A few days ago I was walking along the Great Highway in SF, which is now free from cars and just a long, lovely, wide concourse from the Zoo to the Cliff House. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Coming towards me were two young women, probably about 25-30 years old. As they got nearer, I overheard a snippet of their conversation.
"I am not getting vaccinated. I feel like not being vaccinated is really empowering for me."
What? I almost turned and walked after them, planning on asking "Empowering? Empowered to get Covid? Empowered to pass on the virus to some unsuspecting person you might encounter on the bus? Empowered to die?"
I understand about wanting to feel empowered, wanting to feel in control over one's own life and destiny. But when does personal integrity and personal choice overshadow the need to help protect the human race? Is selfishness of that sort now considered a virtue of empowerment?
All rhetorical questions, of course. The walk on the Great Highway was the same day that the New York Times noted that scientists now are saying that the U.S. will probably never reach the herd immunity that is needed to make Covid less of a danger and more of a nuisance. Too many people are not being vaccinated which means too much of the virus is still out there, rolling around.
Let's see what happens by the end of this month when many cities are taking away almost all restrictions on gathering. Let's see if there is another virus flare-up as there has been in the past. Let's see how things look around July 4 and around Labor Day. Let's see if that empowerment thing is really working.
Be careful out there.
Yes. People's reaction to the pandemic is amazing! It is exposing society's weaknesses. Similar to what the election of Trump exposed. It is unnerving. Will rationality win out? Don't know.
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