Monday, December 23, 2013

Reasons Why Not

As a doctor, I have many patients who like to look things up on the internet.  One of the favorite topics to explore is medications, and the range of possible side effects.  At least the range according to whoever lists this stuff on the internet, or from the drug companies.  And boy, what a range of possible side effects there always is.  If you look at the list, and you believe it, and you assume that every listed possibility is likely to happen (to you), you would never take any medication, for anything.  It would be an act of self-destructiveness to ingest these toxins.  And I should probably be ashamed of myself for suggesting such treatment.  I must be more sadist than helper.  The result is that it takes me a lot longer to talk people out of misinformation and unnecessarily imposed resistance than it would to make and explain the treatment suggestion.

Similarly, if you take an interest in nutrition, and especially if you take an avid interest, or an overcautious interest, you will quickly discover that there is nothing at all that's guaranteed safe to consume.  Once you subtract all animal products, all foodstuffs grown with fertilizers and pesticides, all GMO foods, and avoid an imbalance of any nutrients, you can no longer eat.  And if you try to eat anyway, someone will tell you of the dangers of processing foods, like by cooking them, and you'll struggle with a raw food diet.  If you get careful enough, you will die of starvation.

I assume you bought the house you inhabit.  You probably own a car, too.  And clothes.  Are there any potential dangers in any of these possessions?  Could any of the components of the structure harm you in any way?  Were they all responsibly and sustainably sourced and processed?  You don't use chemicals and cleaning compounds by any chance, do you?  What about the car?  I hope you won't say it runs on gas.  I hope we don't have to talk about the dangers of petroleum and the industry behind it.  What fibers are in the clothes you wear?  Please say you don't dry clean.

To be honest, I still don't really get why airplanes work.  I know they do, having flown on them many times, and knowing intellectually what the theory of aerodynamics is, but it's so improbable.  Airplanes are so big and heavy.  It doesn't make sense that they should be able to levitate from the ground. and at a taxi speed of less than 100 miles per hour.  There's nothing about this that makes any sense at all, except that it happens as predicted, constantly and invariably.

Yes, reality.  Despite all the warnings, medications help more than they harm.  We live long and adequately healthy lives, despite the ongoing assassination attempts perpetrated by the food industry.  Almost none of us are harmed by the vast array of possible allergens and other toxins that surround us all the time.  (We're not going to discuss the petroleum industry.  You won't like where the discussion goes.)  And airplanes take off, cruise, and land precisely as conceptualized.  It's almost creepy how well all the things that have every reason to fail, work.

It's worth keeping reality in mind when some of us can think of every reason, or potential reason, why not.  Why not to consider annexation?  Do you want the long list, or the short list?!  There are so many questions, and so many not yet answered, as about so many things in life.  There are potential flaws, faults, and crises lurking around every corner.  It's unimaginable that any idea is not a terrible one.  You want to know why not?  Ask people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, or people who won't drive, on the highway or anywhere else.  They'll tell you why not.  Nothing good can come of stepping foot outside your house.  It's dangerous enough staying inside your house.  What with microwaves, televisions, computers, cell phones, and who knows what other enemies.  Look at the list of possible medication side effects.  Listen to the doomsday nutrition mavens.  Let me explain to you why airplanes can't really fly.  Life is fraught.  Every possibility is fraught.  Nothing is safe, and certainly not reliable.  If you pay close enough attention to every imaginable adverse possibility, you will become completely paralyzed.  That's a hell of a way to live.

No comments:

Post a Comment