the field. You can't say these men are in good health.

The article seems to address only improvements made in refugee camps.

Hi Avangi,

Thanks for the aside and the remainder. I was almost fooled by it. The title is Modern Warfare's Silver Lining. (I have read news about the soldiers who had participated in the war in Iraq, Afghanistan are developing post war trauma when they made it back home, far worse than the physical injuries they suffer from.

In English, this choice of word 'cheap', is it ian mpromptu use of the writer's own expression in this text or it's a common choice of word?

Thank you.

Tinanam

Avangi · Answer

tinanam0102 In English, this choice of word 'cheap', is it ian mpromptu use of the writer's own expression in this text or it's a common choice of word?

The choice is very common in this type of situation. Granted, "cheep" is often a pejorative. It's used to describe merchandise of inferior quality. It's used to describe people who are miserly, or unwilling to pay a fair price for something.

The expression "We were lucky! We got off cheap!" can be used both ways.
We fooled this guy, or took advantage of his misfortune or his stupidity. We were able to get the merchandise/property/etc. for far less than it was really worth. We cheated him. Here we're almost always speaking in terms of money.

Or "cheating" can be a good thing. "We cheated death."
Wars and other catastrophes take a terrible toll. We expect the toll/cost to be very high both in terms of money and in terms of the loss of loved ones and in terms of health, security, and safety; and property which has both financial and emotional value.
But sometimes we get lucky. We know how bad it could have been, but in fact, it didn't turn out to be as bad as we expected. We say, We got off cheap! It's a cause for celebration. We paid a price, but not as much as we expected.

In this case, it's not a matter of fair value.

Tinanam0102 · Answer

Hi Avangi,

Thank you so much.

Tinanam

Its toll has become much 'cheaper'

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