Chemophobia
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Chemophobia (or chemphobia or chemonoia) is an aversion to or prejudice against chemicals or chemistry. The phenomenon has been ascribed both to a reasonable concern over the potential adverse effects of synthetic chemicals, and to an irrational fear of these substances because of misconceptions about their potential for harm, particularly the possibility of certain exposures to some synthetic chemicals elevating an individual's risk of cancer. Consumer products with labels such as "natural" and "chemical-free" (the latter being an oxymoron if taken literally, since all matter is made up of chemicals) appeal to chemophobic sentiments by offering consumers what appears to be a safer alternative (see appeal to nature).
See also
- Appeal to nature
- Chemical free
- Hazardous chemicals
- Organic food
- Natural food
- Dihydrogen monoxide parody
- Genetically modified food controversies
- Multiple chemical sensitivity
- List of phobias
- Non-medical use of the suffix -phobia
- Vaccine controversies
- Let Them Eat Precaution