Im not sure if this is in the right place for this topic, and it is a serious topic...But anyway...


Does anyone here remember the fears that came with the AIDS virus and HIV?


I remember one of the myths that was huge around here at the time was that you could catch the disease from simply walking where an infected person had stood. My logic back then was that, if that were the case (and most of us didnt know any better) then you could catch the disease even if you wore shoes because it could travel onto your shoes and then youd catch it.

I also remember a lot of people were blaming the gay community for the disease.


Does anyone else remember this time and the fears and myths that came when news of the disease was first released?

Looking back now it seems so stupid and naive to believe a lot of the trash that was spread about the disease, but then, the fear of the disease was so thick that you could almost smell it.


I am wondering, also, do you think this had any baring on popular culture back in the 80's, and if so, did it change the way we live at all? Did it get into popular music (as in did people sing about it) were there many movies made about it?


I am asking because I really cant remember any changes occuring in popular (I_am_a_loser_who_has_no_respect_for_women)ure in the early to mid 1980's duue to AIDS, but then, maybe things did change because of it and I just didnt realise.



I know its a serious question to a serious topic, but it is directly related to popular culture of the 80's.






Thanks





AN

It was an extremely paranoid time, where people were distrusting and judging many without any substantial evidence. It was a truly scary time.

It was truly a scary time

I remember when The Hogan Family did an episode about it where David's best friend Rich succumbed to the disease.  At the end of the episode when David was giving his speech at the funeral ... It was quite emotional  :\'(

I'd say AIDS scared people in the 80s as much as the threat of the Cold War getting "hot". The possibility of "catching" a new disease that could kill you in short order created a paranoia among the public, especially in the days before widespread efforts to educate how HIV was and was not spread. It's odd now to watch news coverage of the Ryan White saga and listen to people talk about White like he was a leper. We've come a long way since then.

I remember my middle school health classes having special sessions on AIDS during this time. It was a heavy topic for kids like us to digest when our biggest concern at that time probably involved our Nintendo systems.