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Risky Business - Living with COVID
Life is fraught with risks. Many are unavoidable. I have to use a step ladder to change my smoke alarm batteries & did you see how many warning labels are on a simple ladder? I needed my car for shopping today & a driver on the outer lane of a roundabout thought she would continue on around past the 2nd exit. I avoided her crashing into me by inches (if that)!
People slip in the shower, are burned in the kitchen, die from faulty furnaces or space heaters, tumble down stairs, and so on. It seems that staying home has its own set of dangers. Many of us choose to participate in somewhat risky activities. I have had 3 motorcycles & in my home state of PA, we are not required to wear a helmet. A hot uncomfortable helmet takes away from the experience but riding motorcycles is dangerous, helmet or not. I had an antique Corvette T-Top with no roll bar & no seat belts. My favorite vehicle of all time was my pre-airbag Jeep Wrangler with the top & doors removed. I have been hunting since I was 12 years old. Accidental shootings while hunting are not uncommon. My father's best friend was shot & wounded. While hunting deer in PA I had the pleasure of looking down the wrong end of the barrel when another hunter heard me coming & was ready to fire when I stepped into view. In Wyoming, a herd of antelope ran between myself and another hunter but did he wait before firing? No way! I hugged the prairie for dear life as 3 bullets went zinging just over my head. Now I have my sights set on hunting some Florida feral hogs. The hogs are very intelligent, aggressive, and dangerous...can’t wait! I ride my bicycle on the cart paths & have narrowly avoided being hit multiple times by other carts & cyclists not paying attention. The people who I see cycling on Morse Blvd are really tempting fate. Golfing can be fatal and I have seen it. I worked as a RN in my hometown hospital & we had a popular golf resort within its service area. Our ER had numerous cases of broken bones from cart accidents, lacerations, heat stroke, alcohol poisoning, etc. When I worked as a coroner in the adjacent county there was a case in which a husband was killed by his wife as he was “teaching” her how to play golf. She said her grip slipped and the club struck him in the head. It was ruled an accident as she was the only witness. The lesson; safety in numbers - always bring a witness. I love fatty foods and my big fat juicy burger is a heart attack waiting. A good cigar on occasion and a cigarette when the wife isn’t looking is the real deal! I actually like to smoke and never worry about cancer. The real threat to life is if my wife finds out! Statistically speaking, flying is accepted as a safe form of travel. I have only flown twice, to Europe & back, but I was like “Mister T” on the “A-Team”. I had to be medicated so heavily I was unconscious when the plane was still on the taxiway & remained so for 7 of the 8 hours of flight. I know that fear of flying is irrational but...so is the fear of a pesky virus with only a death rate that is a fraction of a percentage. You knew the segue to COVID was coming, didn’t you? Soon most people will have been vaccinated or are already immune as a result of having had COVID. You would think we could be done with masks, distancing and all of the fear. Wrong! Now, depending on what 'expert' you want to believe, we are to continue to wear masks & practice social distancing...until when…forever? Enough is enough! Life is a risky business but if we shrink away from it, what kind of life is that anyway? Did we shy away from occupations that carried risk and did we discourage our children from becoming police officers, soldiers, sailors, fire fighters, pilots, doctors, nurses, steelworkers, etc. because of the potential risk of being injured, infected or dying of a job related incident? I am a retired ER nurse, paramedic, and coroner. I have seen death in its many guises; shootings, stabbings, drownings, burns, vehicle wrecks, electrocutions (even a lightning strike), bridge jumpers, construction accidents and that is just a bit of the trauma. Then comes death from the real killer diseases; heart disease, cancer, emphysema, diabetes, kidney failure, and on and on. Death from sports - parasailing, mountain biking, swimming, running, climbing, etc. Young, old, and in-between, death does not discriminate. I would never claim to have seen it all but I’ve seen enough for this lifetime. Other than children, I rarely felt sad at deaths which occurred even at relatively young ages. I have seen what happens to a person as they age. If you live long enough it is (almost) a certainty that you will lose all of your mental faculties and control of your bodily functions. My father used to say that he didn’t mind getting old because so many don’t get the chance. Then he developed dementia & became so weak he lived his last 18 months confined to his bed. Maybe if he could have seen the ending in store for him, he might have revised that statement. I would rather live a bit recklessly, enjoy life to the fullest, and take my chances than never really having lived at all, but damn, here I am at 67 years old, still healthy and going strong. Few of us know when or how the end will come. Maybe COVID will be the end of you but to live in unrelenting fear has got to be worse than death! My point is that if fate or your god or the universe has you marked for death in the near future, do you really want to spend your last few precious days/months/years hiding behind a mask, avoiding people, avoiding family and enjoyable activities, living in fear, and rarely venturing outside the home because a small percentage of people (who by & large already have issues) have died? Yes, the millions of deaths worldwide attributed to COVID do seem staggering but when compared to a world population of billions, the actual percentage is very small. The more we age, it seems, the more cautious we become. It has nothing to do with maturity & wisdom. Our death that once seemed so far away is now closing in as we turn to the obituary section of the news every morning. For a person who has lived a full & enjoyable life, why suddenly stop living now? That nursing home bed awaits replete with adult diapers, thickened liquids, and pureed foods. Is that the future we are saving ourselves for? We are already dying. Pope Paul VI once said, “Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it I say! Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.” John Augustus Shedd was an American author and professor. In 1928 he penned "Salt from My Attic", a collection of aphorisms and apothegms in which he noted, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” Life is to be lived to the fullest. One of my motorcycles came from an Erie, PA motorsports dealer who had a great advertising slogan. Perhaps not on a par with quotes from the Pope or Professor Shedd but nonetheless it seems appropriate for me to use it in closing; “Get Out and Play!” -David H. Dallas Village of Bradford “Dying is nothing; what's terrible is not to live.” -Victor Hugo, Les Miserables https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...pty-dumpty.jpg |
