Seriously! AIDS changed culture tremendously, and created a ton more fear around sex. If a vaccine is developed for it, it will be epochal -- like the introduct

Seriously! AIDS changed culture tremendously, and created a ton more fear around sex. If a vaccine is developed for it, it will be epochal -- like the introduction of Penicillin. A cure for AIDS is almost like a cure for cancer, or fusion power. It's one of those technological miracles you thought maybe wouldn't ever come. Or the Pill, or the Bomb. (I know antivirals have advanced tremendously, but very few people would choose to be stuck on those. Also the progress was gradual enough that it didn't really affect straight peoples' consciousness. For most, AIDS remained a scary threat on the horizon, persistently uncured, still an eventual death sentence.) So, this is wonderful news. I don't think it will actually affect culture very much though. Straight people still worry about pregnancy. People are generally more cautious than they used to be. And the sexual counterrevolution is in full force. But still. It'll be wonderful to close the chapter on AIDS. And it's inspiring that these long-term projects can eventually pan out.