Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[american4life67]

With all of the news reporting SARS, there is no way that people are not going to start to grow a fear worldwide. There isn�t a minute that goes by on the TV that SARS is not mentioned, whether it is breaking news, or just an update. With all this information of SARS floating around, there is also the build up of fear. Now I personally think that most of the fear is unneeded and triggered strictly by the media. With all the travel warnings and the way that the media is expressing SARS is also increasing the fears. Showing an empty Beijing street, or a street full of people wearing masks, or showing the empty shelves of a local supermarket after the SARS scare. I don�t believe that SARS would be as big of an issue if the media didn�t make it one. I currently live in Beijing, and it hasn�t stopped me from doing much from my normal life.

[obelix]

I agree with you. The media are currently obsessed with health issues. The Sars thing is no worse than some of the influenzas we have seen over the years.
In Canada, the SARS was easily contained and seems to spread mainly in hospitals. Now it is gone except for two cases, now almost recovered.
The latest panic is about the West Nile virus which originated in Africa and is now spread in Ontario, Canada by mosquitoes.
If you listen to the media's advice, you would shut yourself up in a mosquito net and never go out all summer.
I am not going to live my life like that. I will take my chances with the mosquitoes just as I do every year, and enjoy the all too brief summer.
We all have to die, but living your life afraid of death is a complete waste of what should be a happy and interesting time.

[wing]

We will feel so difficult to survive in the world if simply believe everything what the media said. To think deeply, not all of things can be trusted.
_________________
Go where you wanna go; Do what you wanna do; With whoever you wanna do it with ---Mamas & Papas

[wing]

We will feel so difficult to survive in the world if simply believe everything what the media said. To think deeply, not all of things can be trusted.
_________________
Go where you wanna go; Do what you wanna do; With whoever you wanna do it with ---Mamas & Papas

[american4life67]

Yeah, i think that the government probably uses the media to make the viruses sound worse so people are more aware and this could help prevent such a bad outbreak.