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“Whatever else government does, the trick it absolutely has to pull off, according to Hobbes, is to make us afraid of breaking the rules while ensuring that we

“Whatever else government does, the trick it absolutely has to pull off, according to Hobbes, is to make us afraid of breaking the rules while ensuring that we have no real cause to panic about our survival.” I’d argue that some governments have a very tenuous grip on the above two levers. COVID-19 has merely brought that into stark relief. I think that those taking a gamble that the majority will be content to suffer (primarily) their old folk suffering and dying in order to keep the grindstone of the economy turning, will find out they are mistaken.

luckylion 6y ago
You believe the majority will rather keep their parents for a few more years than a functioning economy? Intuitively, I'm pretty sure everybody will say "of course, I love my parents". If they think about it for a while, I don't believe that they will. I'm not sure the old people would either. My reason for that belief is the behavior people show: they do not spend their money to pay for better health/elderly care to give their (grand) parents another year or two. And the old rather pass on money instead of spending it in an attempt to get another five years. A much weaker economy is functionally very similar to spending your savings in a good economy: you're going to be out of money in a few years.
SpicyLemonZest 6y ago
In my family, it's the old folks who are most worried about the lockdown. I shouldn't imply I'm in favor of it, I'm pretty strongly opposed, but my and my parents' generation ultimately know we have good times to look forward to. My grandparents are starting to worry that, you know, am I signing up to do this for the rest of my life?