No Explanation for Dumbness

Sometimes, people say and do dumb things - I think it is part of human nature to be significantly less than perfect.  At least I hope it is part of our nature - I can't be the only one who, on occasion, says or does dumb things. BUT.....

Right now there are a whole bunch of folks who are saying and doing dumb things, and what is worse they are completely oblivious to their dumbness! We have doctors from some of the Prairie provinces who go to a curling bonspiel just days before WHO officially declares it to be a pandemic; about the same time, a large number of dentists and their colleagues from BC attend a conference. We expect these medical professionals to understand both how viruses are transmitted and the need to be ultra-cautious. Either they were being dumb or they are incompetent. What is particularly scary - not all of them took the necessary precautions when they returned.

We have people who continue to gather and associate in large groups as if they are immune from catching the virus and even worse - transmitting it to others. People congregate on beaches or playgrounds - ignoring the messages from almost every politician or doctor; some people get on ferries to go to tourist spots or decide that they paid for their holiday in some warm place and they are going to have that holiday regardless of any risk. According to the CBC, people who are trying to get home from some other country lie when being screened at the airport - they know they have a fever, but they would rather risk infecting a whole planeload of equally as desperate Canadians than to stay where they are. I can accept that some people who do not watch the news and who never talk to anyone about anything - might not know about the virus but all of the above individuals knew about it - and still decided to go ahead with their plans.

It is perhaps understandable that some people are naturally suspicious of messages passed on by politicians and scientists. To be cynical about the accuracy of such messages is one of the characteristics of our post-modernist society. For those people who see conspiracies around most corners, it must be even more difficult to trust anyone. Knowing who to believe becomes more challenging for all of us when the leaders of certain countries spout information that is wrong and that panders to our fears or our desperately held fantasies. For example, the leaders in the United States - specifically the president has continued to demonstrate his inability to read and his unwillingness to listen. He has either downplayed the seriousness of COVID 19 or else has stated that the US will find a cure etc. before anyone else. But he is not alone - the leadership of Iran has continually suggested that CNVID 19 is a plot by the USA to destroy Iran. Iran has, as a result of this ideology, blocked help from such agencies such as Doctors Without Borders.

We are in difficult times. Social isolation is a short term solution. At some point, we will have to either find some sort of cure or accept that those of use that are a risk - cannot be saved. At some point, we will need to accept that developing a "herd immunity" may be the only way out of it all. But in the meantime - can we stop saying and doing dumb things? Can we stop rationalizing our behaviour or our fears but keeping our heads stuck in the sand?