With the global pandemic, regulations, mandates and media sensationalism, much of the American population (and the world) seem to have been infected with a virus more debilitating than Covid-19. I speak, of course, of FEAR.
This idea that risk must be nullified in order to partake in normal life activities is a pandemic in of itself. Accepting risk is a part of life, and that responsibility is up to the individual, not the government or the rest of the world.
I've sustained both injury and illness before in my life, and it was up to me to assess a situation and decide for myself if that activity was worth greater injury or illness. I didn't expect the roller skating rink to close its doors and not allow other guests in because my ankle surgery prevented me from enjoying the Retro 70's Roller Disco Party Night to its fullest potential.
It sucks feeling left out, but the show must go on. If someone feels that going out into the world may infect them with Covid-19 and kill them, it's their responsibility (and many who are immunocompromised agree) to decide whether they want to take the risk or not, not the governments'.
It's understandable that people want to protect the most vulnerable in our society. Most of us have been doing this all our lives. We stay away from people when we're sick, especially people we think might die if they get whatever sickness we have.
It's ethical and honorable to behave in a manner that maximizes functionality and coexistence in a crowded world, but the government should not mandate that behavior. We try to lessen the risk, but we must face the reality that risk is a part of life.
We're going to get sick. We're going to get hurt. There's a chance we might die when we walk out our front door in the morning, even if we're perfectly healthy. We're not guaranteed tomorrow, but we cannot live life in constant fear. Life as we know it will cease to exist if we allow this pandemic of fear to reconfigure our world into a totalitarian dystopia, all in the name of "safety."
