The term unskilled is threatening incoherence; it's becoming meaningless. Like the word 'hero' which is now a media trigger, the purpose of which is to silence criticism of the subject or its kind. Are shop workers, binpersons, carers, etc, unskilled? Some, almost certainly. But that isn't derisory nor should it be. Caring shouldn't require years of cloistered study, access to which demands privilege. It should be a basic tenet of community life and humanity; something we are all capable of, if required. Otherwise what are we?
Now: are they essential? Hell yes. Do they deserve dignity and respect? Hell yes. Do they currently get that, through wage and public perception?...You tell me!
Anti lockdownists (ie, the bosses) claim we must un-lockdown immediately because of its deleterious effect on mental health. I don't disagree, but where were you during capitalism? It's still here! Loneliness isolation poverty induced stress and anxiety didn't just begin the moment Boris told us to shut the front door!
No answer. Revealing
The absolute denial of these people is both exhausting and terrifying. Whose 'freedom' do they think they are fighting for: yours or the viruses? What do they think freedom is while they blather on about "independent thought" or "just asking questions". Peter Hitchens claims he's performing some civic duty. In reality he's just peddling reactionary talking points, the purpose of which is, essentially, to deny the working class their power. Freedom under capitalism: the ability to be exploited (willingly it seems) isn't what I'd call freedom. But these maniacs argue that because you can choose your exploiter that capitalism isn't exploitative. A boss is still a boss. Profit is still profit, boyo.
We've living in a looking glass world. I don't recall even 911 being this crazy. An event that still has its share of conspiracy peddlers (just look at Alex Jones, the disgrace). Now we've entered what seems to be (though probably isn't since we can always outdo ourselves) peak antiscience. Don't trust experts they're all corrupt. Don't listen to any authority no matter how justified. By the way that is emphatically not anarchism. It's ignorance. We can all freely inquire, that's fine, but sooner or later some faith is required. What we do need is justification and a lack of hierarchical power with which these authorities can abuse their position. That's the definition of privilege.
But no, let's have a modern day witch hunt. A bonfire of scientists on an increasingly flat earth it seems.
Look at how Neil Ferguson has been thrown under the bus. His (not just his, but he's the fall guy). Sure his breaking lockdown was a stupid faux pas. Though it is ironic that people that are anti lockdown use that as leverage to criticise him; just shows their dishonesty. But the initial forecast, the quarter of a million figure, was based on early data and on the notion that we do nothing. That changed when the government changed (thankfully) its approach.
Let's not forget this is an ever changing and novel situation. Exacerbated by an unprepared government. It would be unscientific to expect no update or change to the science and the forecasts in the climate of that.
Ugh I'm so tired of hwo this is playing out. It's no longer about health, it's about the ugly dirty politics of the bosses and their lackeys - both willing (the media and the government) and unwilling (goofballs on twitter). Take for example the smears against Dr Ferguson - and to be clear I carry no torch for the guy except in the interest of honest discourse - it was put out by Lord Lawson's science denial apologists. Can you really tell me they are trustworthy? All the fuck no.
Class War!
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