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We both have had both shots. I don't know but we will probably wear masks in public out of good manners. It is a small thing to ask. We are grateful to be free of the worry of the high risk to us from Covid-19 if we were to catch it AT OUR AGE. I know someone who felt just like you and now he is dead from Covid-19. Everyone has their own value system and their own code of ethics and their own philosophy of life and their own set of rules of life. Some value fun more than a scientists assessment of risk. I have always believed Fauci. I watched power shift in this country because 70% when polled believed Fauci. If you want to run things, you had better listen to the people who hold the power. That would be all of us Americans. |
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Let's face it, there are those in our community right here that would not step a foot in a grocery store and have not visited with friends and neighbors for months. Others, often vilified and much worse on this site, have weighted the risk for them personally, have chosen to see friends, dine out, and attend various events. Others seem angry, and even defiling and wishing death on those who are only choosing what is right for them, not at all trying to impose on others. This is puzzling, but so typical of humans ! If a person chooses to dine with friends inside a local restaurant, and has NO deep seated need to suggest or insist that others do the same, why does that ignite such volatile anger in others who have no desires or intentions to go to the same restaurant, or who only grocery shop via internet or curbside pickup ? Human nature is the answer of course. Those of you who have gone beyond basic into to psychology know from your education that insecure individuals have a deep need to be reinforced in their opinions, beliefs, and desires. Have you ever had a friend or neighbor who bought a _____ automobile, or a ____ appliance, and then did everything in their power to go beyond convincing, nearly insisting that others buy the same brand or kind they did ? Have you ever wondered why a few people are like this ? Fear and insecurity. So, the situation we are in is part of human nature. Fear rules the lives of some, while others might be judged (Mr. Humpty) as wildly irrational in relation to the risk/reward factor. Most of us fall in the middle of that spectrum, we make the choices we feel comfortable with based on our experiences and our formal education, the extent of our reading and research, and to some extent our own fear, or lack of it, of death and dying. All of the things you mentioned are so well thought out, some practices are risky, seems statistics (which can be manipulated to "prove" anything) do back up the wise decision to wear a helmet when driving a motor cycle or riding a bike. We generally accept that life preservers should be present on every boat, even if just using one in a stream or narrow river, but, that does not always happen. Today two governors of states that have repealed mandated (emphasis: "mandated") mask laws have expressed and clarified that they are NOT opposed to masks for those who believe they are actually effective, they are NOT asking residents to not wear masks, or no "social" distance, they are simply joining 17 other states which do not, and have not, made such things "law", or "mandates". People are still free to take the precautions they believe is best for them, it's simply that making "laws" really has little effect, that's becoming very clear as we analyze the comparisons between and among states and countries with strict laws and mandates and lock downs in response to the virus, and others that did not take such drastic measures as criminalizing simple behaviors like not wearing masks in public, attending religious services, or dining out. This is not a political statement, it is an analysis of facts about human behavior we have known for centuries now. No answers that I know of, all people will act, and re-act, according to their own level of fear as you pointed out. Nice to see some in-depth and actually reflective and rational "discussion" on this community site... so often just filled with irrational, "gut" (emotional) reactions based on.... nothing ! Ladders ? YES, the warnings on a ladder are so "over the top" makes you wonder why anyone would ever chance using one ! More dangerous than going to Publix without a mask even ? Enjoyed your post and your points. |
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I can only impact myself and those I love and Thank Heavens they will be getting their shots when it is their turn. |
To the OP, well said
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I will reply with 2 quotes by smarter men than you and I... They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin The deception continues and we, like sheep, are willing participants. A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. - Edward R. Murrow. |
David H. Dallas
Village of Bradford A person is entitled to their own value system and beliefs only up to the point at which the person's actions affect the rest of society. If health Experts and scientists determine that we need to wear masks a certain amount of time to protect a deadly virus from mutating, and to prevent spread by asymptomatic carriers, then that’s what society has to do. To act otherwise, is self indulgent at best. In the face of a deadly pandemic, society’s needs come first, not a person’s individual whims. “At times we feel outnumbered in our attempts to improve the world—to brighten and beautify, to preserve and heal and do what’s best for humanity. Selfless efforts can start to feel beleaguering, discouraging, even pointless with so little support. It is at these times I remind myself that I would rather be the last Good Samaritan standing than to join the ranks of selfish multitudes creating misery.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich |
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In a prior thesis, OP also gave his reasons for not getting a COVID vaccination.
