Sandi Thom’s exclusive column
Pandemic of panic keeps us in the dark
Published:
HOW do? It is I, Sandi Thom, one-hit wonder and darling of the First Minister.
You know, just once I’d like to switch on the news to discover something nice has happened in the world.
Wouldn’t it be great to sit down to Sir Trevor telling us “nothing much happening today folks, here is the sport and the weather,” as he pours himself a Malibu and pineapple.
Alas no!
For we live in a world where the powers that be see to it that we perpetually exist in fear.
For fear is the mind killer and together we are far too dangerous and powerful an entity when given the freedom to contemplate our lives.
This week, as I find myself in the States, it’s swine flu.
The US media and all its TV, papers, mags and websites, is controlled by just a handful of people ... and the rest of us just follow their lead.
That’s quite worrying don’t you think? Sort of like history is written by the victors.
As I sit here in my LA hotel room, with a few hours to kill before my gig tonight, the mass TV broadcast of panic and fear is working!
They’re quoting scripture from Revelations and they’ve even got me verifying the passages from the in-house bible a la Gideon.
I consider prayer but figure The Lord is probably swamped with the impending Armageddon, unable to fit me in ’til next Tuesday, if I’m still around!
The coverage is relentless and terrifying here, with lots of science thrown in for confusing good measure.
With a little chuckle though, as I pen the finishing touches to my will, I’m brought back to reality.
The infomercials sharing screen time with Impending Doom TV, hawk a myriad of medications whose innumerable side effects just barely don’t include “instant death”.
There’s big business in flu shots over here folks.
Just like wars keep weapons manufacturers eating well, there’s nothing like a global pandemic to sell a few drugs and kick-start the economy.
People are out in force, stocking up on water, food, medicine, torches and batteries, as if a four-pack of nine-volt Duracell on special offer are going to save you as you hide in your basement from the Angel of Death.
If only there was a way governments could make us buy cars like our lives depended on it!
I know the news coverage back home in Blighty isn’t as apocalyptic as our colonial cousins see it.
But while here I’ve even noticed a rather blast link on the AOL homepage to fashionable face masks for those wishing to face the flu in style. Is this for real?
We’ve certainly been saturated and distracted by Flutube to the expense of other news. The less media exposure Iraq, Afghanistan, Fred Goodwin’s pension and Gordon Brown’s giddy ramblings on YouTube get is all the better for the Government.
Anyhoot, time for me to dismount the soapbox and take to the stage.
Adios!
