It suggests that the current social concern with peanut allergies may be an example of mass psychogenic illness (called "epidemic hysteria" in the olden days), which is "a social network phenomenon involving otherwise healthy people in a cascade of anxiety."
So should we all get off Facebook? Now now now?!
Ha, not really. I do know the difference between one use of the term 'social network' and another.
But it is interesting to think of ourselves as being in the midst of an epidemic hysteria, isn't it?
The idea is based on the author's interpretation of measures taken to protect allergic children as being wildly excessive given the risk (which is real for some, but small population-wide in comparison to the danger posed by things like swimming pools, automobiles, and sports, which kill way more children than food allergies do).
It increases my determination to continue eating peanut butter at every opportunity. Fight hysteria! With excited exclamation points!
Ahhhhhhh! Peanuts!
2 comments:
Epidemic hysteria has hit the St. Louis Cardinals home baseball games. They have cordoned off an entire section for those who suffer from peanut allergies - too bad for those sensitive to the "wafting" peanut dust from other sections :-)
Oh and BTW, I am going to have peanut butter with my bagel for lunch!
Do it! Do it!
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