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You May Be Early, but You're Not Wrong: A Covid Reading List, by
@JessicaLexicus
"Yesterday, I came across a somber tweet by a man who’s trying to protect his family from Covid. He said, “my wife has been speaking with the principal of my children’s elementary school and that he has been advising her to file for divorce because I was clearly not well and ‘my life revolves around fear.’”
Yes, a principal is telling someone’s wife to divorce him because he wants to protect them from a deadly, disabling virus.
"Companies are also starting to pressure their employees to get therapy “to conquer their fear of Covid.”
There’s a line from the film The Big Short that echoes through my head these days. The investor Michael Burry says, “I may have been early, but I’m not wrong.” There’s a lot of us who feel like that right now. A majority of the world thinks we’re crazy. In reality, we’re not crazy at all.
We have the facts.
"Over the last few months, there’s been an avalanche of studies telling us that Covid poses a major threat to our health, our lives, and our sanity. The biggest risk now comes in the weeks and months after we recover. Our politicians and media have done a poor job communicating this threat. Instead, they’re doing their best to manipulate information to protect their own political interests. The public has bought into these lies. They want to believe they can return to normal.
"The latest studies tell us that’s not possible.
There’s no permanent immunity from this virus. Each time we catch it, this virus attacks our hearts and minds. It weakens us. It tries to kill us. It imprints on us, so a future variant has a better shot next time.
That next time could be a few months later.
Here are the key points:
1. You can catch Covid multiple times.
2. Reinfections are common, not rare.
3. Breakthrough infections are common.
4. Covid can kill you months after you recover.
5. It can cause brain damage.
6. It can cause blood clots and heart attacks.
7. It doesn’t spare children.
8. Vaccines help, but only some.
9. Masks work.
https://jessicawildfire.substack.com/p/you-may-be-early-but-youre-not-wrong?r=jp7y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
2. Reinfections are common, not rare.
3. Breakthrough infections are common.
4. Covid can kill you months after you recover.
5. It can cause brain damage.
6. It can cause blood clots and heart attacks.
7. It doesn’t spare children.
8. Vaccines help, but only some.
9. Masks work.
https://jessicawildfire.substack.com/p/you-may-be-early-but-youre-not-wrong?r=jp7y&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
"Everyone should know about these studies. I’ve linked to the original articles. I’ve tried to summarize them in clear language. I’ve also linked to summaries written by journalists who still care about the truth.
"Biggest takeaway: the media lied to us.
The evidence is overwhelming now.
Last winter, the media made a concerted effort to convince Americans that Covid had become mild. They said catching Omicron would protect us from future variants, and that we could ditch our masks. Newspapers were filled with op-eds basically telling us to go out and shop, celebrate, and get infected. They blanketed the internet with stories about the “relief” people felt catching Covid.
"Anyone who disagreed got labeled a doomsayer.
The optimists were all wrong.
There was no evidence to support any of these myths, just arrogant assertions from the same handful of pundits. The actual studies tell the truth. You don’t want to catch Covid once. You certainly don’t want to catch it multiple times. We should be getting boosted. We should be wearing masks.
We should be protecting our children.
"There’s only one alternative, and that’s catching Covid over and over until it destroys our immune systems, along with our hearts and minds.
Nobody wants that.
https://jessicawildfire.substack.com/p/you-may-be-early-but-youre-not-wrong
Kat Earthren Liu@yaneerbaryam
I don’t disagree with what you wrote. I still mask most times (tho have caved to social pressure at times, luckily with no ill effect *thus far*). But… I also don’t see how you expect the general public to accept this bleak picture with no way out in sight. Without hope for a time when this will be behind us, I think the majority of people will reject the message.
I don’t disagree with what you wrote. I still mask most times (tho have caved to social pressure at times, luckily with no ill effect *thus far*). But… I also don’t see how you expect the general public to accept this bleak picture with no way out in sight. Without hope for a time when this will be behind us, I think the majority of people will reject the message.
