SvennoJ said:
EricHiggin said:
The Gov should not be choosing who lives and dies (unless the situation was different and significantly more dire). The Gov should have been more clear and consistent to begin with. You can't change from don't bother with masks to you have to wear one. You can't shut down small businesses who follow the rules but allow big box stores to remain open. You can't install rules and guidelines then disregard them yourself. The Gov should be doing extra to specifically take care of those at risk, even though it may be a considerable inconvenience for those at risk individuals.
If the Gov sends individuals to war (in which case they ask first and don't force you to unless it's an extremely serious threat to many of it's people), they don't arm the population with a uniform, helmet, gun, ammo, etc. Just those who are the most at risk. Everyone else is asked to chip in however they can, though they aren't forced either, again, unless it's dire for many.
In this situation, as it's understood, asking for social distancing and masks indoors up front, would've made sense. Forcing everyone to do so, along with lockdowns, and curfews in some places, is the kind of thing you would expect when millions upon millions or more of your people are expected to succumb. The only way lockdown would make sense in this situation is if the Gov could guarantee that others who weren't at risk, wouldn't suffer much or die, which they certainly didn't achieve.
It's about individuals freedom of choice. The choice to come together or be apart when individuals see fit. Yes, by all means, give up some freedoms if you choose to, but you then have to deal with the consequences. Don't force others to give up their freedoms if they don't see the need to, otherwise eventually they'll decide to 'return the favor' in some manner. Everyone giving up some of their freedom has led to people suffering and dying who likely wouldn't have. The answer is to do a professional job of convincing most to protect those at risk, within reason, not take away everyone's right to choose. If you do a good job, are logical, and can unite (which is easier said than done), people will follow.
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The government is made up of fallible people just like you and me. It took a long time to find proof in all the data how useful masks were. At first, the masks we use now, were not working for first responders. They are still pretty useless for long exposure, breathing the air in the same enclosed space. However then the data showed that mask use still reduces the rate of infection, and mandating masks allows loosening of other restrictions, ie opening up businesses with social distancing rules in place.
Big box stores playing by different rules is scummy, agreed. Talking to my sister she told me that in the Netherlands everything but grocery stores had to close. However some stores, like walmart here, sell groceries on the side. Thus many big stores got exemptions that way, and even added groceries to get around it. (Now the rules have been updated that stores have to be 90% groceries to be allowed to remain open)
I grew up when conscription was still normal, called up, tested, approved, but got an exemption for going to university first. I would have been recruited, against my will, however conscription was abandoned just in time. You had the freedom to choose jail over joining the army though...
We're dealing with the consequences of apparently too much freedom right now. It was left up to the population from summer until now to self regulate and get the numbers down. No amount of advertisements, reporting, announcements, pleas, and appealing to common sense helped to get the second wave under control. Sadly people won't follow.
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The smart thing would've been to play it safe, within reason. Asking everyone to wear masks right away would've been a minor ask initially, even if they ended up finding out they were 100% useless. Some would've complained later, but not many, because for what really? Same with social distancing. As long as it didn't take them far too much time to come up with reliable test results anyway.
When the people already don't trust the Gov, the bigger the misstep, the bigger the perceived problem. Even worse, when the people and the Gov are divided, and the leadership won't unify, how do you expect the 'sheep' to?
Ya I realize there are exceptions. Every country, democratic and free or not, does things a little differently. I think you get the point in general though. There used to be conscription in some places, there also used to be little done to stop the spread of worrisome illnesses at times.
With most things, if you screw up initially, you're screwed entirely. The worse you initially screw up, the worse the outcome will eventually be, sooner or later. Especially with the instant widespread communication of today. Western Gov's and CDPR are on the same page, and that's not a good thing. Life isn't a game.
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