Why does the average person seem to not care about mad cow disease?

Answer 1

Because the average person does not understand the potential of CJD and does not even care. IF it does turn out to be a killer 20-30years time as some have predicted the mode of infection to be, then people will care. Whats more they will say why wasn't it made a fuss of now.

edit: in response to what shaolinrock said, there have been more than 20 confimed deaths in the UK alone. Truth is the only reason there was a big outbreak in the UK was because we looked for it and told the trruth about having it. Spain doesn't even look for it in its cattle for crying out loud. There is a theory that CJD will have a delayed effect like in some viral infections, and that the problems will come 20 years down the line.

Answer 2

This question is really about risk management.

Mad Cow is a VERY VERY rare disease which is not all all contagious and hardly infectious. That means, of millions and millions of people who have eaten infected cows, only a very small number (maybe a couple hundred?) have gotten the disease. And it does not spread from person to person.

So, if you get this disease, that would be bad. But your chance of getting it is REALLY small. Your chance of being in a building hit by a terrorist piloted airliner is greater. And your chance of getting some other terrible disease, like malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS etc are VERY, VERY much greater.

So if you want to worry about something, worry about other stuff first.

MEanwhile

Answer 3

Because humans have a tendency to only react and find solutions when the problem is blown out of scale. For example people often don't do their assignments until the day before the due date. The truth is, it's in our nature. Our society, with television and computer games is numb. That is we are all passive. We do what people do, we believe what the media tell us. We do not question things or look for solutions when the problem first pops up. The mad cow disease is obviously a problem but until it infests half the world and has a becomes an epidemic threatening the US then no one will care.

Answer 4

because its a minor risk. mad cow disease or new crutchfield Jacobson's syndrome as its called in humans is so rare there have only been about 20 cases reported world wide. meaning you would have a 1 in 300,000,000 chance of contracting it. Even if you ate the raw brains of a cows that died from mad cow disease it might take you ten years to show signs of new crutchfield Jacobson's syndrome. The syndrome is caused by a protein corrupter called an anti prion this anti prion corrupts proteins making long chains of corrupted proteins eventually these chains can interfere with normal brain function but it would take a long time.

Answer 5

She is probable in all probability- an exceptionally sane individual Its in simple terms her shenanigans of attempting so no longer subject-free to be a celeb that makes people grimace. perchance certainly one of her advisors felt this grew to become into the reason of Obowingman's attractiveness in 2008, how he gained. Blame it on the common individuals habit to eye candy of television. Isnt that a powerful rationalization? As for the winking, she could desire to have discovered that interior the previous and it had become a foul and nasty habit. via the time she will have the skill to be 50 or 60, this is going to easily be disregarded as a facial tic. My suggestion to you is overlook approximately IT because of the fact all people else does.

Answer 6

There are a lot of things out there you could freak out about. A lot. Most people just choose to live life a day at a time and take what comes. Can you blame them? It's certainly a lot healthier for you. Stressing out over every potential future crisis isn't going to help you, and furthermore, it isn't going to make the crisis less likely to occur. What can the average person do to stop an infectious protein? Not much. So they figure 'let the scientists and doctors worry about it'. And the scientists and doctors are indeed worried about it.

Answer 7

if the average person cared about mad cow disease, we would also have to care about german measles, flesh-eating viruses, and tse tse flies. we would all then be confined to our beds biting our nails and wondering when the stray bullet is going to come through the wall.

one answer and one answer only: we're too lazy to care about mad cow.

Answer 8

since first of all their is no media publicity, since it would bring down the whole cattle industry, and would also cause the FDA for a higher increase in vaccination, the cases are pretty rare since the mad cow disease will be rapidly diagnosed and the number of cases a year will not be significant.

Answer 9

It's rare in the US. It's big headline in the news if one case is dicovered in the whole country. One or two people becoming infected among 300 million isn't going to make people worry about it even though there are no known cure for it.

Answer 10

Because it is so rare. If it became common you can bet that people would care a great deal, and most would stop buying beef altogether.