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He warned us. We didn't listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Af6b_wyiwI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Af6b_wyiwI

randomsearch 7y ago
I think about a gazillion people identified exactly this type of situation as a problem, and we’ve had plenty of other outbreaks. It is completely unsurprising. The UK has done a lot of modelling and prepping for such an event, as I’m sure have other governments, but that doesn’t give you magic powers when it happens.
- makomk 7y ago
  It's also worth bearing in mind that there's precisely one country which could possibly have done what he suggested and stopped this by preventing the spillover in the first place - China - and, well, good luck with that.
  - randomsearch 7y ago
    I think the problem is that the virus is so mild. You can't spot a lot of cases, so e.g. someone gets on a plane and is not showing symptoms and a few days later in Italy they get sick or infect others without realising they're ill.
jotm 7y ago
And if this fizzles out people will just go "see? there was no need for these drastic measures, nothing happened!"... Nothing happened because drastic measures were taken...
- Mountain_Skies 7y ago
  Another scenario is drastic measures are taken but the threat fizzles out on its own. With infectious diseases it can be quite difficult to know until it is over just how real the threat was. President Ford pushed for a widespread inoculation program for a swine flu epidemic that seemed threatening but never came. The vaccine caused more health problems than the flu itself. Ford was heavily criticized and lost credibility for his level of response but there was no way for him to know it would fizzle out on its own. Had he not acted and it became an epidemic, he also would have faced political consequences. Sometimes the best response simply can't be known ahead of time.
fit2rule 7y ago
People did listen. But the general population - and most of their politicians - are too complacent, decadent even, to change lifestyles. The West is addicted to lifestyles. Its near impossible for many people to consider changing their lives in any way - why should they? Nobody else does. If anything, I hope that after this event is over, the survivors take a long hard look at who and what they are, in relation to each other. I hope we get over our decadence and realise that our 'safe' cultures are anything but safe, and that we all address the need to build better societies.
- thu2111 7y ago
  Fine words that mean nothing. What sort of "decadent lifestyle" do you have in mind, given that pandemics have existed for as long as humanity, everywhere in every society.
  - fit2rule 7y ago
    Well, its pretty decadent to not have your own garden.

I think about a gazillion people identified exactly this type of situation as a problem, and we’ve had plenty of other outbreaks. It is completely unsurprising. The UK has done a lot of modelling and prepping for such an event, as I’m sure have other governments, but that doesn’t give you magic powers when it happens.

makomk 7y ago
It's also worth bearing in mind that there's precisely one country which could possibly have done what he suggested and stopped this by preventing the spillover in the first place - China - and, well, good luck with that.
- randomsearch 7y ago
  I think the problem is that the virus is so mild. You can't spot a lot of cases, so e.g. someone gets on a plane and is not showing symptoms and a few days later in Italy they get sick or infect others without realising they're ill.

jotm 7y ago

And if this fizzles out people will just go "see? there was no need for these drastic measures, nothing happened!"... Nothing happened because drastic measures were taken...

Mountain_Skies 7y ago
Another scenario is drastic measures are taken but the threat fizzles out on its own. With infectious diseases it can be quite difficult to know until it is over just how real the threat was. President Ford pushed for a widespread inoculation program for a swine flu epidemic that seemed threatening but never came. The vaccine caused more health problems than the flu itself. Ford was heavily criticized and lost credibility for his level of response but there was no way for him to know it would fizzle out on its own. Had he not acted and it became an epidemic, he also would have faced political consequences. Sometimes the best response simply can't be known ahead of time.

fit2rule 7y ago

People did listen. But the general population - and most of their politicians - are too complacent, decadent even, to change lifestyles. The West is addicted to lifestyles. Its near impossible for many people to consider changing their lives in any way - why should they? Nobody else does. If anything, I hope that after this event is over, the survivors take a long hard look at who and what they are, in relation to each other. I hope we get over our decadence and realise that our 'safe' cultures are anything but safe, and that we all address the need to build better societies.

thu2111 7y ago
Fine words that mean nothing. What sort of "decadent lifestyle" do you have in mind, given that pandemics have existed for as long as humanity, everywhere in every society.
- fit2rule 7y ago
  Well, its pretty decadent to not have your own garden.