The Swine Flu Scare: Reject Negative Thinking and Avoid Panic

No one can have failed to notice the extensive reporting on the Swine Flu issue. It is presently being given the sort of emphasis rightly reserved for something far more sinister, and our TV reporters are only too happy to whip up the fear. So, let’s have a little perspective. A child has died here in the US, as was reported today. This is sad, but if we care to look deeper we’ll see that a child dies of preventable diseases every three seconds, on average, and almost all of these are in Third World countries, where we could easily solve the problem by helping to ensure safe and clean drinking water, for instance. Since you’ve been reading this approximately seven children have died.

I don’t see the press getting excited about this.

So I think it’s helpful to bear in mind that the media are in the business of manufacturing ‘news’ and the way they find out whether or not anyone is paying attention is by the amount of panic and dismay their reporting causes. This allows them to charge more for their advertising time, based on viewer numbers.

Unfortunately it also has the result that many citizens become upset, depressed, and anxious. But that doesn’t seem to matter as much as money.

We can reject this silliness. We can choose not to be panicked. Instead, wash your hands frequently, use a face mask if you must, be scrupulously clean in the same way you would be about the ordinary colds and flu we have around us all the time - which, by the way, can also kill small children, old people and healthy folks of middle years. That’s been true for a thousand years. Be sensible. And you’ll be fine.

Negative Thinking - Panic and Criticism