UCLA psychiatrist Irwin Savodnik writes that Americans overreact to problems, real and imagined, by turning them into a crisis.
We seem to have fallen in love with crises, and the more crises we find the more animated we seem to be. We are immersed in a Crisis of Crises, replete with illogic, a surfeit of emotion, and strings of events vying for crisis status.
The media gave constant coverage of the outbreak of Swine Flu in Mexico where it had first turned lethal. What they didn't cover was that Mexico's poor quality health care system could have led to sub par medical treatment, and help cause the death of the infected people. The media has blown Swine Flu out of proportion, making people scared for their lives. It's not just the television networks that are to blame; the New York Times has published over 100 stories on Swine Flu.
Savodnik calls overreaction "mythical thinking"; like children, we turn our fears into myths, colorful stories.
We've chosen ways of thinking found in children, tribal cultures, and dreams.
There is a moral dimension to all this. We are not children anymore. We are not mere mythmakers. We know fairy tales don't solve the problems that plague us. We have a choice between thinking in Dr. Seuss terms, and in reflective adult ways.
It's interesting my wife and me talk about this all the time. It is always a "crisis" or "breaking news". I almost miss the days when news travelled slowly.
But without manufacturing a "crisis" (or a War On 'fill in the blank') Progressives would have nothing to hide behind as they expand their influence and trample our individual rights. Once they've created the "crisis," they can leap in a "fix" it... all for our benefit, of course.
Plus, a crisis gets better ratings. Fear sells.
November 5, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Ron
Never let a crisis go to waste. That is the buzz phrase of big government advocates who see a crisis as yet another opportunity to expand government power and its budget. Liberty takes a back seat when our government is responding to a crisis. They feel they must protect us because we are too feeble to protect ourselves. If it happens that we are not too feeble then they try to pass laws to guarantee that we are. Well, this American has already had 2 good parents and does not need a third.
November 5, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Chris
I believe it was Jean Baudrillard that said something along the lines of America actually being in a tribal state, but just with high technology and a culture that is little more than a complex set of rituals and superstitions. I might be blending what he said with what someone else said, though, so don't quote me.
November 5, 2009 at 3:26 pm
FoxInSocks
Not sure if we've "chosen" to think in "Dr. Seuss terms" as a culture or if it's a result of only having Thing 1 or Thing 2 as influences. Thank goodness Fox is leading the way to expand our consciousness by covering more than what was seen on Mulberry Street.
November 6, 2009 at 10:31 am
aboutthis blog
John Stossel joined FOX Business and FOX News in October 2009. He is the New York Times best-selling author of Give Me A Break and Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity. His "Give Me a Break" commentaries take a skeptical look at a wide array of issues, such as education, the economy, parenting, and more.
UCLA psychiatrist 
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Jeff
It's interesting my wife and me talk about this all the time. It is always a "crisis" or "breaking news". I almost miss the days when news travelled slowly.
Susan
But without manufacturing a "crisis" (or a War On 'fill in the blank') Progressives would have nothing to hide behind as they expand their influence and trample our individual rights. Once they've created the "crisis," they can leap in a "fix" it... all for our benefit, of course. Plus, a crisis gets better ratings. Fear sells.
Ron
Never let a crisis go to waste. That is the buzz phrase of big government advocates who see a crisis as yet another opportunity to expand government power and its budget. Liberty takes a back seat when our government is responding to a crisis. They feel they must protect us because we are too feeble to protect ourselves. If it happens that we are not too feeble then they try to pass laws to guarantee that we are. Well, this American has already had 2 good parents and does not need a third.
Chris
I believe it was Jean Baudrillard that said something along the lines of America actually being in a tribal state, but just with high technology and a culture that is little more than a complex set of rituals and superstitions. I might be blending what he said with what someone else said, though, so don't quote me.
FoxInSocks
Not sure if we've "chosen" to think in "Dr. Seuss terms" as a culture or if it's a result of only having Thing 1 or Thing 2 as influences. Thank goodness Fox is leading the way to expand our consciousness by covering more than what was seen on Mulberry Street.