Clearly, even politicians who are trying to signal an "every life matters" stance actually harbor a different set of values that deviate from their public perfo

Clearly, even politicians who are trying to signal an "every life matters" stance actually harbor a different set of values that deviate from their public performances. I don't fault them for having those values, but I do fault them for enacting coercive/authoritarian policies while actually believing in something different. Instead, I would rather they acknowledge that they should stop at educating the public, encouraging best practices, and making resources (testing, PPE, etc) broadly available. I would rather individuals and businesses decide for themselves how they will act. Those who are very risk averse can self-isolate for as long as they want (indefinitely if they want zero risk exposure in life), or can wear full-body coverings when they venture out, and so on. Those who are comfortable with [working, dining out, going for a hike, whatever] can do so at their own risk. I feel especially bad for the children and young adults affected by lockdown policies, as they will be set back socially, emotionally, and professionally despite the risk to them being almost zero. With the median age of a COVID death in the mid-high 70s, we're stealing from the young to accommodate the very old. Ultimately, the coronavirus is a background condition like a weather event, and individuals should be allowed to make decisions about the risks they are willing to accept as part of living their life. Forcing particular tradeoffs between risk and reward on society is the same as forcing everyone to have the same value system. I don't think that makes sense in a free society.