Beware of the germ!!

I recently became acquainted with a new area of history which I have had no prior knowledge, the History of the Germ. I recently reviewed Nancy Tomes, "The Gospel of Germs: Men, Women and the Microbe in American Life" and was absolutely fascinated with how little I knew about germs and germ theory. I don't say this from simply a medical perspective but rather how influential the germ is in how we've been conditioned to think and the problems that arise as a result. Tomes begins by referring to a mother teaching her son to cover up before sneezing and washing his hands after using the bathroom. But does the mother know why? The relationship between our understanding of various germs has had an immense influence on our society. The author refers to one fascinating example of how in 1984 a young man contracted HIV by receiving an injection to treat a heart condition he had. This young man was completely shunned from his community and on one particular day someone shot a bullet through his living room window. This is how important it is that we perceive germs and germ theory properly. People are often completely misinformed and mis-educated on various topics and we become afraid of what we don't know. For Tomes, understanding how the Germ Theory developed allows us to deal with our present understanding of germs. She also shows us how it is vital to create our own Gospel of Germs. A new Gospel which will deal with new challenges and diseases that we face in society today. Our understanding of the Germ theory can be compared to those who perceived Galen and Harvey's works but perhaps in a less radical way. Regardless of which century we are talking about, the relationship between our social understanding of the body and our medical understanding of it has shaped culture.

Now before you go ahead and comment on my post, make sure you wipe down your keyboard.

The Future Backwards...

The holidays have come to an end, Christmas is officially over, and what can be said about the month of December from an economic perspective? Across Canada the unemployment rate jumped by 0.3 percentage points to 6.6 per cent in December as 34,000 jobs disappeared, with almost half the losses in Alberta.It had been the second consecutive month of significant job losses with declines in full-time jobs and the construction sector leading the declines. With unemployment down creating a financial drought it comes as no surprise that people were hesitant to buy any large items for Christmas and people were planning to spend about 76% less than usual. One of the biggest areas worth examining is the automotive sector during these times and what they are doing to rebound from their losses?
Are you curious?
I was, and what did I find? Ford, in the first quarter of last year was already down 8.7 Billion dollars and the trend continued throughout the remaining months. To offset these huge losses and bounce back on their feet Ford recently announced the production of a new line of technological perks that will be found in new cars. These electronic gadgets are said to be internet ready and more interactive than ever. So let's step back and have a good look at this. Last week I saw a women driving a car, talking on her cell phone and eating something and now Ford is proposing Online Facebook in your car? Come on!!! I realize you are trying to spark the economy and get yourselves out of the hole but I can almost assure you that the production of these gadgets will not be in North America but in China or somewhere out East.
But at least we can "poke" one another and create events on Facebook while we drive from one Gas station to the next.

Past, Present and Future

Farley Mowat is one of our countries greatest and most inspirational authors. Mowat, a passionate Ontarian, has spoken out on many occasions on various topics relating to the environment. His books are often accurate depictions of various injustices as well as tales of adventures and excursions around the world. Educated at the University of Toronto (possibly his biggest downfall, ;)) Mowat began his literary career when he published his work People of the Deer in 1952. If you read any of Mowat's works you will find a hilarious variety of colloquiums in addition to new words he picked up throughout his voyages. I say voyages because I am referring to one particular classic of Mowat's that I think is particularly significant, The Boat that Wouldn't Float, 1969. The book is a classic tale of bravery, commradership and a genuine love for the seas. From a historical perspective the book does not claim much but it does provide a hilarious perspective of Newfoundland culture. Mowats experiences with various types of animals entrenched in him an appreciation for all living things, except perhaps humans. I find it particularily interesting how our life experiences always shape our understanding of various issues and often motivate us to pursue our various beliefs and desires. It can not be said with certainty that Mowat's experience out east can be entirely credited with his desire to evoke environmental change, but it surely did play an important role.

Most recently in the news "Mowat put up bail money to free anti-sealing activists arrested on the waters off Cape Breton, saying the seizure of a ship named after him was a totalitarian act. Mowat, 86, said he was deeply honoured when the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society named their vessel the Farley Mowat, and was ashamed of the Canadian government when he saw it being towed under arrest into Sydney on the weekend" - http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/414380.

Mowat, even at his age, continues to battle environmental injustices and continues to write books to help inspire his readers to be ascertive and active in their beliefs. So what can we understand or take away from Mowat? Well, what have I done to foster change in what I believe in? To be quite honest I don't really know what I believe in. In a fast paced world filled with Starbucks and McDonalds it is easy to become dissillusioned and lost. We are all on a desperate path to achieve something and get somewhere but what is it and where? When we get that job we wanted will we finally say, ok I'm content now? I think Mowats actions reflect an important dynamic, do our actions contribute to our cause? Do our life experiences and what we have come to believe reflect in what we do and how we act? If so how is it relevant or beneficial to either ourselves or the world we live in? Does it have to be?