MYTHOLOGY 101
We are always re-reading Oedipus and we think we get it:to try to weasel out of your fate just tightens the noose. The enterprise, Life Line Screening The Power of Prevention, is trying to sell me a bunch of screenings to detect my risk of death from stroke, aneurysms, and heart disease. According to their pitch, the screenings are painless and I don't even have to remove my clothing. If they find a condition that is life-threatening, they will notify my doctor immediately. It is tempting, but my doctor is no fool. She knows that too many tests can lead to too much of the wrong kind of information--the kind that deludes you into thinking you can avoid your fate. We know where that kind of thinking got Oedipus and company. As modern medicine and technology become increasingly sophisticated, it makes us think that if we pay close enough attention, we can evade death. But they can wave their magic wand as much as they want, and the outcom...