Over the weekend, with the Influenza A (H1N1) contagion already in progress, my old pal "San Antonio Bill" made a half-serious connection with The Andromeda Strain. Which made me think of both the chilling 1969 novel by Michael Crichton and the 1971 movie version, produced and directed by Robert Wise. (Haven't seen the 2008 A & E adaptation). Let's just say, the Andromeda Strain is a lot quicker and deadlier than influenza, but the same premise rules.
Our anxiety is primal. Well beyond relatively recent pandemics like the 1918 Spanish Influenza (which also starred H1N1), there must be a strong collective memory of events chronicled in books like William H. McNeill's Plagues and Peoples (1977), of everything from smallpox to cholera to the Black Death. If people started fleeing into the woods and hills, I wouldn't be too surprised. Would you?
Stay calm, folks.
Today's Rune: Joy.
6 comments:
No I wouldn't be surprised to see the cities empty and people head for the hills and valley's with all of the media fueled fear.
Of course when everyone leaves the city it will be the safest place. I guess it's just to damn complicated to take a few extra precautions for a time eh? You know like washing the hands more often, staying home if you're sick. staying away from places where sick people congregate as much as you can...but then common sense never has been common has it?
I wouldn't be surprised if my grandpa ran for the hills. My grandma Sue works as a nurse and he actually bought her one of those white coveralls that you wear over your clothes. XD! I asked Sue if she was seriously going to wear that and he interjected ' well I certainly didn't buy it to stay in the packaging.'
Oy vay...my family is nuts.
I'm already IN the woods. With my guns. lol.
The book was a favorite when I was a teenager, and love the movie too.
It's turning out that the fear is overblown. Post to follow.
I think all we can do is hand washing. We have to go in public, and the paranoia will destroy ya, anyways. Also taking in as much anti-oxidants as possible to keep our ammune systems functioning optimally.
watching the media try and outdo each other on this is actually quite comical -- too bad it really is making people panic
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