DeviJustice@yaneerbaryam @shaktinah And that’s probably how humanity will become extinct. A massive threat will come some day, probably a bacteria, and humans will simply refuse to accept that we might need to change our lifestyles to defend ourselves, and the threat will win.
@Devijustice @yaneerbaryam
I do think we will experience periodic massive die-offs. Possibly even massive enough to disrupt "society" as we know it. But extinction means killing nearly everyone very quickly, and I think that's less likely. Much more likely is that those who are poorer die first and in large numbers, as we are seeing with climate disruption. And the people who have the power to set public policy won't care because they are insulated until it is too late.
I do think we will experience periodic massive die-offs. Possibly even massive enough to disrupt "society" as we know it. But extinction means killing nearly everyone very quickly, and I think that's less likely. Much more likely is that those who are poorer die first and in large numbers, as we are seeing with climate disruption. And the people who have the power to set public policy won't care because they are insulated until it is too late.
@shaktinah @yaneerbaryam That’s what is happening with climate change. My point was, if you can’t tell humans the truth about a problem because they won’t accept the message, then we are incapable of fixing our problems. Any problem, even one that threatens the survival of all humans. We’ll just insist it’s not really happening and keep living our lives.
@Devijustice @yaneerbaryam
I go back to the question of "Do you want to be right or do you want to be effective?"
You can tell humans the truth and if they don't accept the message, then you can tell yourself that you are right and they are wrong.
Or you can try telling the truth in a different way that is more likely to be heard.
My point when I first commented was that even tho I agreed with the message, it was so bleak that I could see why people wouldn't want to listen.
trendless@shaktinah I want the truth to be heard effectively, but I do not want to compromise the truth in order to find acceptance for whatever message is left.
I am just the messenger: I deliver the message — ideally in a simple and ego-free package. If the horse refuses to drink, there's no point grabbing the reins. I will be the trough. What the listener does with the message is up to them.
@trendless @Devijustice @yaneerbaryam
I'm not talking about compromising the truth. And I'd argue that the way a message is delivered is never neutral like a trough.
This convo started with 10 posts about how deadly COVID is and how the govt/media are lying to us. Only after I commented how it's understandable people would want to ignore such a bleak message was it added that it's possible to stop the virus. But that information was not presented in the previous 10 posts. That's what I mean.
@shaktinah @Devijustice Sometimes a message can only be so neutral. Certain things are always going to be hard to hear and sometimes the jarring truth is part of the technique. I noticed that in several of the 10 original posts to which you referred there are recommended solutions, as is typical for @yaneerbaryam's threads. I think I understand where you're coming from and I do think empathy for the recipient is important, but some will always be offput and reject it, no matter how we try. 💗
@trendless @Devijustice @yaneerbaryam
Appreciating your thoughtful response & going to the trouble of pointing to some positive messaging. The reason why I did not consider masks to be a "solution" is because, at least in the US, the idea of wearing masks in perpetuity is not acceptable.
Most of my friends lean left. I've been surprised to learn that most of them have resumed traveling, gathering, and not masking (which is depressing). I'm interested to know how testing can end the pandemic.
@trendless @shaktinah @yaneerbaryam And because Americans are being so uniquely ridiculous about masking, we’ll end up with a lot of people disabled from covid, and they will deny disability claims and lower the working age to make up for lost workers (AL already working on this). And there will be more airborne pandemics, and we’ll lose even more people.
Unless Americans decide to change. Every other country has been far more willing to mask as needed.
@Devijustice @shaktinah I'm not sure there's an end without some as-yet unexpected, undiscovered miracle if we can't/won't use either respirators or quarantine+TTI (maybe even both) -- and both must be done in full measure with the political, scientific, medical, and public health establishments onboard and participating. The hard truth is we can't just decide we don't like the solution, unless our intent is not to solve it.
@Devijustice @shaktinah Also, I'm sure you're all too keenly aware that the "we can't do [.....] forever" is a strawman argument and those who would lean on it to debate you on the usefulness of masks aren't doing it in good faith. What we *really* can't live with in perpetuity is SARS-CoV-2 and that's what we're choosing if we eschew things like respirators, regardless how long we'd need to wear them.
