80 Afghan Schoolgirls Fall Ill; Poison Feared

[Liberal_in_LA]

80 Afghan schoolgirls sick in week; poison feared

Dozens of Afghan schoolgirls have fallen ill in recent days after reporting a strange odor in their classrooms in northern Afghanistan, prompting an investigation into whether they were targeted by militants who oppose education for girls or victims of mass hysteria.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94657615

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. probably mass hysteria - this is a common occurrence

The "strange odor, many schoolgirls fall ill" thing is a stock foreign press story. There was a rash of these in Egypt a while back.

It's human nature. Nothing against the girls. The more closed (in every way) the confines the more of this you get.

Used to happen in convents a lot too.

Today it happens in office buildings in America. Fox news used to cover these things as terror attacks and there was one every few days. somebody in an office says there's a funny smell and they feel bad. Soon the whole ofice is feeling the reported symptoms.

I would expct it happened to soldiers in WWI and perhaps recently in Iraq. (Having a valid fear of chemical poisoning adds to the succeptability to waves of self-generated symptoms when there's a funny smell.)

Doesn't mean there are no instances of people being actually sickened by actual chemicals -- there are. But it is usually not the case.

[Taverner]

2. Very possible - HOWEVER - knowing the Talibs I wouldn't put past them

However usually they just go for the tried and true "throw acid on a little girl's face"

[stray cat]

3. Maybe but do they also imagine the acid attacks that kill and disfigure them

because they went to school?

[Robb]

4. Yes, because the region has no history in this regard.

"Mass hysteria." :eyes:

Are you aware how many girls are mutilated each year in Kunduz alone?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. irrelevant, but bonus points for thoughtless self-righteousness

The argument you offer is of the "illogical but appealing to morons hence possibly persuasive" category.

The history in the region that you think has considerable bearing on the topic. I noted in my reply that these events are more likely when there is a real world plausibility to buttress a reaction.

Mass psychological reactions regarding imagined illness-inducing gases are a really well-documented and long standing thing that human beings do. Whole American towns were sickened by imaginary German gas attacks during WWI. It... happens.

The mutilation of girls does not undercut my reply, it bolsters it. These poor kids are stressed out and paranoid with good reason.

Which makes mass-hysterical events more likely, not less likely.

People were stressed out after 9/11 and rationally fearful. Americans were in an hysterical state during WWI. Islamic girls schools are regimented and stressful. Being subject to terror attacks is stressful.

[Robb]

7. As opposed to a more thoughtful self-righteousness?

Please. These "poor kids" suffering from mass hysteria is as likely as their developing tennis elbow. Are you honestly trying to compare the psychology of children in Afghanistan with that of American high-rise office workers?

Your assumptions are only mildly offensive, but exceptionally ignorant. Pat yourself on the back for being so well-read on Western maladies, however.

[HughMoran]

5. Possibly not true due to psychological effects is not the same as a melted face

Why must people make extreme arguments that ruin the whole discussion?