Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself

People on the left side of the aisle really do seem to be nearly if not actually terrified of the Xi Jinping Flu pandemic. 

I worried a lot very early on until reality pushed aside the alarmist models. I still take precautions, including hand washing and wearing a mask inside stores. Because it is really contagious and deadly to certain vulnerable populations. 

And I do reduce my trips to stores and haven't eaten in a restaurant since this thing began. I have an elderly mother who I regularly visit to consider. 

But I did go to Las Vegas in September. And self-isolated for two weeks just in case. You have to cope and get on with your life as much as you can.

I wonder if this virus is frightening the left simply because it is getting so much detailed attention--unlike the host of other things that anonymously kill us every day in collectively large numbers. It's a variation of my view on why Americans are unwilling to admit America wins wars, as Jean-Paul Sartre wrote

A victory described in detail is indistinguishable from defeat.

Sadly, those on the left are fearing fear itself. And this blind spot applies to a lot of things that Trump did which horrified the left but which were ignored when Obama or anyone else did them. 

What was done was new to the left--yet standard operating procedure.