Does that sound like love?

November 18, 2006 by Dr. Mc.

Last night I saw a commercial disguised as a public service announcement. Perhaps you have seen it, too: Someone says, “Did you know that cervical cancer is caused by a common virus?” The reply is, “A virus. I didn’t know that!” It mentions that the virus is human papillomavirus (HPV), and then encourages women of all ages to get a pap smear regularly. “Tell someone you love,” they say; “I’m going to tell my daughter,” is one of the closing lines. Does that sound like love to you?

All that is said is true, but they fail to mention that HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, in other words, behaviorally avoided. They fail to mention that condoms offer virtually no protection against HPV. They mention that the body can cure itself of some strains of HPV, but fail to mention that others have no medical cure, and that it is the most common venereal disease, responsible for half of all venereal infections annually. Why would medical professionals pay the money for a commercial to inform people how to detect and treat an incurable disease, and not tell them how to prevent it?

It is politically incorrect to tell people that they can control themselves. It is not just from a sense of American liberty. That has been around since at least 1776. This new concept crosses national boundaries. This new concept is one of shedding responsibility for our own behaviors. This new concept of irresponsibility ties closely to the evolutionary concept of our animal heritage. Animals cannot go against their drives, and since we are just animals a little more complex, we can’t help ourselves either. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we are told we can’t control ourselves, we are likely not to try. One thing is for sure: If we don’t believe we can control ourselves, we won’t. Our culture is not even trusting our young people with the knowledge to decide this one for themselves. If I tell me daughter about pap smears and don’t tell her what causes the need for pap smears, does that sound like love to you?

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