Too Much Anti, Not Enough Immune

I was in my grocery store today and shopping for some home cleaning supplies and was struck by so many "antibacterial' products for sale. This 21st century cleanliness craze is too much ado about nothing, I think. Are people in your country as obsessed about viruses and germs as we are in the U.S.? Everyone here seems to be worried about bacteria and germs, something I never heard much about as a kid.
I remember my mom always telling me to wash my hands before dinner and after using the toilet. But that was it. We didn't have the option of anti bacterial soaps, antibacterial hand wipes, antibacterial wipes for the kitchen and bathroom counters, antibacterial ointments for cuts, antibacterial sprays for the air, masks to wear to protect from pollution or germs...It seems to me those are overkill.
It used to be that we had another and more effective weapon to kill those threatening germs, our immune systems. But I wonder if our immune systems ever work as well anymore. They now don't seem to be exposed to enough germs to be strong . No wonder this is an age of minor afflictions.
Too, I am sure that the manufacturers of baby products were the people responsible for this un necessary and dangerous (it's weakening our natural immune systems in using all that anti stuff) trend to literal cocoon us in an antibacterial wrap. Sure, babies have weak immune systems and maybe do need some of those antiseptic precautions, but adults need more germ contact to prevent out immune systems from breaking down so much that we can't fight the stronger and more menacing germs we come in contact with. Sigh....I don't want to be a bubble boy. I need contact with the world, and the world includes germs, many of which are good for me. I think it is unnecessary and unhealthy to use those antibacterial products. Germs can be good for us. And when those airline flight attendants pass around the heated antiseptic towels on flights I ride, I just want to tell them, "No thanks. I prefer something with germs. I want to feed my immune system."
The world is obsessed with germs- the West Nile Virus, Bird Flu, hantavirus, E coli, salmonella. We never had them years ago, because people had normal immune systems. They didn't wipe with antibacterial products then and weren't afraid to eat rare meat or food that had been sitting outside the refrigerator all day. They didn't wash constantly either. Why, I never saw those crazy latex gloves until I was at least 20 years old.
It's amusing to see food servers in hair nets and wearing gloves. They are supposed to make them "antiseptic", yet I know some fat guy with oozing pimples probably wiped his face as he handled everything I ate from those restaurants. It's really silly, but people like to think they are "protected" from germs..
You know what I like? I like to see the fast food workers scrubbing the floors while wearing their latex gloves. Because I know as soon as they ring the mop in those gloves, they will probably head right for the preparation area and handle the french fries while wearing the same gloves they had on when ringing the dirty mop. Yes, I should request my fries be latex glove handled. I 'll get the germs free of charge. My immune system gets to eat the same time as I do.
I think my immune system is strong. I almost never get sick, not even colds. But Jane is different. Maybe she has been anti bacterialized too much, because she and most kids I see today are sick far often than those people who had normal immune system training. Maybe the constant antibiotic prescriptions people take today when ill are making our immune systems too weak, not allowing them to work. It seems that way because people of the "antibacterial generation" (I just made up that name) have a lot more allergies and illnesses than former ones. Well, I am going to eat a little snack now and I am not going to wash my hands! In fact, I am so riled about this germ obsession, I think I will drop my food on the kitchen floor before I even take a bite. And remember, be careful today! There are plenty of anti bacterials out there.....