Disbelief in the future and “negative investment” in health capital in contemporary Russia

Abstract

The article attempts to explain the low life expectancy in Russia, especially among men. It is shown that negative investments in health capital, in particular, smoking and refusal to exercise, are the main reason for this phenomenon. A hypothesis is being tested that the most important reason for smoking and neglecting sports is the people’s reluctance to calculate the long-term consequences of their decisions. This reluctance can be described by the concept of investment myopia. This term is understood as the exclusion from consideration of future results, beginning with a certain threshold moment of time. Investment myopia is considered as the most important consequence of disbelief in the future, which, in turn, can be generated by pessimism, uncertainty or ingrained psychology of the “provisional ruler”.