That's actually completely rational if we recall that America is run by pure ruthless greed. It lets young people spend their energy on creating wealth (for others), feeds them with cheapest junk food and when their energy level depletes too much, the healthcare system takes the little savings they have made and sends their bodies to a junkyard. That's how a greedy but smart farmer would manage cattle. One of the reasons this brutal system exists is it reminds the middle class what's going to happen to them should they relax too much.
I think that’s a little too simplistic as the same is true in places with nationalized health services - orders of magnitude more money is spend on advanced age related health than others.
I think it is because it is just simply easier to see that the 80 year old ‘needs’ healthcare and resources more so than the 30 year old. As a society we just haven’t yet grasped the complexity and subtleties of preventative healthcare, especially mental health.
