Random Thoughts During "Distancing"

I read in the paper today that 600,000 Americans died in the flu pandemic of 1918-1919, and I just checked on google, and Stanford says it was more than that. That is an astonishing number, given that the USA population was about 100 million then. 6%! And now they’re expecting about 200,000 coronavirus deaths with a population of over 300 million. Some expert said on MSNBC last night that only if we do everything 100% right, there will be that many deaths, so maybe if we did nothing, as was the case in the flu pandemic, it would be more. In best case scenario, then, death rate from coronavirus would be less than 1% (0.6%).

Sometimes in the middle of the night, I imagine how I would cope in a worst case scenario, such as being unjustly imprisoned in solitary. I always imagine I would heroically maintain a regimen of hygiene and exercise. However, here we are, stuck at home because of the pandemic, and I am not doing that. I am busy all day, cleaning up the kitchen, baking cookies, reading, watching TV, painting, doing laundry, doing research or shopping or checking social media online, and I find it very easy to skip my walk, my back and leg strengthening exercises, and flossing. Not good!!! I now vow to exert more self discipline from now on.

Many people are still trying to analyze what is wrong with Trump, and one commentator mentioned that he responds to any problem with bluster and making up a story about how good something is or he is or how bad others are. It’s not so much that he’s lying, but that he’s telling a good story that serves his purposes, whether it be selling real estate or defending against impeachment. He doesn’t need to be knowledgeable about anything or to rely on expertise, because he has faith in his ability to make up a story on the spot, as needed. This ability might stand him in good stead when selling real estate, but it’s a disaster when dealing with a pandemic, since pandemics do not respond to narrative. It occurred to me then that Trump weaponizes narrative. I’ve always valued narrative, and I am now reminded of the fact that, like anything truly powerful, it can be used for evil as well as good.