04-11-2020, 11:16 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-11-2020, 11:17 AM by Genuine Realist.)
(04-11-2020, 11:01 AM)Mick Wrote:(04-11-2020, 10:58 AM)BostonCard Wrote: I think it is odd that you mention China, because in many ways their response was even more heavy-handed than ours. It is only because they were able to get the virus under control that they were able to re-open their economy. I think that once we get over the worst of it and reduce the number of new infections into the hundreds with effective testing and tracing that we too would re-open much of our economy.
I can't tell if you're kidding or not. Agreed, their response was more heavy handed, both in the prevention phase and in the reopening phase.
I hate to play the unaccustomed role of goody-two shoes here, but the dichotomy between 'the economy' and 'people' is just plain naive - so naive that I can't believe a Stanford graduate posits it, except for debating purposes. A devastated economy can produce as much or more human misery than a pestilence - maybe even more death, though indirectly.
I come down in favor of the massive lockdown because I am not aware of a single responsible epidemiologist who has a different idea. You may find a maverick or two, but the consensus is remarkable.
I also disagree with Mick's metaphor of the economy as 'a finely tuned machine'. I think a remarkably sophisticated organism is more apt - one that has suffered (and continues to suffer) from a terrific shock - one, I think, that was unavoidable, because the virus was going to be devastating no matter what. It will be interesting to see how it reacts and adapts - because that will happen. I remain optimistic. We have created a remarkably, resilient society.
Finally, I also disagree with Mick's projection that all this will produce a wave of Leftist, Sanders style sentiment. I do believe the public is going to vote for a return to normalcy, business and life as usual, as rapidly as possible. Which candidate that helps is up to you.
I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness - yeah, and a little looking out for the other fella, too.


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