Benjamin Franklin also took the risk of not getting his young son vaccinated for smallpox. That decision didn't work out well. "Despite Franklin's enthusiasm for the inoculation, he didn't inoculate his young son, Franky, who died from the disease in 1731 during an outbreak in Philadelphia. In his autobiography, Franklin wrote, "I long regretted bitterly & still regret that I had not given it [smallpox] to him by inoculation." Coss said this suggests Franklin had a choice about whether to inoculate his son, but didn't because his wife disagreed with the decision. Indeed, in 1759, Franklin wrote that if "one parent or near relation is against [inoculation], the other does not chuse to inoculate a child without free consent of all parties, lest in case of a disastrous event, perpetual blame should follow." Read more at Smithsonian.com. Originally published on Live Science. |
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as far as doing risky things----most of those mentioned involved personal risk....when other people's "freedom" impacts the community at large then it is not just a danger to yourself. so drive your motorcycles, hunt, sky dive, fine. but just wear a mask when asked. |
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To put Franklins quote into context, he was writing about taxation, not Covid, masks, or disease control. |
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[QUOTE=Bonnevie;1911010]Really, then do so and provide their credentials. I'm so sick of all the YOLO people who continue to espouse this opinion. Wear a mask, big deal. You're not being asked to black out windows, or rush to an air raid shelter at a moment's notice. Nothing is being rationed. You're not sending your sons and husbands to war....you are being asked to follow some simple guidelines in the hopes of making it a few more months until the majority of Americans are vaccinated. Just because the pandemic has so far not touched your lives doesn't mean it won't.
as far as doing risky things----most of those mentioned involved personal risk....when other people's "freedom" impacts the community at large then it is not just a danger to yourself. Providing credentials would just be a waste of time, you would just find some reason to discredit them, just as I have reasons to discredit mask advocates. One thing though, for sure, is that most mask wearers do not wear mask properly, or do not wear the correct type of mask, or change, or wash those mask regularly. For example, I was in the AAA office recently speaking to an employee about insurance. Every time this woman wanted to make a point she took her mask down below her mouth so that she could speak more clearly. All healthy folks have immune systems, which work best when exposed to various germs and virus contaminates. In the past, how many times have we been told to keep our hands away from our eyes, nose and mouth? Yet I see so very many folks adjusting their mask, or just the act of removing or installing a mask brings hands and fingers close to the face. No, I will not wear a mask, but I do maintain social distancing, which, in my opinion, is more effective. |
Everyone might want to read the following book:
The Death of Expertise: The Campaign against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters because its these types of posts which undermine the people who spend lifetimes helping society become a better place, and those with some self perceived belief of expertise or grandiosity or statistically insignificant observation of 1, undermine those that actally do have expertise. From the author, the difference between you and an expert? The likelyhood or probability of you being wrong is significantly higher than an expert. Amazon.com |
[QUOTE=dhdallas;1910605]Life is fraught with risks. Many are unavoidable. I have to use a step ladder to change my smoke alarm batteries & did you see how many warning labels are on a simple ladder? I needed my car for shopping today & a driver on the inside lane of a roundabout thought she would continue on the inside past the 2nd exit. I avoided her crashing into me by inches (if that)!
It's a good thing you avoided her in the roundabout. She had the right of way and you would have been ticketed. |
Your faulty argument depends on blurring the lines between risks within our control with those that are not. But there is a huge difference.
I will tackle one of your examples, riding motorcycles, where I have some expertise. I taught motorcycle safety in PA for 6 years, nationally certified and trained by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, and have over 40 years riding experience, Motorcycling is risky behavior, but for motorcyclists the reward outweighs the risk. Through training the risk of crashing may be reduced, but reduced is not the same as eliminated. But wearing a helmet may save a life by protecting the head in an unavoidable crash. Some people choose not to wear a helmet and in making that choice accept greater risk. That added risk appears to affect only the motorcyclist without a helmet, but it really also affects other motorcyclists as insurance rates are higher in states where helmet use is optional. So it isn't just about us as our actions also impact others. We have the same issues with COVID. The virus is with us and outside our control. But we can mitigate the risk of contracting the disease by wearing a mask, just as a helmet prevents head injury. But the mask doesn't just protect us, it protects the people around us. If we were COVID positive, and unaware of it, we could infect many people as we've seen at superspreader events. Just as mandatory helmet wear keeps everyone's insurance rates down and prevents the superspreading of insurance rate increases. The point is that we should mitigate those risks we can. Why take unnecessary risks? And we have to realize that it isn't just about us. We live in a world with other people and our actions affect others, just deciding to not wear a helmet affects the cost of everybody's insurance and and deciding not to wear a mask because of "personal freedom" affects others and may lead to the deaths of friends and loved ones. You have the right to take whatever risks you choose, but you definitely do not have the right to make others take on more risk because of your actions. |
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