Science of Fear. Booo!

That is very interesting and certainly something to think about. I believe that fear is the greatest motivator of a populace that is unwilling to really think about it. I refuse to be afraid of "terrorism".

Last time I had to have surgery, I got myself worked up with the fear of anesthesia. Then one day, I realized that every time I get into my car I'm taking a HUGE risk with my life. And if I'm meant to die by anesthesia, I will. It's as likely that I'll die in my car or from a branch breaking and falling on my head.

Fear doesn't scare me!

Interesting. I personally think that fear is a useful tool that's helped us people get to place in the chain we are now. It motivated us to learn to protect ourselves and our young from the predators that at first...outclawed us lol, motivated us to learn to use weapons to hunt and protect ourselves, and build better housing. The rest as they say...is history.

Mass panic is something aside from normal fear to me...phobias something else again. But honestly...the fear of pain keeps soul and body together, keeps us from touching fire...

I don't have a problem with being afraid of things that SHOULD be scary. I'm certainly not going to NOT watch my kids because of some statistic. That's actually kinda funny.

The one that gets up MY nose is this media-spread fear of 'germs' -- and the fact that we're actually creating super germs/super bacteria and a super 'problem' because of all the anti-bacterial junk folks so eagerly buy simply because television tells them to.  More and more they're finding that such germophobia is counter-productive, causes all sorts of skin problems, and truly doesn't help at all AND in fact, people are so hyper about 'protecting' themselves that they don't allow themselves to develop proper, normal immunity.  We have a whole generation of kids running around looking for Purell who are missing scads of school because they've never been allowed to play in the dirt and develop normal immunity - but at the same time they've been vaccinated out the ying yang -- perhaps having some rare disease be less possible, but raising this whole new level of heretofore unknown auto-immune diseases in its place. 

*sigh* Sometimes I despair of people ever learning to think for themselves.  

Largest 'free' country in the world and yet we're going to wind up with a president -- not that WE elected, but that was chosen by super-delegates and electoral vote!  Washington, Jefferson & Adams (ABIGAIL ADAMS included) are spinning in their graves I tell you!!

calliecritturs

The one that gets up MY nose is this media-spread fear of 'germs'

I used to eat the mud pies I made...

FourIsCompany

Oh! I know what you mean. You cannot find NON antibacterial soap these days! We're being so protected, our systems are 'forgetting' how to protect us! We forget we are biological creatures meant to live in this world! I think this may add to allergies. JMHO

I used to eat the mud pies I made...

Have you tried to hand a child a glass of water lately?  ohhhhhhhh dear.  If it doesn't come from a plastic bottle (which they are now thinking will eek out carcinogens if left in the sun??) kids think they can't drink from it because if it isn't disposable it's not 'clean'.

Anyone ever walk thru a CLEAN factory?  I don't even want to think about those machines that handle those bottles and what crawls on them at night or if they are wiped down after they spray for insects weekly!! *sigh*

ETA -- I'm not really being off topic here - my real point is people don't stop to think about true risk at all -- they simply believe what they're told.  And if you get TWO people (stations, papers, magazines) to tell them the same thing it reaches hysteria faster.

Americans need to wake up and realize they are so totally manipulated by the media and big companies wanting to SELL them something they can't think for themselves.  When was the last time anyone saw a small, privately owned business thrive?  They can't.  Wal-mart or some big company can sell it or do it cheaper.  We've created our own monster, unfortunately. 

calliecritturs

Have you tried to hand a child a glass of water lately? 

calliecritturs

my real point is people don't stop to think about true risk at all

Of course fear has a place and an important function. Rational fear. 

calliecritturs

The one that gets up MY nose is this media-spread fear of 'germs' -- and the fact that we're actually creating super germs/super bacteria and a super 'problem' because of all the anti-bacterial junk folks so eagerly buy simply because television tells them to.  More and more they're finding that such germophobia is counter-productive, causes all sorts of skin problems, and truly doesn't help at all AND in fact, people are so hyper about 'protecting' themselves that they don't allow themselves to develop proper, normal immunity.  We have a whole generation of kids running around looking for Purell who are missing scads of school because they've never been allowed to play in the dirt and develop normal immunity - but at the same time they've been vaccinated out the ying yang -- perhaps having some rare disease be less possible, but raising this whole new level of heretofore unknown auto-immune diseases in its place. 

*sigh* Sometimes I despair of people ever learning to think for themselves.  

Largest 'free' country in the world and yet we're going to wind up with a president -- not that WE elected, but that was chosen by super-delegates and electoral vote!  Washington, Jefferson & Adams (ABIGAIL ADAMS included) are spinning in their graves I tell you!!

AMEN!

But big comanies like Proctor and Gamble have people convinced that they have to spend money on "anti-bacterial wipes." HAH!Wipe your counter, turn your back, and the bacteria are right back! Or doorknobs - they are made of brass because brass is a natural bacteria killer, you don't need to buy all these chemical wipes. My stepdaughters are convinced I should be dead from how I don't wipe anything but I'm healthier  than either one of them!

I think that's what bothers me most -- is this attitude by people that unless you are following "what they say on TV" that you are slovenly, don't care to be clean and on and on. 

Was my mother the ONLY one who used to say "I don't CARE if 'everybody' is doing it ... if 'everybody' was going to jump off a cliff -- WOULD YOU??"

My husband is British and he brings an interesting reaction to all this junk -- he will shake his head and say "You Americans are convinced you are 'free' but you aren't at all -- you are far far more dictated to here than nearly anywhere else in Europe or Great Britain".  He's right.  Scarey stuff ...

And 'fear' tops the list but mostly it's instigated fear, not real fear.  Denise's original article is scarey stuff.  "herd mentality" at its finest.