The Two Americas
I hate to do stuff that we already know. We have smart people here that know a lot more than I do about a variety of subjects. However, a simple perusing of social media makes clear that there are two Americas. We always knew that much, but it is becoming increasingly obvious where these dividing lines are.
What I’ve seen makes one thing clear: it’s not about facts versus fiction or science versus science fiction. It’s not even about Republicans versus Democrats. The simple dividing line comes down to who or what we choose to trust and believe in.
The calls to “do your own research” are really just a farce. At the end of the day everyone ends up trusting someone who they deem to have the answers. I didn’t read any scholarly journals before my eye doctor injected my eyes this morning. I trusted that as a specialist he knew what he is doing.
So, all the folks saying they don’t trust the FDA or CDC are trusting someone when they give themselves a medication meant to cure river blindness or head lice. Someone told them that works. They don’t know what’s in it, so the protests about not putting a foreign substance in their body is pure bullshit.
These are similar to the calls of tyranny for mandating that you need the shot or frequent tests to keep your job. It’s as if these mandates have never been done before. Our kids never had to have vaccinations to go to school. I never had to submit to a fingerprint scan and background check to teach or volunteer at my church. Except I’ve had to do all of those things and our kids had to have those shots.
So, to cry about overreach now is just selective outrage. It’s similar to cries about excessive spending, running deficits, and any other government overreach. We are all okay with the government getting involved in some things or spending on some things. The question has never been if, but what exactly you get involved in and spend money on.
Similarly, some love to romanticize on how they are independent thinkers that don’t blindly trust authority. Sure. If it makes any of us feel better we can go on saying that. The truth is not whether we trust authority, but the people we choose to trust and give credence to. I’d love to say my people are better than your people, but that kind of discussion gets us nowhere.
My wife asked me if it was too hot to run. I’d said no. Am I a weather or exercise expert? No. I’m simply someone that cares about her and wouldn’t intentionally steer her wrong. Somehow, that’s where most of these anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers are at. Deep down most of them care for the friends and family and wouldn’t want to hurt them. They’d just rather trust another friend or family member over an expert they don’t know personally. It’s really as simple as that.
