"Young adult suicide rates dropped after U.S. launched 988 hotline":

* https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/988-crisis-hotlin...

"Suicide deaths dropped 11% from projected rate in the first two years of the revamped lifeline"

* https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/22/988-hotline-linked-11-pe...

Yes, they seem to work for many people. I don't mean to belittle that, I guess that is good. But, I'm not sure how that's interesting because "something works for somebody" is true for just about every category.

For example, some people want to work at Palantir and find it interesting that some executive named Steve Cohen runs the AC at 60 degrees and eats ice cubes all day to aid cognition[0]. There's a very wide diversity of people out there, so the fact that some find this appealing is not interesting or surprising.

So, the question, in my mind, is less that something works for somebody, and more about the broader meaning of this civilizational function.

[0] https://nabeelqu.substack.com/p/reflections-on-palantir (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41855006)

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mden 32 minutes ago | parent [-]

Can you explain what your point really was then? Belittling the idea of hotlines seemed central in your messaging and the possible exploitation of data more of a secondary thing.

It's fine to be cynical but it's also good to remember that there are real people that do care and try to improve the world as well.

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giantg2 15 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

Not the OP, but I saw it as a bandaid. Creating a hotline vs fixing underlying societal issues is a quick fix but doesn't fix the real drivers of the longterm increases.

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timcobb 28 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

Sure, concretely, my point was that hotlines are a very capitalist feeling thing for me. Probably because of trying to deal with corporiations, from monopolies/utilities to things like airlines. My experience in this realm has been one of alienation. So, taking the hotline and applying it to people in suicidal crisis is like peak alienation in my mind.

Personally, I'm not anti-capitalist, but capitalism to me is tied up conceptually with money and expedience. Feelings, in my opinion, are sort of in a different human realm.

But yes, for sure, that alienation as I allege it, is probably good for many people in crisis who are uncomfortable with the people around them. However, the question of why it is that such people aren't comfortable with anyone around them is the bigger one in my mind.

> Please drink responsibily

To me, although they work, suicide hotlines appear to be a naked corporate CYA, just like gambling and other addiction hotlines. Civilization will beat you down, won't give you health insurance except for a few free COVID shots (then, suddenly, people can totally mobilize to administer collective healthcare), but hey when you've just about had it, here's a hotline you can call (and we'll sell your data hahahahaha sucker).

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watwut 17 minutes ago | parent [-]

They are literally government paid social service you can call without additional charge. What the hell is capitalist about it?

Also Dutch give you health insurance beyond covid shot.

	▲	timcobb 14 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		> What the hell is capitalist about it? The rest, everything else. It's darkly amusing to me we don't get healthcare here in the US but we do get suicide hotlines. EDIT: wouldn't be surprised if Trump defunded/privatized suicide hotlines using companies run by the Trump Org.