MobileRead Forums - View Single Post

majaka · 09-06-2009, 04:34 AM

I never really bought into any of the media frenzy surrounding it.

Several reasons:

1.) Any quotes from "expert sources" generally touted as "1918 pandemic could happen again!!". Whereas that ignores the fact that the flu pandemic of 1918 happened in a set of very specific circumstances that made it perfect to roam around. In the trenches, of course, there were dead and dying, open wounds, terrible hygiene (if any), lack of medical supplies -- the list goes on.

In the general populace, we must remember that this is the early 20th century, where the "cure" for "hysterical women" was to shoot at their nice bits with a high-powered hose. I'd like to say that medicine has come a long way.

2.) The normal flu kills far, FAR, more people per year. I've heard barely ANY mumblings of "oh, yeah, it's something to look out for, but it's not really THAT bad" from the mainstream media, it's more like "OMG RUN THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING!!!"

3.) A company just "happened" to develop a "cure" (even though it's a virus and would mutate, people are calling it a "cure"), which just "happened" to be sold in huge quantities world-wide. Somehow, somewhere, SOMEONE is getting rich off the hype..

So, since someone is making huge amounts of money off this, and the world ISN'T ending (contrary to what Fox believes), I'm putting it all down to money-making and fear-mongering to draw attention away from the GEC.

09-06-2009, 04:34 AM	#55
majaka Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: PRS-500	I never really bought into any of the media frenzy surrounding it. Several reasons: 1.) Any quotes from "expert sources" generally touted as "1918 pandemic could happen again!!". Whereas that ignores the fact that the flu pandemic of 1918 happened in a set of very specific circumstances that made it perfect to roam around. In the trenches, of course, there were dead and dying, open wounds, terrible hygiene (if any), lack of medical supplies -- the list goes on. In the general populace, we must remember that this is the early 20th century, where the "cure" for "hysterical women" was to shoot at their nice bits with a high-powered hose. I'd like to say that medicine has come a long way. 2.) The normal flu kills far, FAR, more people per year. I've heard barely ANY mumblings of "oh, yeah, it's something to look out for, but it's not really THAT bad" from the mainstream media, it's more like "OMG RUN THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING!!!" 3.) A company just "happened" to develop a "cure" (even though it's a virus and would mutate, people are calling it a "cure"), which just "happened" to be sold in huge quantities world-wide. Somehow, somewhere, SOMEONE is getting rich off the hype.. So, since someone is making huge amounts of money off this, and the world ISN'T ending (contrary to what Fox believes), I'm putting it all down to money-making and fear-mongering to draw attention away from the GEC.