A Few Thoughts about Swine Flu
This is the text of an e-mail I sent to the congregation today. We’ve been inundated the last few days with constant media reports about a new strain of influenza – the H1N1 strain, which has been dubbed the “Swine Flu” because the original virus was one that infected pigs. I know that many of you are concerned; I’ve certainly been paying attention, too. I want to say several things: 1. Keep in mind that the lifeblood of modern media is the continuous update and the usual mode of operation of modern media is to be as flashy and attention-getting as possible. This can turn what may be an important event into a cause for hysteria. You should check in with the world on your news channel of preference each day to see what the latest is – but then turn the channel to something different or turn the TV off. The constant flash and glitter only feeds the panic. The move toward this way of doing business is one of the reasons I left broadcast journalism 20 years ago. It does no one any good. Ev