from the desk of Herb Masters
Hello Fans of Science, Facts, and Reason
My apologies in advance but I find I must rant.
First off, I accept that the news and media can distort the scale of a problem. Given that, there seems to be a significant number of people that seem to demonstrate a vast capacity for WILLFUL COVIDNORANCE. I think this is a subset of willful ignorance. It seems to be largely contained to a group of covidiots who are willing to put family and friends as well as coworkers at risk as well as themselves. It doesn’t seem to be as big of a problem here in the SF Bay Area and especially in San Mateo County where I live as it is in other parts of the state and country. Let me be clear about one more thing. I spent 25 years working in emergency services. I treated every person I came into contact with the same respect and care. I will admit that after it was over, the ones that didn’t take reasonable precautions so that we wouldn’t have met that way, didn’t get my supportive thoughts after we all went our separate ways. These were the people that are now expecting hospital workers, aides, technicians, custodial, nurses and doctors to work tirelessly and at much greater risk to their own health because of their own willful covidnerance.
How about signs in the window of every business that say something to the effect of “NO SHIRTS | NO SHOES | NO MASKS | NO SERVICE“? This refers to the ignorant resistance to using masks aka WILLFUL COVIDNORANCE. Note: There is nothing in the Constitution of United States of America about the right to wear or not wear a mask. Sadly I can still hear you with a mask on, it’s not about free speech.
However… Covid is a big problem for the entire planet and all of the people who live here. When someone is refusing to wear a mask… really? I’m not even going to give them text, we all know better. I am amazed at the narrow lines of reason that are used to argue for the opening of a business or other space. Beware of narrow lines of reason and false equivalences being used everywhere from our friends to major businesses. For example (I saw this the other day); which is more important for your health, a gym (now generally closed) or a liquor store (generally allowed to remain open)? Let’s agree that a gym with nobody in it and a liquor store with nobody in it are equal regarding your health. Now, use them as intended or designed. Which is the biggest risk? That’s an example of WILLFUL COVIDNORANCE
The US and the rest of the world have seen many disasters over the last few thousand years of recorded history. Generally the people as a group or culture have recovered. Generally there is little or no warning of what is coming. Now however we can have a week or more to prepare for a hurricane, minutes to react to a tornado, or no time to react to an earthquake. Why is there such a dearth of reason and rationality when it comes to dealing with Covid-19? WILLFUL COVIDNORANCE
Sadly there is a significant portion of our population that can’t sort the conspiracies from the science. I think that covidiots generally fall in to this group. Sadly these same lack of reasoning skills are being used to make decisions about vaccinations, how environmental, political, “alternative” medical, and governmental policies are being decided.
I’m sure that I don’t need to ask this of Fans of Science, Facts, and Reason. In case you aren’t one, I’m really flattered that you read this far. Thank you. Now, put on a mask.
End of rant.
It seems that there is an ever increasing list of livestreaming opportunity to continue learning in these days of sheltering in place. Here are three from our calendar…
University Forum: The lessons of COVID for global and community health – Livestream Mon 5:30
Randall Museum’s OCEAN WEEK – online All Week!
Racial Injustice and Public Health: After Dark Online- Livestream Thu 7:00
Here are some interesting things that I have come across in the last week or so…
Plan ahead and catch these… SKEPTICAL INQUIRER PRESENTS
2020 Audubon Photography Awards
Bay Area sleuth can spot your fake science
Some serious DIY… This engineer decided to take matter into his own hands.
Please be safe and healthy.
Stand up for Science and Reason.
herb masters
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie