I don't consider it acceptable, but the number of people that would die if we literally just shut everything off (including "essential" services and utilities)

I don't consider it acceptable, but the number of people that would die if we literally just shut everything off (including "essential" services and utilities) is unacceptable. "The economy" as it exists today simply leaves too many people behind. When 8 billionaires have as much wealth as half the world, and when wealth is essentially freedom, that's what's unacceptable.