Pop Culture Paranoia
I was sitting up on the second level of a Metra train today. As we got closer to Millennium Station, I looked down to see a small vial, peeking out slightly from an unoccupied seat.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. Maybe someone’s cologne or perfume. But then I kept staring at it, wondering What type of liquid would someone need to carry around in a vial that size?
My mind leapt to thinking about Twelve Monkeys. And more specifically, to a mention of infectious diseases from the TV show “The West Wing,” where Josh frets about the end of the world after having been issued a special card:
It’s funny – ever since I was in college, I’ve had a fascination with “end of the world” scenarios. If I had to pin it to something, I’d say it might even go back further, to learning about Norse mythology and the notion of Ragnarok.
For a brief moment, it was interesting to imagine a supervirus waiting to be unleashed on the world. When in reality, it was probably just a bit of someone’s shampoo.
Related:
Chris Cornell: Preaching the End of the World
Getting a Flu Shot, Fear of Needles
Mithradates of Fond du Lac
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