So, it’s been a few months since I last posted. I believe March was the last time and that was when I decided to release my novel early due to the looming Coronavirus outbreak. And here we are, two months into this chaotic pandemic and it doesn’t look like it’ll truly be letting up anytime soon. True, our nation is slowly reopening to try and get the economy rolling again. But I don’t think the majority of people involved with this endeavor are thoroughly thinking the ramifications of such an action through. Yeah, we need to pay the bills and survive. Clearly being able to support ourselves in the long run is mandatory if we hope to come out on the other side unsullied. However, if we end up spreading the infection faster as a result and end up with an unprecedented spike in deaths, there won’t be much of an economy left to speak as a result anyway.
Which begs the question (and one that actually is being asked quite a bit across the planet), what will the world look like post pandemic? Will there be getting back to normal? Or will we be reopening and developing new policies that will address prior concerns such as global warming? Especially given how quickly Mother Nature has reclaimed so many dirty places, including dolphins in Venice. So, what will we be facing in the aftermath of all of this?
The biggest problem concerning any questions that can be asked about this pandemic is that nobody really understands the virus as of yet. With the world fast approaching 4 million cases in total and deaths fast approaching 300 thousand deaths, it’s more important than ever to get ahead of this virus and figure out how it works. Yet, even with fast tracked treatments being developed, there is still great uncertainty on just exactly what will work. Creating even more questions in the process. What is absolutely clear, however, is that the soonest this will all be addressed confidently won’t be until next year sometime. In the interim, we’re left to stay safe while reopening an economy that will still be functioning on eggshells. Because, even if we successfully reboot the world financial endeavors (and no matter how many cautions we end of taking) cases will just end up skyrocketing risking destroying any economic gain during this time and collapsing it in a way that we may not recover for years. And that’s a significantly worrying scenario. As with a total economic collapse, unemployment hits unfathomable numbers, the ability to find water, food, and basic necessities becomes a war for survival. And the governments around the planet lose complete control of society.
Hopefully such a worst case scenario never comes to fruition. But that it remains a possibility lends credibility to the notion that reopening too soon and too fast would be more detrimental than beneficial. This despite ideas being floated that you might lose a few people here and there (such as statements by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-texas-lieutenant-governor-dan-patrick-slammed-tucker-carlson-willing-to-die-to-revive-economy/) and that it’d be worth it to restart the economy. Honestly, in my own humble opinion, betting people’s lives for the potential of economic gain would be like wagering your last dollar at a casino hoping for the mother lode payout.
I’ve been home since late March. Still getting paid, mind you. And now they expect me back despite the fact the cases aren’t going down but rather up. I’m a little worried about what comes next because there just doesn’t seem to be any sort of plan in place to deal with the outbreak. Instead, they just want to open and see what happens. I’ve been trying my hand at freelancing online, however, in order to keep getting paid, I’m going to have to go back to work. I’m not opposed to going back to work (though, not gonna lie, it’s been fun being able to work on my writing and getting caught up on housework), however, I’d rather return when things are being managed well.
Right now, I just feel like the sacrificial lamb being offered up to the God Of Economy.
~Timothy S Purvis
iCentrist 