June 26, 2003
SunDumb
It's summer in the city and I've never seen so many acres of bare, exposed flesh in my life. Every lunch time there are literally hundreds of people spilling out of offices and into the parks, where they strip off so much clothing it's practically indecent. They then lie down in the full heat of the midday sun to bake themselves to a glorious crisp. There's narray a slick of sunscreen or a hat to be seen anywhere.
My poor little Australian "SunSmart" brain can't comprehend the stupidity of it all. I have seen so many people walking around like scorched tomatoes recently, that it's not funny. I want to tell them that maybe they should just save themselves a lot of time and trouble and drape themselves over a barbecue instead; the effect would be much the same and they wouldn't have to waste their whole lunch hour doing it.
Growing up in Australia, it's hard not to pay heed to all the advice - - originally stemming from the Cancer Council of Victoria way back in 1980 - - that acquiring a tan isn't healthy: it's downright dangerous.
Here, in England, acquiring a tan is an obsession.
When I first moved here, almost five years ago now, I was always constantly amazed at how crazy people went whenever the sun came out. I used to forgive them for acting so mad, because I knew that the sun didn't come out very often and, hey, you have to make the most of a good thing, right?
But seeing people doing stupid things -- like laying out in the middle of the day, soaking up UV rays like big, fat, sponges -- makes me realise that part of the problem is that no-one has ever told them about the dangers of skin cancer. In fact, many have been told it's healthy to get "a touch of sun"!
Hopefully, things are about to change. There's been quite a bit about the inherent risks of skin cancer in the media lately. In fact, the UK now has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, higher in fact, than Australia. Why? Because the Aussies have learnt (over the past 20 or so years) to protect their skin when out and about in the sun, whereas the Brits haven't.
Sadly, judging by the numbers lying out in the sun without protection, the spiralling rate of skin cancer and associated mortality rates in the UK will continue for some time to come yet. And all because so many people desparately wish to forsake that gorgeous English Rose complexion for a leathery tan!
No matter how you look at it, there is no cure for studpidity. Thousands, perhaps millions walk around with psoriasis (a skin disease that can only be alleviated by strong UV rays) and just try and buy a sun lamp. Not a chance. Agreed some need to stay out of the sun, but some need to get into it.
Posted by: Roberta at June 27, 2003 04:42 AMThe strange thing is that here in Britain we started to be told of the dangers of skin cancer in the mid-Eighties. People just don't listen. Maybe they don't think it'll happen to them. Perhaps the campaigns haven't been powerful enough. I think most people know about it, though. But it's only something they hear about for a short part of the year - there's nothing reminding them during the autumn, winter or early spring. I wonder if that's of any significance?
Posted by: David (TEFL Smiler) at June 27, 2003 10:00 AMMy theory, which is mine, is that British persons, of which I am one, simply don't believe the sun here is intense enough to cause problems. South of France or the Costa del Bingeing, yes; Morocco, fer sure; Australia, well duh! But moist old Blighty? C'mon, we weren't born yesterday!
This is my theory, which is mine, of Folk Climatology - demonstrating once again there's nothing so simple that people can't get it utterly wrong.
(NB, British Persons! Big fireball in sky! Hot! Burns! Dangerous!)
Posted by: des at June 27, 2003 03:50 PMthis reminds me a lot of the french with the dangers of cigarettes/cancer. somehow, the message isn't as out there as it is in the US, I guess.
although, we're getting some stronger warning labels soon, though. perhaps that'll drill it into a few brains.
Posted by: kim at June 30, 2003 03:48 PM