Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself

Polls show a majority of Americans are concerned about the H1N1 virus (swine flu), but also about the safety and efficacy of the swine flu vaccine. Is it ethical to say no to this or any vaccine? Are there valid religious reasons to accept or decline a vaccine? Will you get a swine flu shot? Will your children?

America is a culture of fear. We’re afraid of violence, natural disasters, terrorists, street crimes, fraud, job loss, poverty, illness—you name it. Fear-mongering is rampant, but the most interesting part is this: Americans love fear.

Those who deny the safety and efficacy of the swine flu vaccine are choosing fear over a possible solution. And they don’t have to look very far to find scare-mongers who will feed their worst expectations.

These voices speak the loudest, of course, but they also play on a preoccupation with, and a morbid interest in, tragedy. Like gawking at a car accident or watching a house burn down, this obsession with disaster can lift people out of the daily grind and make life more exciting. Buying into unfounded fears or believing worst-case scenarios allows people to see the world as essentially unsafe. It allows them to throw up their hands and avoid responsibility for making choices that could enhance their lives.

This is the reason Internet rumors about the swine flu vaccine, regardless of the source or credibility, carry more weight than valid information from public-health officials.

It’s also the reason religious groups are able to control people through fear. Earlier this year, a Wisconsin mother faced charges of second-degree homicide for the death of her daughter from untreated juvenile diabetes. The mother’s faith taught her—and she chose to believe—that medical treatment would harm, rather than help, her daughter.

And it’s the reason pop culture figures and celebrities can get away with posing as authorities on politics, ethics, and health care. Jenny McCarthy, for example, a former Playboy model and MTV star, speaks publicly (and has written several books) about the dangers of vaccines and her belief that they are a primary cause of autism—a belief not grounded in scientific fact.

“Fear Factor” was a hit show for six seasons precisely because it played on this human fascination with the grotesque. Other reality shows speak to a voyeuristic interest in car crashes and near-death experiences. Even a cursory look at American entertainment today reveals a belief that humans are powerless in the face of inevitable calamity. After all, there is a kind of safety in believing this.

The H1N1 virus, by last count, has shown up in 191 countries, infecting millions and killing nearly 4,000 people. Every adult has a legal right to refuse the vaccine. But each person also has a moral obligation to protect children who don’t have the right to choose. There also is an ethical call for accountability to the community, to not harm or put others at risk as a result of individual choices. It is time for Americans to stop believing the scare-mongers, to become informed about possible solutions to problems, and to take responsibility for safeguarding themselves, their children, and members of their communities.