Shannon Brownlee has a nice essay on the way the medical industry leverages fear to push us into doctor's offices, persuade us to take their medications, and keep us in a constant state of heightened anxiety. This used to be accomplished for a subset of the population by subcontracting out with Jewish mothers, but now the practice has grown more sophisticated. As Brownlee shows, the industry not only run ominous advertisements, they literally invent diseases -- a practice known as "condition branding" -- so we can fear an assailant with a name and a pedigree. Sometimes -- as with pharmaceutical companies -- this is done for profit. Sometimes -- as with disease awareness groups -- it's a product of less malign motives. And sometimes there's even a positive impact, as folks are made aware of screening tests they should take. But it often results in needless fear, overdependence on the medical industry, and overuse of drugs that have, themselves, powerful and damaging side effects.
