DECEMBER 31, 2021 – As the world crawls to the finish of 2021, Covid continues its rampage.
For two years I’ve held strong opinions about individual and governmental responses to the ongoing crisis. Recently, however, non-scientific facts and observations of human nature have forced me to reassess.
Foremost among “non-scientific facts” and “observations” is sharpened awareness of my own psychological make-up. In some contexts, I’m highly “disciplined.” My wife would say, “obsessive-compulsive,” and she’d be right. Wearing a mask (actually three at once) and a face-shield, getting vaccinated as early as possible, getting boostered right away—these were personal responses easily adopted by someone as disciplined—compulsive—as I. To expect the same behavior of everyone else was a natural extension of my compulsivity.
I now realize, however, that the disparity between (a) my views (consistent with those of Drs. Fauci and Osterholm) on Covid prevention, and (b) the less strident approach of other people, reflect my (OCD) driving habits versus the laissez-faire attitude of most other motorists. However one might define my politics, my OCD behavior, fully supported by rational (I assure you) arguments, easily endorses mask-and-vax mandates of the highest order; just as my compulsive “we’re in this together” outlook supports stringent enforcement of traffic laws.
In a moment of rationality, however, I must acknowledge that my (non-rational) OCD view of Covid prevention mandates won’t gain universal acceptance any sooner than would a crack-down on vehicular infractions on public byways. The Covid-denier (or shopper who wears a flimsy, cloth mask under the nostrils) isn’t any more likely to be smacked, shamed, or incentivized into line than are people who habitually drive 20 MPH over the posted speed limit.
Proof that we’re children running wild on an un-patrolled playground are the up-and-down Covid statistics by state and country. Yesterday blue Minnesota was a hotspot. Today it was red Florida. Germany’s pressed to the limit and Portugal is an honor student—for a day. India grabs headlines for two days before drifting off the board altogether, because no one can know for sure total new cases, deaths, or hospitalizations in such a place. China, meanwhile, where the whole mess started, reverts to Cultural Revolution methods to shame Covid-rule breakers. Good luck among 1.4 billion people.
Anti-vaxxers join forces with armchair skeptics, as government health officials promise to “follow the science”—a moving target. Healthcare workers in the trenches, meanwhile, stagger under unimaginable fatigue stemming from unmanageable behavior by hordes who, for myriad reasons and rationalizations, choose not to be vaccinated.
In a perfect world . . .
Therein lies the problem: a world created by imperfect beings can never be perfect, especially given that “perfect” defies universal definition. We humans, with our irreconcilable fears and desires, imperfect knowledge and opposing ideas, are like water molecules colliding inside a giant pot atop a hotplate. Our predicament now comes down to three parameters: pot cover, pot walls, and pot water-temperature.
With no cook minding the stove, circumstances will evolve and resolve—imperfectly—as they always have in an imperfect world.
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© 2021 by Eric Nilsson
