From ed61963277a25c4641a17866cff2989002d5da17 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?UTF-8?q?Yaroslav=20de=20la=20Pe=C3=B1a=20Smirnov?= Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2021 16:53:22 +0300 Subject: New post: A Viral Year --- content/weblog/2021-01-17_a-viral-year/index.md | 140 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 140 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/weblog/2021-01-17_a-viral-year/index.md (limited to 'content') diff --git a/content/weblog/2021-01-17_a-viral-year/index.md b/content/weblog/2021-01-17_a-viral-year/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..300fadc --- /dev/null +++ b/content/weblog/2021-01-17_a-viral-year/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,140 @@ ++++ +title = "A Viral Year" +date = 2021-01-17T13:41:21Z ++++ + +The year 2020 has come and gone. I can't say that it was a really bad year for +me in particular, but I am pretty sure that many, if not most people, are glad +it is over. I have never really "reviewed" a year, but the things that happened +during this year got me thinking about many things, and so I've decided to write +some of my thoughts on what twenty-twenty has brought upon us. + + + +Even though overall last year was pretty good for me in many regards, the things +that happened, and most importantly, how most of the world reacted to the +situation at hand did unsettle me a little. + +Everybody at this point knows the story. A mysterious virus that was discovered +first in China back in October 2019 starts spreading itself at an incredible +rate, and by March 2020 it's spread all around the world. And so, as it spread, +the world started to lock down. I am completely convinced of the threat that +this virus poses. I am, however, not convinced that the measures that were taken +to "combat" this virus actually correlate to the real danger that it poses, nor +am I convinced that the blatant denial of people rights and liberties is +justified by it. + +I actually caught the virus back in November (thanks to my roommate), and I can +tell you with complete confidence that if you are a healthy and young person, +you don't have anything to worry about. Basically my symptoms were the +following: + +1. Two days of 38C (about 100F(reedumbs units)) fever. +2. About four days of slight body pain and fatigue. +3. Slight decrease in taste/smell perception while the symptoms lasted. + +My treatment consisted of the following: plenty of rest. And that's it. Just 4 +days of discomfort and then I was back to normal. + +I wouldn't actually have known that it was the 'rona, had it not been that the +circumstances I was in forced me to I take the test. And because of the fact +that I took the test and I got a positive, and the regulations in place where I +currently live, I couldn't leave my dormitory room de jure, until three weeks +after my first symptoms when I took the second test that fortunately turned out +negative. + +Everybody's body reacts differently to the virus. For example, I didn't lose my +sense of smell/taste completely, but my roommate and another friend that got it +did. For me the symptoms lasted about 4 days, for my friend they lasted a little +over a week. However, the people that I know that had it bad, were people who +either were 60+ years old, or that already had some medical conditions, or a +combination of the two. + +This virus is in general deadlier than the common flu, and most importantly and +what makes it more dangerous, is the fact that it spreads so fast. The problem +is that the "cure" that we're being fed up, is worse than the illness. + +The government should give the people the tools to be prepared, and inform the +people the best it can. The people, that is, individuals, should then make use +of their freedom to make their own informed risk assessments, and take the +necessary precautions that they see fit given their own individual situation. +Instead of that, we have governments all around the world instituting draconian +measures that erode the basic rights of individuals, for the supposed safety +and security of the "community". In reality in turns out the majority of people, +who aren't really greatly affected by this virus, are giving up their liberties, +in order to "protect" the minority of people to whom this virus actually poses a +danger. + +Do we ban "extreme sports" like snowboarding, because some people might, and do +die while practicing it? Of course not. We inform people of the dangers and +risks that it poses to them, and each person then decides if they risk their +health and probably lives, based on several factors, such as physical condition, +whether it is worth it risking their health for some fun, etc. + +All these measures that have been imposed on us — at least in the countries with +the most draconian measures, i.e. most of the world — have been at the very +least dubious in their effectiveness, and I think the best example we have for +how dubious they are has been Sweden. + +Sweden has taken a very lax and liberal approach to combat this epidemic, opting +to impose light-handed measures including restricting mass gatherings, but it +never implemented any real "lock-downs" on the level we have seen most +countries. And for this, they have unleashed upon themselves the wrath of the +"wokes" all around the world, with predictions that the lack of tougher measures +will mean a catastrophe for Sweden in the near to mid future. Not surprisingly, +the heaviest criticism has come from non other than one of the least free +countries of the world — China[^1]. + +I, however, fail to see how this lenient approach on relying on the good +judgment of the citizens has been worse than that of countries with strict +lock-downs in place. The situation in Sweden does not look grimmer than in +countries with some of the toughest lock-down and restricting policies in place, +e.g. The UK, Spain, France, etc. The cases per million are pretty similar, and +the number of dead relative to the number of cases is basically the same as any +other developed country (around 2%)[^2]. + +It's not surprise that the most oppressive measures have been put in place in +big cities. After all, as has been for many years since the appearance of the +first polises, living in a city has meant trading in some liberties and +independence, in exchange for living in an orderly society, and of course, to +gain access to increased wealth, security and opportunities. It's just a matter +of balance, and how much this possible "increase in wealth" is worth to you. +However, the recent events, have made me consider that lately the balance of the +liberties you are giving up has been increasing, outweighing the purposed +benefits of living in the city. This global crisis has just bluntly demonstrated +it by accelerating what was already happening in most parts of the world, and +providing us with a stark contrast. Especially considering that this crisis has +just accelerated the "virtualization" of a lot of our society. If you are forced +to make use of the benefits of the city by going online, and you can make use of +them wherever you have an internet connection, then what's the benefit of living +in the city anymore? + +That's not to say that I am moving ASAP, or moving into a cabin in the woods. +There are still some things left for me in the city, and some wealth I can +extract from it to secure myself with the means for a better future. I just +don't see a very bright future for myself in the city, at least not one aligned +with my ideals. + +Finally, of course, I don't think most people will leave the "comforts" and +"security" of the cities in exchange for more freedom. Most people in the cities +are so domesticated, that they not only seem unmoved by the trampling of their +liberties, they actually welcome such tyrannical measures. + +
+ +_“La salvación social se aproxima cuando cada cual confiesa que sólo puede +salvarse a sí mismo. La sociedad se salva cuando sus presuntos salvadores +desesperan.”_ + +_“Reformar la sociedad por medio de leyes es el sueño del ciudadano incauto y el +preámbulo discreto de toda tiranía. La ley es forma jurídica de toda costumbre o +atropello a la libertad.”_ + +Nicolás Gómez Dávila. + +
+ +[^1]: "China criticizes Sweden's corona handling". (in Swedish) — + [https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/donald-trump-utlyser-nodlage-i-usa/](https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/donald-trump-utlyser-nodlage-i-usa/) + +[^2]: [https://worldcoronastatistics.com/](https://worldcoronastatistics.com/) -- cgit v1.2.3