10 March 2020

The coronavirus and America's two nations

It seems clear that this pandemic will be the dominant event of 2020.  It's continuing to spread quickly, almost explosively, and the fact that many cases are asymptomatic will make its path hard to trace or predict.  There's no way of knowing how many will ultimately sicken and how many will die, either globally or within the US.  The stock market is imploding and there is more economic damage to come.  Even if a vaccine is developed sooner than expected, testing and mass production will take months.

And as we've grown used to seeing over the last three years, our two nations are reacting differently.  Democrats and sane people generally are believing what scientists and doctors say.  Trumpanzees are..... believing what Trump says.  Trump is refusing to take even basic precautions to protect himself or his followers.  The stage is set for a display of natural selection in action.  Because, you see, there really is such a thing as objective reality, which doesn't give a fig for what people believe about it -- and people who deny that, tend to end up getting kicked in the teeth by it.

(Source, found via No More Mr Nice Blog) -- and these individuals are political activists, probably rather better-informed than the average Trump-besotted Deliverance mutant or religious wackjob.  The wingnut masses are practically declaring open season on themselves.

So stay away from Trumpanzees (good advice in most circumstances, actually), and wash your hands if you touch one.  The bill for their militant stupidity is coming due at last.

16 Comments:

Blogger Grung_e_Gene said...

I sincerely hope Trump and his Horde of MAGATs get away with not paying the bills they always have

10 March, 2020 05:27  
Blogger Lady M said...

Wow, well said, only this virus will not discriminate between the rational and irrational so stay safe.

10 March, 2020 06:19  
Blogger Debra She Who Seeks said...

Anti-vaxxers writ large.

10 March, 2020 06:45  
Blogger Sixpence Notthewiser said...

Ohhh the Darwin Award!
I hope Cheeto holds a rally against all advice, really. You know he’s itching to do it. He’s gonna need the validation after his ineptitude has become so apparent.

XoXo

10 March, 2020 08:06  
Blogger Mary Kirkland said...

Oh it's definitely going to get worse before this gets better. As of now we're just trying to stay safe and healthy. Hubby is immuno compromised so we're worried about him getting sick so we're not going anywhere.

10 March, 2020 12:10  
Blogger Jack said...

Unfortunately, this sort of thinking is not limited to Trump supporters. A highly educated and liberal young mother told me today, "I figure we're all going to get it anyway so why worry about it? I'm just going about life as usual."

10 March, 2020 13:17  
Blogger Mike said...

"...natural selection in action."
Let's hope they don't take to many of us with them.

10 March, 2020 13:39  
Blogger Martha said...

There's no cure or vaccine for stupidity. Best to just stay away from it and wash your hands thoroughly if you come into contact with it :)

11 March, 2020 06:28  
Blogger Les Carpenter said...

I hate to say this because I don't wish anyone ill, yes, even Trump. But I cannot help but think it would almost be poetic justice if Trump contracted *Covid 19*. Given his apparent ignorance and refusal to take common sense precautions and encouragement that all do so.

11 March, 2020 09:36  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Grung: Maybe not this time.

Lady M: Well, taking measures to stay safe is the rational thing to do -- and viruses do tend to have less impact on people who do that.

Debra: Yes, it's the same mentality and often the same people.

Sixpence: Looks like the rallies are going forward. You can almost see the virus licking its chops.

Mary: Damn right -- do everything possible to avoid exposure. I'd hate to think how bad this could be for an immuno-compromised person.

Jack: It's not a perfect correlation -- such things never are. But there are a lot more people who think that way among the Trumpanzees than among the generally rational.

Mike: All we can do is avoid them -- and potential danger situations -- as much as possible.

Martha: If there were a vaccine for stupidity, the people who need it the most would all refuse to use it because they don't believe in vaccines.:-)

Rational: It's looking like a serious possibility, considering how careless he is in public. It would be interesting to see if it made him change his tune.

12 March, 2020 02:27  
Blogger Mary said...

Trump has now been exposed to three people who have tested positive, but today when it was only one, he pretty much said he wouldn’t get tested as he feels fine. What an idiot! He couldn’t care less if he infected his very own cult, as he’d just blame it on the democrats and on their death beds, they’d chant the same ridiculous rhetoric. I’d say let him hold his stupid rallies and they could pass it all around to each other, but unfortunately it could affect someone sane outside their little bubble.

13 March, 2020 20:43  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Yep -- so, avoid Trumpanzees as much as possible. Since they maintain a medieval attitude toward science, they're best thought of as medieval plague carriers.

14 March, 2020 08:35  
Anonymous Professor Taboo said...

Hi Infidel! Sincere apologies for my tardiness in getting over here to your blog. As I mentioned in my March 7 blog-post, my situations, life-circumstances, obligations, family, and general unexpected twists and turns of daily routines not-so-routine anymore are kicking my ass the last 2-3 months. 🥴 But oh well, I am here now! 😁

Loved your point on Natural Selection! Couldn't agree with you more Infidel. Objective reality, or Natural forces and laws, are indeed a INSENSITIVE BITCH of FURY isn't she? And yep, not even the wealthiest, or the meanest of tyrants, murderers, or criminals can escape her methods... especially if She wants to snatch away one (or more) of his dear family members. Like death, all 7.6+ billion of us humans are the same with the same ending. 😉

Going to read some of your other blog-posts too Sir.

14 March, 2020 17:26  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Professor: The reliance on science vs dogma is one of the key differences between the two nations. Unfortunately, nature's punishments for stupidity often include the death penalty.

14 March, 2020 19:14  
Blogger Mary said...

Also thanks for the link to No more mister nice guy. It’s a great blog full of intelligent people.

15 March, 2020 06:20  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

I find it a bit too much on the pessimistic/defeatist side, but certainly worth reading.

15 March, 2020 06:36  

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