4 ms·

My take: China panicked and so did the west. As it became clear this is nothing unusual, leaders can't admit such a cataclysmic mistake and double down. Now man

by s9w 6y ago

My take: China panicked and so did the west. As it became clear this is nothing unusual, leaders can't admit such a cataclysmic mistake and double down. Now many common places for discussion (Twitter and the coronavirus Reddit for example) are clearly under some form of control and shamelessly pro-panic. Others go with the flow (HN) which is the same in this case. And as usual only the uncensored places allow for dissenting opinions.

brenden2 6y ago
Maybe so, but I don't think it's China's fault, or the US governments fault for that matter. I guess it doesn't help that the current administration doesn't instill a sense of security, but I think the state of things is mostly caused by the media whipping people into a frenzy. The virus does what it does, regardless of what the talking heads of state say. For example, Google was touting how great their YouTube stats were for news content because people were so hungry for news about coronavirus. So the news gave people what they want: doomsday all day every day. This corona thing has been very profitable for media. While I haven't checked today, I'm sure if you go to the front page of any mainstream news site all you see is negativity (CNN, NYT, Fox, etc) and articles about how everything is falling apart. So, I think if we're to blame anyone, we should first blame ourselves and second blame the news and their clickbaity-ness.
- s9w 6y ago
  I'm fine with blaming the news first, then the leaders. There is so much context missing from the reports. When did we ever have counters for other infectious diseases? Naturally people follow the panic - I did so too at first. I did learn a lot about law during this though. In particular how little it all matters, even the core parts of national constitutions. All overruled, changed and whatever in days time. Those laws mean nothing.
  - brenden2 6y ago
    That's true. The government does what it wants at the end of the day. If they don't like the laws they can just change them.
DanBC 6y ago
> As it became clear this is nothing unusual, Sure, because hiring festival companies to run temporary morgues is what we do every year. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/29/concerns-over-training-emergency-morgues-run-uk-festival-firm-london https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/29/concerns-ove... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/coronavirus-crisis-puts-pressure-on-crematoria-and-morgues-in-uk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/coronavirus-cr... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-lockdown-temporary-workers-ppe-morgue-conditions-london-a9491176.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-...
- brenden2 6y ago
  This is a common rebuttal. Nobody is suggesting the virus is a hoax, or that it's not killing anyone, or that it isn't bad. What people are saying is that 1) these lockdown measures aren't effective and 2) the side effects caused by keeping everyone under house arrest do more harm than the virus. Yes, it's true that the virus spreads very quickly, but it's actually not very lethal. So sure it happens all at once, but it's nowhere close to as bad as the early models predicted. Hospitals aren't anywhere near capacity, in fact in most places they're having to lay off medical workers and close down sections of hospitals because they can't afford to keep their doors open. If you want to keep spreading nonsense, then please do because I respect your right to do so, but I implore you (and others) to take a good hard look at the facts and try to understand what's really going on.
  - DanBC 6y ago
    > but it's actually not very lethal It's pretty lethal to people over 60. > but it's nowhere close to as bad as the early models predicted. But you think the lockdowns don't work? > Hospitals aren't anywhere near capacity, Not true. > in fact in most places they're having to lay off medical workers and close down sections of hospitals because they can't afford to keep their doors open. Not true.
    - brenden2 6y ago
      I hate to break it to you, but the older you get the more likely you are to die from any cause. Take a look at the data yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db355.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db355.htm

by s9w 6y ago

brenden2 6y ago

Maybe so, but I don't think it's China's fault, or the US governments fault for that matter. I guess it doesn't help that the current administration doesn't instill a sense of security, but I think the state of things is mostly caused by the media whipping people into a frenzy. The virus does what it does, regardless of what the talking heads of state say. For example, Google was touting how great their YouTube stats were for news content because people were so hungry for news about coronavirus. So the news gave people what they want: doomsday all day every day. This corona thing has been very profitable for media. While I haven't checked today, I'm sure if you go to the front page of any mainstream news site all you see is negativity (CNN, NYT, Fox, etc) and articles about how everything is falling apart. So, I think if we're to blame anyone, we should first blame ourselves and second blame the news and their clickbaity-ness.

s9w 6y ago
I'm fine with blaming the news first, then the leaders. There is so much context missing from the reports. When did we ever have counters for other infectious diseases? Naturally people follow the panic - I did so too at first. I did learn a lot about law during this though. In particular how little it all matters, even the core parts of national constitutions. All overruled, changed and whatever in days time. Those laws mean nothing.
- brenden2 6y ago
  That's true. The government does what it wants at the end of the day. If they don't like the laws they can just change them.

DanBC 6y ago

> As it became clear this is nothing unusual, Sure, because hiring festival companies to run temporary morgues is what we do every year. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/29/concerns-over-training-emergency-morgues-run-uk-festival-firm-london https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/29/concerns-ove... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/coronavirus-crisis-puts-pressure-on-crematoria-and-morgues-in-uk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/coronavirus-cr... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-lockdown-temporary-workers-ppe-morgue-conditions-london-a9491176.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-...

brenden2 6y ago
This is a common rebuttal. Nobody is suggesting the virus is a hoax, or that it's not killing anyone, or that it isn't bad. What people are saying is that 1) these lockdown measures aren't effective and 2) the side effects caused by keeping everyone under house arrest do more harm than the virus. Yes, it's true that the virus spreads very quickly, but it's actually not very lethal. So sure it happens all at once, but it's nowhere close to as bad as the early models predicted. Hospitals aren't anywhere near capacity, in fact in most places they're having to lay off medical workers and close down sections of hospitals because they can't afford to keep their doors open. If you want to keep spreading nonsense, then please do because I respect your right to do so, but I implore you (and others) to take a good hard look at the facts and try to understand what's really going on.
- DanBC 6y ago
  > but it's actually not very lethal It's pretty lethal to people over 60. > but it's nowhere close to as bad as the early models predicted. But you think the lockdowns don't work? > Hospitals aren't anywhere near capacity, Not true. > in fact in most places they're having to lay off medical workers and close down sections of hospitals because they can't afford to keep their doors open. Not true.
  - brenden2 6y ago
    I hate to break it to you, but the older you get the more likely you are to die from any cause. Take a look at the data yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db355.htm https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db355.htm