# Will sleeping in a closed room with an electric fan cause death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 29, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326 "2009-06-29T08:03:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/1 "2009-06-29T08:03:45Z")
In Korea, the population is fortunate enough to have no depression, AIDS, homosexuality, female smokers, or suicide. (among many other evil western traits) ‘She slept in her room with the windows shut and the electric fan’ on is a ‘No further questions will be asked’ way of explaining the death of a 16 year old in her bedroom while in perfect (physical) health. -Michael (New Zealand) ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/2 "2009-06-29T08:46:20Z")
Welcome, **moohalee**. It’s customary to include a [link](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1245/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death) to the column in question. Such as I just did. No worries, you’ll know next time. Welcome and enjoy your stay. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/3 "2009-06-29T09:58:34Z")
> [@moohalee](#): > > In Korea, the population is fortunate enough to have no depression, AIDS, homosexuality, female smokers, or suicide. (among many other evil western traits) > > -Michael (New Zealand) You’re kidding, right?:eek:😕:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/4 "2009-06-29T11:47:36Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > You’re kidding, right?:eek:😕:dubious: I think he’s saying that ironically, which would explain why he has some question about the concept that the death in question should be left unquestioned. ---
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/5 "2009-06-29T16:34:39Z")
female smokers in korea smoke in the toilets, then breath freshen. If a female were to walk down the street in korea smoking a cigarette she would be abused by such taunts as “whore”. Any signs of not blindly/unconditionally accepting the social rules/standards/expectations= degenerate human trash whom one’s parents are to blame. likewise with suicide. the parents are to blame for everything supposedly in the culture so suicide is the ultimate f u to the parents … trouble is it doesn’t work coz they call it fan death. ---
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/6 "2009-06-29T16:51:43Z")
easier to blame an electric fan than a lifetime of neglect, bad parenting, and a society which sets the same objective for all and sees no room for diversity (evolution) ---
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/7 "2009-06-29T17:02:57Z")
My heart goes out to all the victims of “fan death”. I hope that I have helped your spirits in some way by telling the truth. the straight dope. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/8 "2009-06-29T18:34:36Z")
That’s an interesting assertion, **moohalee**. The problem is that the populace, and even the medical practitioners, _seem_ to actually believe fans are harmful. So someone is falling for the propaganda. The flipside - what if someone wants to commit suicide and decides to use a fan to disguise their intent? They’ll find out it’s much harder than they expect. ---
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/9 "2009-06-30T01:53:48Z")
You can buy your favourite brand of cigarettes from your local pharmacy (chemist) along with your tylenol. medical practictioners in korea once touted a surgical procedure to lengthen the tongue of adolescents so they would be able to pronounce english better. haven’t they ever heard a korean born in the states speak english with no problems? point is- if you have a message to put out then there will be a row of quacks lining up to spread it. ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/10 "2009-06-30T02:10:47Z")
Only if I’m _really_ not in the mood for gentle breezes. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/11 "2009-06-30T02:41:45Z")
> [@moohalee](#): > > You can buy your favourite brand of cigarettes from your local pharmacy (chemist) along with your tylenol. medical practictioners in korea once touted a surgical procedure to lengthen the tongue of adolescents so they would be able to pronounce english better. haven’t they ever heard a korean born in the states speak english with no problems? > > point is- if you have a message to put out then there will be a row of quacks lining up to spread it. You can buy cigarettes at most pharmacies here in the US. (Sort of, anyway. The pharmacy, which dispenses prescription medicines, is almost always part of a grocery store or general purpose shop selling food, non-prescription drugs, and cigarettes.) ---
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/12 "2009-06-30T02:47:39Z")
I’m not talking about the death certificate which would likely say suicide, it’s when the neighbours and relations ask “what happened to your daughter?” the reply will usually be that they were a victim of fan death. ---
**Author:** ![moohalee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@moohalee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moohalee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-sleeping-in-a-closed-room-with-an-electric-fan-cause-death/501326/13 "2009-06-30T02:48:52Z")
in this case the fan has nothing to do with it but still get the blame. the media allows enough cooked up cases through to add credence to this desperate plea to save face and allow onself a little denial.