I was talking with my Los Angeles ad agency yesterday (I consider the owner a good friend), and I mentioned I had an upset stomach and he asked if I had bird flu, then laughed….. (He knows I am concerned, but thinks I’m paranoid delusional about this topic)
Anyway, I’ve seen multiple posts here with ideas on how to bring home the seriousness of the possibility of a pandemic and the various degrees of success folks have had with their friends and coworkers.
I don’t have an answer of how to change or enlighten someone’s mind, but I think I have an idea of one reason why the threat is unreal to most.
Americans are risk adverse to known personalized dangers, especially those that have meaning to their lives or experiences. But unknown? Those that they have zero personal experience are just unreal or impossible. Please consider the following questions:
Do you know someone who has or has had Dengue? None Zero.
Do you know someone who has or has had Ebola? None Zero.
How about Cholera? Typhoid? Smallpox? Plague? Zip. Nada. Other side of the world. Can’t happen here.
Do you know someone who has or has had bird flu? None here either.
These are not serious threats to the everyday lives of most Americans and thus deserve little attention and certainly deserve no need to worry or organize and protect against.
Now answer these questions:
Do you know someone who died of cancer?
Do you know someone who died as a result of a car accident?
Do you know someone who died as a result of a heart attack?
etc…
What would you be most afraid of and willing to purchase insurance (read prep) against? Is it any wonder why the news and businesses revolve around the mitigation and prevention of the above threats?
My humble suggestion is that we start framing the question thusly:
Do you know someone who has or has ever had the flu? Yes!
You do? Well do you realize that 76.7% of the people who are catching a certain strain of it are dying? And that strain has a very good chance of becoming widespread??? You need to get ready.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
I like the way you think, Temp Man.
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