Hysteria in the press

[Ree]

So, we opened up the morning paper today and apparently, as I sit here, we are slowly killing our grandchild.
I have been slowly killing her mother for years, and my Mom before me began the slow process of killing me all those years ago.

Apparently, all those baby lotions and shampoos and baby bath products contain chemical that could alter the reproductive systems of the human body.
Oh, and by the way, the baby bottle is also toxic and is linked to cancer and all sorts of horrible things.

And don't even get me started on those bumper pads. Deadly, I tell you!!

I understand that, when a significant breakthrough in research is made, there is a need to inform, but all week long, I have been hearing the hype.

My 19 year old nephew phoned the other night, all concerned because he had seen a news bulletin outlining the "Film at 11" and wanted to make sure we watched because it said something about poisonous baby products.
A day later, my unmarried bipolar BIL called, all concerned because he had heard that baby bottles caused cancer, and was worried about the baby.

Why does it all have to be so sensational?
Should we take all of this seriously?

Is the fact relevant that, at 47 years old, I don't seem any worse for wear after all those things my Mom used to care for me that are now considered off limits and dangerous?

Is it relevant that I managed to get my daughter to 21 years old with none of those things affecting her?

If I read and heeded every single "ALERT" that came my way, I would have moved my family into a plastic bubble years ago. (Oh...maybe a glass dome, since I wouldn't want them to suffer ill effects from the plastic.)

[Seshat]

Sorry, the glass dome would concentrate the UV light and cause instant skin cancer!

. . . or, y'know, something wrong and horribly bad.

[Greenday]

Well, we already know that everything gives you cancer. Even as I sit here now, the laptop is giving me cancer. Even too much vitamin C will give you cancer.

It's funny how before the alerts, no one is ever harmed by these products. Then, as soon as the alerts come out, tons of people are getting sick and such. The world is just filled with hypochondriacs.

[protege]

Lately, nearly every cleaning product says it kills germs. My favorites are the commercials about toilet cleaners. I mean, it's a fucking toilet, it's *going* to have germs in it...so unless you're drinking out of it, does it really matter? I don't think so. All that's doing is playing into people's fears, causing them to buy untold amounts of cleaners to sterilize everything. As such, it's no wonder that diseases, which had previously been eradicated, are coming back stronger.

The media will take anything, and run with it. Remember the Y2K "problem?" Locally, they sure made a big deal over that--just about every bank and business was going out of their minds to test things, and deal with paranoid customers. There were reports of things from minor data getting garbled, to theories of planes falling out of the skies. It kinda took the wind out of their sails when 1/1/00 passed, and *nothing* happened.

Then there's the weather. Locally, our news stations just *love* it when it's supposed to snow. Just the other night, they actually interrupted shows constantly to tell us about the "extreme storm" we were to get. Did we get anything? Other than a *very* light dusting of snow, hell no. Extreme storm, my ass.

The media seems to have an agenda to turn us all into mindless sheep, that have to depend on them in order to think. They tend to blow everything out of proportion to gain ratings and/or market share. A lot of it is simply because they can get away with it, and that many people are too stupid to know any better, and will blindly follow the words of that magical box in their living room. But in reality, all it's doing is pissing people off, especially those of us who know better

[DesignFox]

Well, gee, between the baby bottles, bumper pads...etc. etc. and all that unruly running around outside and falling off of playground equipment I did, I guess I should be half-mentally retarded, dying of six kinds of cancer, lost a limb, living immorally and completely sterile... Sheesh.

I don't understand why people's common sense doesn't block the media circus. OBVIOUSLY those things have been around for decades and the vast majority of us are doing just fine...the rest that may be suffering from anything probably didn't get it because they drank from a baby bottle.

If it's broken, it'll get fixed, but considering it's all worked fine for so long, I don't think there is anything to panic about.

People need to stop bleating and start using that big brain evolution gave them...

[ArenaBoy]

There's a reason as to why I just use the Daily Show, the BBC, and NY Times to get my news. American news media loves to hype everything up (and let's face it they do, and they do it for the money). Unfortunately if people were a lot smarter and actually took the time to read more (Instead of focusing on the latest club fashion) there wouldn't be as much of this nowadays.

This is also the reason as to why I refuse to be a journalist, too much idiocy.

[horror]

QUICK! EVERYONE INTO MY QUARANTINE ROOM!
I have Tang.
BUT IT CAUSES CANCER!
I also have comfy chairs.
BUT THEY'LL WARP YOUR SPINE FOREVER!
I even have a wide array of microwavable dinners and DVDs.
BUT THE RAYS FROM THE MACHINES WILL GIVE YOU HIDEOUS BOILS AND DEPLEAT YOUR INTEREST IN ORGANISED SPORTS!
Oh, and all the exits are locked. Please enjoy the quarantine room here on planet Mass Hysteria.

[AFPheonix]

Is there wine and cheese in your quarantine chamber?

I'm all for making stuff safer, go for it. But sometimes when we try to make stuff safer, we end up making things worse in the long run. Antibacterial everything is a perfect example. Creating superbugs that we have to use stronger medicines to kill when they become a problem, and it lessens our bodies' immune responses as it isn't challenged enough.

I will admit to being grossed out by pictures showing the spray that comes out of the toilet when flushed. Nothing like aeresolized poop water spraying all over everything to make you never want to reuse a toothbrush again.

[chops]

AFPheonix, you hit it on the head. I don't doubt that a few germs actually help boost your immune system. I'm not saying don't wash your hands after dropping that deuce or handling that raw steak...but some people take it to extremes and it's going to adversely affect the world's health eventually.

[Greenday]

By any chance, did any of you hear how IcyHot is recally pretty much all of their products? Too many complaints of 1st & 2nd degree burns. We're all going to burn in icy goodness. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AFPheonix]

Probably too many people putting on their nether regions too see what it would feel like.

[Hello Kitty]

Heh, Icy Hot actually DOES look like diaper rash cream.

My sister in law always sends me emails about that kind of stuff OH MY GAWD such and such product is dangerous, don't press #90 for any callers, etc. I think about replying with the snopes article or whatever, but it's easier to just hit DELETE.