The new C Word
Cancer is the new c word. New? Perhaps it has been the new c word for a while now? Apparently over 345,000new cases of cancer will be diagnosed by 2015 in the UK. Out of a population of 65 million: this is 0.53%! Is the fear of cancer like fear of crime greater than the reality?
Not for the families and friends of people who die from cancer every day.
Yet there appears to be something about cancer that really seizes on our fearful nature. It easy to see why! First there is the discovery of the ‘lump’ or ‘growth’ in the bathroom, or at a GP visit. Then there is the trial of waiting to find out if it is malignant or not. If it is – then a course of treatment is prescribed ranging from chemotherapy, radiation or depending on its stage of advance- no treatment. Treatment cannot be guaranteed. If the growth is not malignant seeds of doubt have been sown. Family medical histories become more important. Is there something waiting to strike further down the line?
As described in previous blogs the element of fear feeding modern market economies, makes cancer the perfect illness. Fear drives market economies: if you believed the hype you would think it is only in a crisis.
But in reality fear is the key to consumption. Fear of not keeping up, not having the right house, car or bag. Fear of not being happy, fulfilled and creative! It’s all there in the fear! But the fear of exposure to the rampaging market is most effective with its cure of security: particularly financial. The least exposure you have to the rampaging forces of the market, the more protected you are from it! Send your child to private school, get a good career, earn more money!! Pay for life (death) insurance, redundancy insurance, insurance against old age (pension) or insurance against loss of a loved one.
The perception is that there are some people who are more exposed to this than others. People who have money are more protected? Could this be understood in terms of class or opportunity? Perhaps less so than any time before: but money and influence is still perceived as being something belonging to the elite. After all our present cabinet is mostly made up of privileged public school boys!
David Cameron’s argument of “we’re all in this together” was perceived as a rallying call to the people of the UK to stick together and pull through times of austerity. The fact is that it has been exposed as a section of the media confirming its support for his own ideology and political party.
But then cancer does not care about anything about this.
It is the agent of the great leveller – death. Anyone can find a growth. It is random.
Left to chance. There is no protection from it.
Copyright Adrian Scott North London Counsellor Blog 2012 All rights reserved Disclaimer: This weblog content are the views of the writer and for general information only.
This article is designed to provoke argument and critique.