PTSD

No, don't call it an epidemic. Call it something cheerful, like "Double Chocolate Sundae"

From now on, here at ptsd we'll be referring to H5N1 as "cuddly bear."

This just in from Lawyers, Guns and Money.

Money quote, from the White House Office of Drug Control Policy:

If it's an epidemic, that implies that there is nothing we can do about it and we should lose hope.

Right, that's what we should do. What, an epidemic? Well, that's the game, then. I'm going to stock up on Power Bars and go home to hide in the basement until the dread terror kills off the guilty and the damned. Because it isn't like we could control or stop an epidemic. Nope, move along folks, nothing to be done here.

Over and beyond the inherent stupidity of such a remark, it is an interesting example of the importance of language and framing in policy. As long as we call a problem something cheerful, we don't have to worry about it and can stop funding efforts to control it. And once we call it an epidemic, well, there's nothing to be done, and we should apply our limited funds to some other problem.

So does the name really matter, when it comes to paying for prevention and control efforts?

posted by Elizabeth @ 1:55 PM