A spectre is rising. The spectre of community transmission!
Yes, another day of highs. First the temperature, which feels like nature is trying to cook me in my skin, and now the Covid rate. Is this the predicted, warned about, September second wave? It's just too difficult to tell. What is interesting, though, is that the death rate is actually going down. This could simply be that we can treat the virus better, but concerns remain about lingering effects. A fact ignored by the maskless mass partly responsible for the current predicament.
We know that the virus is spreading among the twentysomethings the most. Hopefully these people can be reached. Is it because they are out partying, drinking, etc? That's the obvious assumption. I really do think we ought not have opened pubs and bars. Restaurants and cafes are a big maybe, but it's clear we have gone too far opening up. Unfortunately the Tories are happy to do the bidding of the drinks industry, so there is no chance of persuading common sense. What a shame this couldn't have been an opportunity to revise the way we socialise. Do people really need to go drinking? So many things we could with rethinking, but instead the Tories just want to tell everyone to get back to the office.
Such shortsightedness. At what cost?
Who knows if the Rule of Six will make any difference, there are so many exemptions it seems pointless. People can just describe their venue or situation as 'Covid secure'. I have no idea what that means. How can anything be Covid secure when all it takes is someone to come in and spread the disease, perhaps without even knowing. Easier to do when they aren't wearing a mask, as I still see many - mainly white van driver types - not bothering. What can you do?
I don't really see society coping with this. Most people I'm sure are responsible, but are enough? The shape of our character is starting to coalesce. It's pretty dismal. People believe they are thinking independently but reveal just how beholden to the Overton window and its parameters of acceptable discourse. It's like someone saying how they know how to speak Latin, in English. The nature of our society is influenced by the systems that exist within and the forces in power.
Capitalism has infantilised us. We have given up true autonomy for the dream of being a captain of industry: the apprentice, the dragons, an entrepreneur. A brave sailor on the seas of economic power. But the reality is only those that have capital can do this, it's just those are the ones that are used to represent these ideals, making it appear easier than it would be for you or I. The rest of us are dependent on the systems, and thus their messaging.
There is nothing wrong with submitting to authority, the real trick is knowing where it's justified. In the case of masks the evidence is clear and the claim reasonable. At the very least the claims made by the antimaskers are nonsense. Clearly your freedoms are not curtailed and you are not muzzled. You can speak and be heard and you can do so while living your life and going to the shops.
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