The herd and propaganda

I recently received an email from an American (in California) explaining how to protect yourself from Ebola…

I actually laughed out loud!

This is a smart individual and after the laughter and giggling died down, I had to ask myself how can smart people be led to believe such ridiculous things?

I understand that IN AFRICA, this is a major crisis.

I-N A-F-R-I-C-A.

Not in the United States of America, Canada or Australia.

And yet the US media (we all know which network feeds on fear and propaganda…) is proliferating and promoting FEAR like it’s armageddon. Fear is..
F  alse
E  vidence that
A  ppears
R  eal

As The Exponential Growth Strategist, my “job” is to decipher messages like this and explain WHY it happens.

First, people are fearful and vulnerable as the result of the Global Financial Crisis and the never-ending “War On Terror”.

Second, ignorance plays a big part when there is information asymmetry. The media loves to exploit this for as long as they can. In this instance, the issue is not understanding the vital difference between a disease that is contagious versus infectious.

Infectious diseases are caused by microscopic germs (such as bacteria or viruses) that get into the body and cause adverse health problems. Some infections spread to people from an animal or insect, but are not contagious from another human. Lyme disease is one such example: You can’t catch it from someone you’re hanging out with or pass in the street. It comes from the bite of an infected tick. Another way is when an infectious microbe travels through the air after someone nearby sneezes or coughs.

Contagious diseases on the other hand, are spread from person to person. Contagious diseases (such as the flu, colds, or strep throat) spread from person to person in several ways. One way is through direct physical contact, like touching or kissing a person who has the infection. Sometimes people get contagious diseases by touching or using something an infected person has touched or used — like sharing a straw with someone who has mono or stepping into the shower after someone who has athlete’s foot. And sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are spread through all types of sex. It is the exchange or contact of body fluids that enable the transmission of the disease.

Ebola is contagious – NOT infectious.

Therefore, you can help protect yourself against contagious diseases (like Ebola) by washing your hands well and often, staying away from those who are sick, making sure you’re up to date on all vaccinations, and always using condoms during any type of sex.

Simply put – unless you directly touch or exchange body fluids with an Ebola sufferer – you’re safe.

In Africa, their issues are cleanliness, control of infected patients and “health standards” for containment. These are not issues in developed countries.

The real reason I am blogging about this is because this is yet another distraction that people don’t need in their lives and/or business.

If you are distracted to the point of “falling for” propaganda like this – you have to ask yourself a few questions:

• Is this behaviour helping or hindering me in my career or business?
• Am I really scared of Ebola or do I just enjoy the thrill and excitement of it all?
• Why am I do easily distracted and influenced (gullible)?
• Why don’t I verify the veracity of the SOURCE of information like this more critically?

At the Exponential Growth Strategist, I assist my clients to cut through all the noise and get to the essence of what’s important versus the media’s self-serving SMOKE AND MIRRORS.

Too many people are distracted by Ebola to see what is looming on the horizon that will have more a much more detrimental effect than Ebola…

My clients are ready. Are you?