4 ms·
It's pointless to compare morbidity of local, acute and national, protracted events.
by burnthrow 6y ago
It's pointless to compare morbidity of local, acute and national, protracted events.
- AndrewBissell 6y agoThe point of the 9/11 comparison seems to be "we reacted with a hysterical response and permanently expanded our military and surveillance infrastructure as a result of 9/11, and therefore if the same death toll is occurring every day we should consider similar drastic and permanent measures in response to Covid."
- PaulDavisThe1st 6y agoAll true. But ... 1) our response to 9/11 was wrong 2) it's all about perception of risk and control. 9/11 appeared to be a situation where the US, individually and as a state, had zero control over a nearly existential threat risk. Rightly or wrongly, a lot of the US, individually and as a state, seems to believe that in the case of covid19, we have large amounts of control over a rather small risk.
- AndrewBissell 6y agoI think it is possible for most people to understand and agree that "our response to 9/11 was wrong," and yet still experience a higher subjective impression of trauma from the pandemic as a result of the comparison, which softens them up for agreeing to drastic measures in much the same way 9/11 did.
- dwaltrip 6y agoPeople respond to violent attacks differently than outbreaks of infectious disease. I don't see that changing anytime soon. I don't think the different reactions are perfect, but there is some logic to it. Violence is much less predictable or reactive than the spread of infectious disease is.