Draftophobia

The articles on the fear of moving air and medicine were hilarious, but I must admit I don't think the Germans are so far out of left field. Of course germs are transported in moving air - but they are transported on our bodies too. Being in close quarters with people ensures passing around a lot of germs and viruses. Honestly, when I lived in New York and took public transportation every day I was sick constantly. Since I moved to Ann Arbor I haven't been sick once. And I get the fear of antibiotics. It's the same concept as chemo - you kill the cancer, but you kill a lot of healthy cells too. With antibiotics you kill germs that cause colds and flus, but there is also concern that we are setting the stage for really powerful bacteria. I personally think a little bit of sickness is an important part of building a strong body. But that's neither here nor there. The point of these articles is that our perception of illness is completely culturally conditioned. In my childhood, being sick meant lying in bed with orange juice, ginger ale and a stack of Saltines. To the point that when I get sick now, I actually crave these things. Logically I know that carbonated sugar water and white flour are not going to heal me. But it's all about what I think works, and that's probably all that matters.