An excellent point. We make up stuff to worry about, things that there is little evidence that we should fear. But we eat french fries and smoke when we KNOW those are dangerous.
"Radiation — from power lines, microwave ovens, cell phones, and (went there) nuclear power — has always occupied outsized concern in the public mind relative to its true health impact. Meanwhile, our collective choices and private behaviors on so many matters display rather astonishing neglect of basic public health concerns." [Harold Pollack, TNR}
(Nod to Kevin Lewis)
2 comments:
It's always the framing: Dangerous compared to what?
I could quit smoking, driking, eating red meat and french fries, but would I live any longer?
Or do you think, at age 50, I should quit playing hockey and riding my motorcycle without a helmet? Would that help?
And, more importantly, who would want to live like that?
I do know you would never come to one of my parties if I made all those lifestyle changes.
(I do think I will live longer if I quit talking to students that have recently been dismissed from school.)
Most of those that like the lifestyle public health officials endorse live in places called monasteries and convents. The public health officials should don their hair shirts and join them.
It's just a rant on my part. I get so tired of public health officials trying to broaden their mandate past communicable diseases that are, you know, actually dangerous to the public. I don't understand why they concern themselves about lifestyle choices.
Aw hell, I'm just a crank and no one is going to take me serious.
Eating french fries from time to time, won't harm anybody. Don Gorske has eaten Big Macs every day for 30 years - his health is great and his blood pressure is slightly below average.
As for smoking, I believe the hysteria of the last 20 years is only comparable to the global warming craze of the last 5 years. I recommend reading some of Dr Dunn's articles at forces.org -
http://www.forces.org/Forces_Articles/article_viewer.php?id=617
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