@trendless @Devijustice
It isn't a "debate." My brother was willing to get the first two shots & 1st booster, then no more. When I ask him why, he says that he can't keep getting shots forever. When I ask friends why they're no longer masking they say that they can't keep wearing masks forever. You can tell them that's a strawman argument but that's not going to convince them to change their behavior. Unfortunately, the onus is on us to convince them, not the other way, so it's not a debate.
It isn't a "debate." My brother was willing to get the first two shots & 1st booster, then no more. When I ask him why, he says that he can't keep getting shots forever. When I ask friends why they're no longer masking they say that they can't keep wearing masks forever. You can tell them that's a strawman argument but that's not going to convince them to change their behavior. Unfortunately, the onus is on us to convince them, not the other way, so it's not a debate.
@shaktinah so many of us are in that same boat: those around us have drawn their line in the sand and will go no further, regardless how much information we provide -- and it may cost them a great deal of unnecessary harm.
Is there a reason why you feel it is your responsibility to change their minds?
@trendless @Devijustice
I'm not trying to change their minds (as that would be futile). I was responding to your referring to "we can't do this forever" as a "debate" tactic. My point was that it's not a debate.
I'm not trying to change their minds (as that would be futile). I was responding to your referring to "we can't do this forever" as a "debate" tactic. My point was that it's not a debate.
@shaktinah I truly feel for you and what you're going through. I hope you can find some peace in the midst of it and that you can find the strength to keep walking the talk, even if no one pays attention. ✊ ❤️
@trendless
Thank you for your kind response. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I'm going thru some particular hardship. My experiences are likely very common here in the US. And in fact I am lucky in that I am in San Francisco where a lot of people still mask (altho a growing number are stopping), whereas in other areas people fought it from the beginning. I hope from your response that this is not an issue where you are and the majority of people are being careful. Thanks again.
Thank you for your kind response. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I'm going thru some particular hardship. My experiences are likely very common here in the US. And in fact I am lucky in that I am in San Francisco where a lot of people still mask (altho a growing number are stopping), whereas in other areas people fought it from the beginning. I hope from your response that this is not an issue where you are and the majority of people are being careful. Thanks again.
word saladin@trendless @Devijustice @shaktinah
It's no different than "so you expect people to wear latex gloves all the time?"
"you expect to hook up a safety harness all the time?"
"you expect people to wear condoms all the time?"
While it's almost so common a set of comparisons as to be trite now, what I'd suggest is that we actually have a lot of words for people who deliberately eschew safety precautions: in the case of HIV it was pozzers, in the case of workplace safety it's the ohsa magnet.
These people don't care about your safety -on purpose-. They are deliberately reducing your survivability at close quarters interactions or at work for the benefit of their own mental hygiene. They do not give a shit about you. They will, on purpose, harm you, for a gain to themselves so immaterially small it's almost immeasurable vs the downside risk to you.
They aren't thinking about this and don't care to. The most revealing conversation I ever had on this was with a dentist, who donned safety glasses for me, and their gloves, but refused an N95. When asked if they could take a swing at the relative risks of these precautions - reduced retinal sensitivity, potential HIV/HPV - vs the risks of covid over the same timeframe - they literally cold rebooted and stammered through even attempting to work it out. They can't process it and don't want to start trying.
@EdelweissBlood @shaktinah @trendless This. All this. That is exactly the thing. They just don’t care. Nothing we can do about that but prioritize our survival over their normalcy urges in any and all ways we can.
@trendless @shaktinah Yes, it’s a rapidly evolving disease that could become more deadly or more disabling, the more we let it spread. “Must we inconvenience ourselves forever?” is the question of someone thinks they’re entitled to a nice life.
Sherrie T@trendless @Devijustice @shaktinah
Guess we can’t always wear seatbelts either. If Covid is gone I still would wear a mask to avoid colds and the flu. Who knew it was so easy?
Guess we can’t always wear seatbelts either. If Covid is gone I still would wear a mask to avoid colds and the flu. Who knew it was so easy?