Michael Crichton talks about fear in Complexity Theory and Environmental Management via Maggie's Farm.
Chernobyl. Actual deaths 56. By 2000, the BBC and the NYTimes estimated 15,000 -2000 dead.
Chernobyl. Delayed deaths caused by radiation, 4000. Estimates of delayed death range from 500,000-3.5 million.
A UN report in 2005 said the largest public health problem created by the accident is the
damaging psychological impact [due] to a lack of accurate information…[manifesting] as negative self-assessments of health, belief in a shortened life expectancy, lack of initiative, and dependency on assistance from the state."
In other words, the greatest damage to the people of Chernobyl was caused by bad information. These people weren’t blighted by radiation so much as by terrifying but false information.
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Thousands of Ukrainians who didn’t die were made invalids out of fear. They were told to be afraid. They were told they were going to die when they weren’t. They were told their children would be deformed when they weren’t. They were told they couldn’t have children when they could. They were authoritatively promised a future of cancer, deformities, pain and decay. It’s no wonder they responded as they did.
Is it any surprise that the US public sees the news media as biased, inaccurate and uncaring.
The younger, better educated internet news audience is even harsher, especially for their failure to "stand up for America" according to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
Posted by Jill Fallon at August 9, 2007 12:54 PM | Permalink