3 ms·

it's evidence that over-hyping the pandemic and stoking fears have real negative consequences. every single day there are literally thouasands of stories about

it's evidence that over-hyping the pandemic and stoking fears have real negative consequences. every single day there are literally thouasands of stories about how terrible and terrifying this disease is without any attempt at grounding these stories in an appropriate context (like how bad it is compared to the flu, while ignoring/defying the political connotations therein). this isn't meant to be anti-media by any measure; but we need to hold media accountable so that it can modulate future coverage appropriately.

crooked-v 7y ago
> like how bad it is compared to the flu, while ignoring/defying the political connotations therein What political connotations?
- SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
  In the public discourse (or at least in American public discourse), any comparison between the coronavirus and the flu has come to be seen as a signal for a package of controversial ideas. The coronavirus isn't that bad, lockdowns were designed by fear-mongering globalists, etc.
  - Jade_Jet 7y ago
    The term globalist is rooted in the idea that there is a Jewish global conspiracy where they are loyal to their hereditary country of origin, not the one they are currently a citizen in. It has been used as a dog whistle for alt-right circles for quite some time and is often used as a thinly-veiled anti-semitic slur. I don’t know you, but figured I should at least extend the curtesy of informing you of the meaning behind the words that you chose to use in-case the usage was out of error instead of deliberate.
    - SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
      I'm unaware of any term other than globalism for the idea that the world ought to act as a single global community rather than a bunch of nations in competition. So I'm going to have to respectfully reject attempts from alt-right circles to appropriate it for weird conspiracy theories.
- clairity 7y ago
  in addition to what @SpicyLemonZest noted, the political left in the US (and its associated media) is pushing hard on the idea that this pandemic is the worst thing to happen in 100 years, while the political right (and its associated media) is trying to brush it off as nothing, including saying it's no worse than the flu. the obvious prize that hangs in the balance is this year's elections. neither of those positions are reasonable, and neither will bring understanding and meaningful methods for moving forward. politics on both sides are adding so much noise that reasonable voices are getting drowned out. this pandemic is trending toward being about 3x worse than the yearly flu. maybe it's really 5x, but it's unlikely 10x and certainly not 100x as the most panicked are fomenting over. it's also not likely less than 2x, so it's not "no worse than the flu". that's real information that can shape our policy decisions going forward, rather than the political.

crooked-v 7y ago

> like how bad it is compared to the flu, while ignoring/defying the political connotations therein What political connotations?

SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
In the public discourse (or at least in American public discourse), any comparison between the coronavirus and the flu has come to be seen as a signal for a package of controversial ideas. The coronavirus isn't that bad, lockdowns were designed by fear-mongering globalists, etc.
- Jade_Jet 7y ago
  The term globalist is rooted in the idea that there is a Jewish global conspiracy where they are loyal to their hereditary country of origin, not the one they are currently a citizen in. It has been used as a dog whistle for alt-right circles for quite some time and is often used as a thinly-veiled anti-semitic slur. I don’t know you, but figured I should at least extend the curtesy of informing you of the meaning behind the words that you chose to use in-case the usage was out of error instead of deliberate.
  - SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
    I'm unaware of any term other than globalism for the idea that the world ought to act as a single global community rather than a bunch of nations in competition. So I'm going to have to respectfully reject attempts from alt-right circles to appropriate it for weird conspiracy theories.
clairity 7y ago
in addition to what @SpicyLemonZest noted, the political left in the US (and its associated media) is pushing hard on the idea that this pandemic is the worst thing to happen in 100 years, while the political right (and its associated media) is trying to brush it off as nothing, including saying it's no worse than the flu. the obvious prize that hangs in the balance is this year's elections. neither of those positions are reasonable, and neither will bring understanding and meaningful methods for moving forward. politics on both sides are adding so much noise that reasonable voices are getting drowned out. this pandemic is trending toward being about 3x worse than the yearly flu. maybe it's really 5x, but it's unlikely 10x and certainly not 100x as the most panicked are fomenting over. it's also not likely less than 2x, so it's not "no worse than the flu". that's real information that can shape our policy decisions going forward, rather than the political.