Covid-19 and Fear

Source: MIT NEWS

If the world is good at anything, it is two things: war, and hysteria. No, not the best-selling album Hysteria from the rock band Def Leppard… I’m talking about the Y2K-type of hysteria. For those who do not know the Y2K reference, let me explain…

Two decades ago, the world was sent into a panic over technology. As 1999 came to a close, the U.S. government and programmers around the world were scrambling to finish fixing flawed computer software that some predicted would send civilization into chaos when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, 2000.

The “Millennium Bug,” or Y2K as it is commonly known…. While many experts assured the public that they could celebrate the new year without any significant disruptions, there was increasing anxiety as the date approached. For some, “Y2K” had become synonymous with “doomsday.”

For its January 18, 1999 issue, Time magazine rang in the year with the words “The End of the World!?!” on its cover. Other publications would issue “Y2K Checklists,” which advised people to have medicine, a few day’s cash and up-to-date paper records of all financial transactions. Some families even went as far as setting up emergency bunkers in their basements to ride out the feared impending apocalypse.(1)

Source: Ghost Town Travels

Y2K  is a shining example of how fear enters the depth of our psyche and causes us to believe that the boogie-man is very much real. I sometimes wonder what is worse; Covid-19, or Covid-hysteria. I’m not trying to be insensitive to the damaging impact this pathogen is having around the world, or the suffering of humans. The point is, spreading alarm disguised as “public safety measures” is counterproductive.

 Take for example, a recent email sent out to the community I live in, under the heading: COVID-19 GUIDELINES UPDATE. (I did not alter it one bit).

 Dear Residents,

As we continue to follow CDC Guidance to minimize the spread of coronavirus, we wanted to reach out to remind you of some of the policies we have implemented at our community.  As we navigate through this challenging time together, the health and well-being of each of you, your families and our onsite associates will remain first and foremost in everything that we are doing.

Critical Reminders based on CDC Guidance:

1. Masks are REQUIRED through all areas of our community. Residents and visitors who choose not to comply with this requirement will be asked to leave.
2. Social Distancing: Put distance between yourself and other people.  Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
3. You must not have experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 48 hours: 
4. Fever or chills
5. Cough
6. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
7. Fatigue
8. Muscle or body aches
9. Headache
10. New loss of taste or smell
11. Sore throat
12. Congestion or runny nose
13. Nausea or vomiting
14. Diarrhea
15. Within the past 14 days, you have not been in close physical contact (6 feet or closer for a cumulative total of 15 minutes) with:
16. Anyone who is known to have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, OR
17. Anyone who has any symptoms consistent with COVID-19
18. You are NOT currently isolating or quarantining because you may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 or are worried that you may be sick with COVID-19.
19. You are NOT currently waiting on the results of a COVID-19 test.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

Signed,

XXXX

______________________________________________________________________

 Let me break this correspondence down for those of you who might overlook some of the inconsistencies this “public safety” message delivers.

Fact #1 – Critical Reminders

The community was not just sent a reminder, it was issued, critical reminders. That got my attention! I was going to skim over the email, but then I saw the word critical. I immediately went into Y2K mode mentality! 

 Fact #2 – Masks are REQUIRED

They emphasize REQUIRED? However, I think it is a toss-up to what should really be capitalized and emphasized. I could easily make a case for MASKS, as it hasn’t dawned on me after some 230 days of pathogen insanity that people are wearing masks, or should be, in most confined-areas.

 They take it one step further. If I don’t wear a mask in all areas of the community, I will be asked to leave! You mean, like pack up my things and leave? That’s a pretty broad stroke of the brush. The state government hasn’t even issued a mandate to wear masks outside, such as when walking one’s dog.  

 Fact #3 – Social Distancing  

For starters, the phrase social distancing irks the hell out of me! Whoever came up with that gem of a tidbit, ban them from all future fancy catch-phrase committees! Forever! They’ve created a buzz term that we have been hearing for seven-straight months and it is driving me friggin’ nuts!

 It must have been during this same meeting, where it was decided that 6-feet would be the appropriate social distancing length. So, it’s been scientifically proven in a study of 1000 people, ages 8 to 80, that when you sneeze, your sneeze vapors carry 6-feet? Is that correct? It doesn’t carry 6.25 feet, or 6.50 feet? It is 6-feet on the dot! I truly do not know what 6-feet does for you, that 5-feet or 7-feet won’t do. Countries using the metric system aren’t so stringent in their measurement, why is America? This seems like social distance policing to me….

 (Voice-over): Coming to CBS this fall … they are bold … they are bad-ass .. they are S-D-P! The Social Distancing Police! Don’t get caught with your mask down!

 (Cut to): Federal S.D.P. busting into an 8-year old’s birthday party …

 S.D.P. (flashing badge): S.D.P! Put your masks on and step back 6-feet!

 Do you know how absolutely messed-up it is to constantly drive home the message of social distancing 6-feet to an Orwellian fear-driven society? Unwittingly, we are creating a world where mental health professionals are going to be quitting, because there’s too much crazy being dropped onto their laps.

 How are other countries (which use the metric system) social distancing you might ask? Check out…

 UK social distancing rules – one metre or two metres? https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-52054844

 Fact #4 – Every human bodily-issue is now potentially Covid-related.

 According to this correspondence, You must not have experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 48 hours…

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

In essence, I technically need to be dead if I am to remain part of the community? I should self-quarantine myself because I ate Taco Bell last night, and now I have (potentially) Covid-related diarrhea? Are you shitting me? (Haha, had to throw that one in).

 Fact #5 – The eggnog has been spiked(?)

 Unlike my Papa John’s experience in Missed Opportunity , where the correspondence was signed off by the Chief Operating Officer, this particular email didn’t seem to reach top management; because there were several inconsistencies in the correspondence...

 …and that is my point! Propaganda, be it from whomever, is often redundant and superficial. 

Propaganda, be it from whomever, is often redundant and superficial. Public safety measures are all fine and dandy. But repetitive fear mongering, by passing along condescending information, is Big Brother-ish, (i.e. fear is used as a means to control and it causes a trickle down effect).

 Yes, be safe. Be cautious. Be prudent. Be aware… all of that. But don’t be overwhelmed by fear tactics, and by all means… don’t spread fear either!

…you may not know this, but there’s things that gnaw at a man worse than dying. (2)

… and that is the truth!    

Written by T.K.

Chief Editor – Jade L.

References:

1. 20 Years Ago, Y2K Hysteria Led to Emergency Bunkers and Cost the U.S. $100 Billion
2.  Kevin Costner Quote from Open Range

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