Here are a few things I’ve learned, just off the top of my head. Please add your own thoughts in the comments.
- Science, like everything else, becomes corrupted when it intersects with politics.
- There is a huge divide in America over acceptable risk. Some people seem to like the idea of being afraid.
- The news media was a joke before the pandemic. Now it’s a disgrace.
- Way too many powerful people are afraid of offending China.
- Our checks and balances need to be re-evaluated. Governors and presidents need emergency powers, but there have to be limits, and we haven’t worked that out yet.
- The pandemic exposed how deeply divided we are. Most people have been trained to immediately categorize other people based on what they perceive as ideological tells. There is no space made for ambiguity or nuance. It’s assumed you have picked a camp and are loyal to it.
- Somewhat related to the point immediately above, virtue signaling has become a way of life for far too many people.
“There is a huge divide in America over acceptable risk. Some people seem to like the idea of being afraid.”
The converse of this is denial that there is any risk or that people who don’t want to wear masks can violate the rules of the businesses they frequent. For example, at the peak of the spread, hosptal ICUs full, idiots going into Walmart and refusing to wear masks even though Walmart and the city had clearly posted rules. Used to be “conservatives” would abide by “no shirt, no shoes, no service.” Now, it’s, “I have the right to infect anyone I want.”
Our parish council consulted doctors in our parish for guidance on acceptable rules once peak spread was over. They came up with rules like masks, every other pew empty, limits on seating, taking temperature before entering. Common sense stuff. My first Sunday back and there’s some idiot thinking he’s above the rules with no mask on. Now, there are no restrictions and no masks. Priest and altar servers wear one when giving out communion. Of course, Orthodox use a common spoon. The fact that we were in a bad pandemic and a weaker one now never stopped alleged adults from wrapping their mouths/lips around the spoon. Even before there was a pandemic, you were supposed to just open your mouth and let the priest drop communion in. But, we always had people who acted like they were eating soup. Now, I understand small children not getting the hang of it, but grown adults not able to reason in their head that hey, we’re in a pandemic, maybe I shouldn’t wrap my lips around the common spoon? Please. You are an adult, right?
QUOTE: Used to be “conservatives” would abide by “no shirt, no shoes, no service.” Now, it’s, “I have the right to infect anyone I want.”
I noted the same during the height of the pandemic. It was curious that those who would typically applaud the enforcement of rules and convention were flouting them and making it a badge of honor for doing so. I found it highly ironic and sad that while Herman Cain was literally dying from Covid-19 the handlers of his Twitter account were continuously railing against Covid restrictions.
That said, I’m still somewhat befuddled by reaction of some to simple guidelines such as: washing hands, social distancing and wearing a mask in public spaces. As well, those who were in hospital ICUs dying of Covid actually believing it was a hoax.
What I’ve learned… how about….
My money is more important to the parish than are the sacraments and the fellowship.
Basically, our parish operated had mass/liturgy on a skeleton crew of 5-6 people (priest, altar server, 3 choir members) for at least 3-4 months? So, only people receiving communion or other sacraments were those 5.
My monthly donation was consistently debited like it was before the pandemic.
You need the sacraments, you need the sacraments, you need the sacraments… well, maybe.
No televangelist or faith healer walked into an ICU ward and liberated Covid patients from their beds. You’d think raising people from their plague beds would be a big sign.
Things I learned or were reinforced during the pandemic:
– Ignorance is bliss. Some rather die than acknowledge the truth-even if the truth/facts contradicts their beliefs.
– Tribalism is alive and well in America and continues to grow.
– People were willing to risk their well-being for causes they believed in (e.g., Jan. 6 Capitol riot, George Floyd protests, voting in record numbers during the presidential election).
– Crisis can break long held safety norms. Conventional thinking indicated it “required” years to bring a vaccine to market safely. Yet, Covid-19 vaccines were developed in record time and hasn’t yet demonstrated any substantial negative side-effect.
– Confusion over what to believe relative to China’s role in the pandemic. At one point, according to our former president, China was our friend and partner in fighting the pandemic…until they weren’t and it was all their fault.
– Hyper nationalism can be dangerous and abounds. Relative to the immediate point above, some Americans were brutally attacked and blamed for Covid-19 because they were of Chinese heritage.
-Technology played a critical role and may permanently replace or significantly reduce some pre-pandemic “face-to-face” practices.
– Some politicians advocated taking risk for front-line workers and average citizens but were not willing to assume the same level of risk for themselves or their families.
What I learned above all else is: There are definitely people, sometimes even family members and “friends,” who will lash out at you in way they see fit, sometimes even with threats of violence, if they identify you as belonging to the opposing tribe. Their criterion for identifying you in that way will be that don’t see eye-to-eye with them on every single point of their tribal ideology. (“If you ain’t for us, you’re against us.”)
Yes, and it’s very sad. It’s almost like the Civil War, where one brother was in blue and another in gray.
*in any way they see fit
*you don’t see eye-to-eye