Posted on 11/18/2009 6:45:40 AM PST by mattstat
Emotions, as they say, run high, especially about “health.” There is a great deal of superfluous, extraneous, and irrelevant discussion taking place with regard to the new mammogram guidelines. Yesterday, many organizations rushed to the microphone to say, “Don’t worry! We still recommend every women gets mammograms as frequently as possible.” They were worried lest women think they did not care. Let’s examine this phenomenon.
There is a range in how much people care about their own physical being, from hypochondria to indifference. I’ll use the term hypochondriac to mean not just those who suffer from the mental disease of ridiculous concern, but also for those who worry disproportionately to the actual risk of any malady. Antibacterial-goo-carrying hand washers are in this category, as are mothers who fearfully drag their tot to doc every time it sneezes. The indifferent eat and drink whatever the hell they want and say, “A short life, but a merry one.”
The reactions of those at either caring extreme to those at the opposite end is not symmetric. That is, hypochondriacs regard the indifferent in a manner that is wildly different than how the indifferent think about hypochondriacs.
The indifferent think hypochondriacs are nuts, and that they’d be better off if they just wouldn’t worry so much. But the indifferent are inclined to think that if the hypochondriacs want to run to the doctor for every perceived symptom, let them; as long as they leave us alone.
Hypochondriacs—and their close cousins the worrywarts, hand-wringers, and fretters—think the indifferent are nuts, too. But in general the hypochondriacs cannot abide the indifferent and want to change their behavior. Misery loves company, and the misery caused by constant concern should be enforced, even mandated, for all. Hypochondriacs rally under the banner, “Something might be wrong with you!”...
(Excerpt) Read more at wmbriggs.com ...
0bama's "death panels" have just begun.
Trial balloon to see how the masses react to rationing?
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