Our approach towards bacteria has evolved over the last century. According to Jerry Adler and Jeneen Interlandi, the authors of “Killing Germs May Be Hazardous to Your Health,” “most of the last century is dominated by the paradigm of Total Warfare.”It seems like we as a society attempt to treat any and everything. Even the mildest infections seem to get treatment. “We try to kill them off with antibiotics and hand sanitizers.”

In some regards, this Fix-All-Society is good. It often helps prevent some infections. For example, during the SARS outbreak at the start of the millennium, using Purel was thought to be the appropriate course of action.

Yet, as we find more and more supplements for every infection, the strains of bacteria also evolve. To our misfortune, this is not a good thing. In fact, the bacteria mutate into super-bugs, becoming even harder to kill. For example, “When penicillin began to lose its effectiveness against staph, doctors turned to methicillin, but then MRSA appeared … ranging threat that can strike almost anyone… To be sure, MRSA is a scary infection, fast-moving and tricky to diagnose.” Our approach has become like a vicious cycle, killing the weak and helping the strong.

What does this approach to disease reflect in our society? To some, it is an attempt to gain power in this increasingly complex world. Nancy Tomes, the author of “The Gospel of Germs,” says that she “can’t protect [herself] from bin Laden, but [she] can rid [her]self of germs.” This may be true now. Yet, there is no way of promising that it will be true later. Despite our desire to control every little aspect of life, whether that means killing microbes or even producing human life, we are not powerful enough to truly live with the responsibility of our actions.