This season is challenging the role of expertise in our communities profoundly. Charts are not dogma. If anything, they will be souvenirs of an era of abundant speculation. We have also become keenly aware that experience and presuppositions play an enormous role in our conclusions about current events.
For instance, the people who are generally predisposed to doubting governmental regulations and interventions have upheld a consistent record of doubt on pandemic demands on our freedoms. And those who are usually predisposed to accepting government premises on all sorts of issues and not bothered much by the regulatory system as a basic structure in society find the state’s policies during this season to be another reminder of just how sober the government is. Of course, there are exceptions to all these cases, but a quick look at the media and their particular advocates makes the basic case pretty plain.
The divide is clear: Hollywood cheers on the lockdown from their sophisticated castles while the rest of the country is quarantine fatigued. And the pandemic- panic-party is still advocating for more strict measures. In my own town, there is a lawyer dressed up as a grim reaper going to our local beaches and warning everyone of the deadly consequences of re-assembling at 80+ degree weather. On the other hand, several pastors I know are eager to return to worship but cannot because they rent buildings from mainline churches that have shut down indefinitely.
Think for a moment. Forty million Americans are applying for unemployment, and there are still governors not satisfied with a phased re-opening. “We need to be cautious about our cautiousness,” they say proudly. Young entrepreneurs who moved to places like Seattle to find the burgeoning town the future of tech companies are now thinking twice about remaining there after this season. They longed to engage the outdoors of the Northwest and the vibrant social life as the impetus to a healthy lifestyle in a physically demanding market.
The result of this entire phenomenon? Calls to suicide and domestic abuse hotlines have increased by almost 1,000 percent with unemployment numbers adding to the chaos of households hit by financial woes. Cities, once known for their particular gifts to societies, now offer no appeal to newer generations. The young entrepreneur will look at Elon Musk and agree that the best place for prosperity and innovativeness is where liberty can flourish and not where overreach is typical.
There will be a complete re-thinking of the role of work and wealth. Every crisis changes the philosophy of a people. This country will be re-arranged as many will move to places safer from maniacal politicians. The good news is that we will grow more suspicious of leadership far from us and hopefully grow more enthusiastic to receive exhortation and wisdom from leaders nearer to us. People will move. States will change. We will see a more objective divide in the way we look at the world. I think common sense will prevail and we will be better for it.
