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It's tempting to make a snarky comment about ivory tower geniuses trumpeting the discovery of the obvious, but I have to concede that the compulsive anti-microb
by pohl 17y ago
It's tempting to make a snarky comment about ivory tower geniuses trumpeting the discovery of the obvious, but I have to concede that the compulsive anti-microbial contingent has all but eliminated common sense. The immune system, like the muscles and the brain, can grow stronger with use, and atrophies with disuse. Why on earth would one go out of their way to make sure it is never exercised?
- zephjc 17y agoGetting sick is not fun, so naturally they think "I should avoid getting sick and keep my kids from getting sick, since is better than getting sick". This is the emotional reaction, not an intellectual one, and most people ignore or don't have an intellectual understanding of the immune system, other than having heard the term.
- scott_s 17y agoEven people who do have an intellectual understanding of the immune system (for example, these researchers) can't tell you what level of exposure is optimal.
- scott_s 17y agoIt's tempting to make a snarky comment about ivory tower geniuses trumpeting the discovery of the obvious Don't. Ever. If something is true, we should be able to verify it empirically. If we can't verify it empirically, then it might not be true, no matter what "common sense" says. We don't know until we try.
- maximilian 17y agoExactly. The immune system, like the muscles and the brain, can grow stronger with use... This makes sense, but is it true? Without statistically significant evidence to back this up, we don't know for sure if it is true. It could also make sense that we are stuck with our immune systems like I am stuck being 6'3" tall. I get the feeling that a lot of pseudo-scientific "natural" cures use a lot of common sense arguments, but have never gone down the scientific rabbit hole to make sure that the cure has been scientifically shown to be effective.
- Retric 17y agoThe idea we have actually eliminated infectious disease from our day to day lives is silly. There have been massive strides in sanitation, but the primary benefit is clean drinking water, sanitary kitchens, and the removal of bodily wastes. Disinfecting your bathroom everyday does little to reduce the onslaught your immune system deals with every day. You could walk into a forest pickup a handful of dirt and eat it and your only real concern would be parasites. However, licking the average public door handle is best avoided.