Scandals - 02/11/08

The Power of Fear 

We’re simply exhausted.   

That seems to be the name of the game in these crazy, busy times.  We want instant answers, instant solutions, instant everything.  And we just don’t have the time or energy to do it ourselves.  

So we pop a pill, take a vaccine, jump on the latest miracle-cure bandwagon and wish for the best.  We’ll do almost anything that doesn’t require hardly anything of us. 

Meanwhile, chronic and other disease, including among children, is skyrocketing.  Autism has reached epidemic proportions.  We’re all seeking answers, but few are seeking responsibility. 

Fear is King.  And those promoting fear, those pushing drugs, pushing vaccines, those advocating that we hand over personal responsibility for our health to the “experts” are the power behind the throne.  They stand to benefit as long as fear remains King.  And we stand to lose both our power and our health. 

But is it possible to inject prevention or pop health?  Is there any escape from the hard work and the hard decisions required for true wellness?  Can we blame anyone but ourselves when we take the easy road and things go wrong? 

Real health takes considerable effort to achieve.  It means drinking unpolluted water, eating uncontaminated, whole food.  It means getting exercise and adequate rest. At its best, it means breast-feeding our infants and even toddlers. It means laughing, a lot. It means loving ourselves, believing we are worth the time and effort it takes to be well.  It means slowing down. 

Most of all it means educating ourselves. 

The pursuit of real health requires learning about the true, long-term risks of each disease.  Not the risk of contracting the disease, but the risk of suffering long-term consequences from it.  It means investigating the long-term risks of vaccines and drugs.  It means not accepting platitudes and unfounded statements as the gospel truth.  It means expecting more and believing less. 

Fear will rule until and unless we take control of our lives, understand who benefits from our being fearful, educate ourselves about real risks and benefits, and demand better answers when the answers we are given are either unsatisfactory, unbelievable or don’t exist. 

There is no easy way.  There are no guarantees.  For the sake of our and future generations, though, it’s time to overthrow the King.  Long live ourselves.