Carolyn Kodis, Kultur 8

When I started reading "You Have What?: Mysterious Illness in Germany" I laughed.  These Germans are so ridiculous.  But then, as I kept reading, I realized: I'm just like the Germans.  I refuse to get a flu shot every season.  Whenever I have a headache, nine out of ten times I'll take a pass on taking aspirin.  I'd much rather wander the Earth while sick than confront a doctor or go to a pharmacy.  And I'm not the only one in my family like this.  My father is the exact same way, as is my 90-something-year-old great grandmother.  Why?  Part of me thinks that aspirin and flu shots don't work.  Another part believes that if you overuse these things, your body builds a resistance which means you'll have to continue increasing your dosage until you eventually overdose.  But I guess it's also some good ol' German stubbornness too.