Cheese is essentially milk that has gone bad and had bacteria added to it. Depending on the type of cheese and its packaging, it can last for a good long while in a refrigerator, and mold can be cut off and the rest consumed (esp. if most of it is covered in a rind). Some cheeses improve in flavor this way. Almost all of the cheese Americans have are either pasteurized or aged, and may include preservatives. As long as you're not pregnant, it's basically fine to eat your neighbor's old cheese.
I don't disagree, but you are missing my point, which is a descriptive matter of American attitudes about food.
For the most part, I accept your point that old neighbor-cheese (and eggs and slightly-wilted vegetables and over-ripe fruit) is probably completely safe. But for better or worse, Americans just don't think about food this way. We have highly sanitized attitudes and expectations about food. I suspect this is largely because we are highly disconnected from the food manufacturing and chain of supply processes. We are uneducated about food, and as a result we throw it away if we have even the slightest concern that it is unsafe.
We have no problem using the same bacteria-infested, broken-bristled toothbrush for 6 months, but we have no qualms about throwing away a $9 block of gruyere if we detect the tiniest spot of mold. It's just how we are.
