I have repeatedly expressed my skepticism regarding the scope and severity of COVID-19. I suspect it has been around longer than the WHO and CDC say. I suspect I already had it. I suspect it is less contagious and less deadly than we are told. I suspect it has already peaked, and we are witnessing a panic after the fact.
But can I prove this? No.
And that is a major problem.
I am not an epidemiologist, biologist, physician, or otherwise qualified to offer any official opinion on such matters, but then again, neither is Bill Gates, Donald Trump, any of the 50 state governors, or all of the Karens lecturing everyone on social media. So I'm in good company there.
Or not. Why do I suddenly feel contaminated? Ugh.
But sarcasm and snark aside, I could certainly be wrong. The Chinese government covered up the epidemic for weeks, or even months, and promoted behavior guaranteed to spread it during their New Year celebration. There was a long time for the virus to piggyback its way stateside with trade and tourism travel.
So it may have been here long before the mainstream media took the story seriously. And it may be far worse than anyone knows. It could be here for months, or years, or it could be a recurring seasonal threat forever.
But isn't this evidence of market failure?
No, it's government failure. The Chinese state is an obvious culprit, but the alphabet soup agencies in US intelligence must have known something. What did they know, and when did they know it? Why was this information not released for the benefit of global public health?
Why were we told with grave assurances that we needed 6 feet of space and better cleanliness, but not masks, for so long? Maybe they didn't fully understand how the disease spread, but maybe they downplayed it for whatever reason, too.
Why have restrictions and red tape not been relaxed to encourage production of test kits, masks, hand sanitizer, and other equipment? The FDA and other regulatory bodies in the US haven't done anything to fast-track production of these essential supplies, and demand everyone who could ramp up production now first plod through their bureaucratic obstacle course.
Why are these self-important central planners taking it upon themselves to decide who is essential, and who is not? Do they not understand how intricately woven the web of economic production really is? No, of course they don't. They're politicians, not productive entrepreneurs. No wonder they think passing out money will somehow make up for stalling productivity nationwide. The flow of money doesn't create wealth or measure prosperity. It is the goods and services produced to satisfy consumer demands that constitute real wealth, and money is primarily a tool to facilitate the process of exchange in a complex economy. Keynesian velocity analysis misses the root of the problem.
Now, if I am wrong, and the virus does pose a lethal threat to millions of people around the globe, changes do need to be made. I do not deny that. Even if I am right, and the virus threat is exaggerated, precautions are still in order. But who is in the best position to decide how we take precautions, or what precautions we need to take? Certainly not the political class, and certainly not the busybody control freaks shrilly denouncing us skeptics as "wanting people to die."
If you think you need to self-isolate, you don't need anyone to order you into isolation. If you are concerned that your workplace is a potential breeding ground for pathogens, take it up with your boss, or consult your union representative. This is where a union might actually be useful for once, after all. Make masks. Plant a garden. Do what you think is right. Try to persuade people that you are right using reason and evidence. I applaud this kind of reaction.
But don't tell me that I need to stay home using a combination of threats and insults. Don't applaud every violation of liberty in the name of coronavirus security. Don't dismiss dissenters as ignorant, reckless, or malicious. Don't cheer as politicians prance about on stage proclaiming how they are saving us from ourselves.
Because, remember, you might also be wrong.
Time to find a new subject. I feel like I have written way too many heavy posts in a row. If I find it draining to write them, surely you're tired of reading them right? I still need to finish the promised review of Space Marine Adventures: Labyrinth of the Necrons. That'll be a fun diversion, I hope.