There's always something that is "looming" or "impending" or "set to strike". Bird flu? That's fertile ground for scaring people; the Powers That Be are gonna milk that one thoroughly. The recent rash of notable earthquakes represent another rich vein of fear in the government mines, one which needs to be dug up and refined and used to best advantage.
Of course these things "could" be truly dangerous, in fact they definitely are to varying extents...but that magic word "could" can be used to turn anything into anything. A new bird flu "could" turn into a zombie apocalypse causing the death of millions...but would likely be a minor blip in disease stats. The next chunk of rock that hits the earth "could" be a planet-killer the size of Texas...but it will almost certainly be a grain of sand that burns up before it hits the ground. A mysterious creature that raids your yard and destroys your birdfeeders late at night "could" be a Sasquatch...but it's probably just a hungry juvenile bear.
But, wow, today...right now, as I type this...we are hours away from an eclipse! These are rare enough in any given location that very, very few people have a lot of experience with them, so...yeah, that can be made scary. And that's what they are doing! An incredible astronomical event, easily visible to the man on the street without expensive equipment, producing a spectacular visual display and providing a chance to create a teaching moment for children, as well as providing a huge boost to local businesses and economies from incoming tourists and eclipse-viewers...and we have local governments declaring a State of Emergency to prepare for it. Hospitals will be flooded, apparently, with idiots who have managed to burn two holes into their heads where their eyes once were. Run away!!!
My granddaughters aren't lucky to enough to be able to see the totality of it, we're way out to the side but there will still be a partial eclipse visible here. I was all set to be with them to see it, school be damned that day, mylar glasses on hand...but my stepdaughter, who will believe anything as long as she sees it on the internet and it doesn't require actual reading...is sending them to school...and the school has made it clear that during the time of the partial eclipse, all windows will be covered and no students will be allowed outside or even close to the windows. That's a "teaching moment" all right, but they're teaching them to be...literally...afraid of their own shadows.
My neighbour, in a theatrical hushed whisper, said the other day "But what if we look at it? It's dangerous!"
I replied "The sun is up there every single day, and it's always dangerous to look at it. Do you normally go outside and stare at the sun?"
She donned that blank expression which I have come to recognize as an indication that she is...briefly...thinking. "Well...no..."
"Good! Do that during the eclipse too!"
WTF is wrong with people?????!!!!!