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Texting with My Son
My oldest (20) is very suspicious of Dad’s opinions. After all, if you’re under 30 and not a liberal, yadda, yadda… I forwarded him an article written by a couple of his college professors (well worth your time): Mandatory social distancing: The greatest theft of all time.
Son: “Just by the first paragraph I can tell where they are politically. Describing it as theft is ridiculous, not allowing certain industries to reopen is theft. If you can have a business adapt to guidelines made by people who have devoted their lives to science, then you should reopen. Not allowing business to do so is theft. Social distancing should not be political but unfortunately has become political, along with wearing a mask? I understand people’s needs and desires to go back to normal but prioritizing ones “freedom” is not worth the death of a loved one. People don’t seem to understand that unless is happens to them which is unfortunate.
They did not once address the fact people are asymptomatic. which is why we are here in the first place. I’d like to argue not trying to prevent COVID amongst Americans is theft. People could be robbed of their life if contracted. Yet unlike money, you can’t get your life back. I don’t agree with that piece at all.
If a business can reopen safely they should do so. There’s no veering away from that. But just deciding to up and go out and resume life as normal without precautions is irresponsible to those around you in my opinion.”Dad: “Good thoughts. 0.26% of people die from it. What are the true costs? By the way, I know you don’t like politics but when politicians make decisions impacting all of humanity then everything is political.”Son: “I know the death risk is low. I’m well aware that if you or I contract the virus, we’ll probably still live to be 80+ that’s not the case for Mom, Mimi, and Grandma though. That’s where people need to acknowledge a number can’t symbolize an entire category of this disease. The whole ‘facts don’t care about your feelings’ saying I think is ridiculous. Human emotion is what makes people human. If you don’t have any empathy or sympathy and only regard to ‘the facts,’ you’re nothing more than a Google search engine that spits out numbers all the time.“That being said, of course, it’s important to know the facts. But basing an entire nationwide way of living off a number, disregarding human thought, is not viable, especially to the many people who may not be able to come back from this virus.”
Dad: “Humans, all humans are flawed. Even our leaders and scientists. Science isn’t a fact. It’s ‘fact right now.’ Science is peer consensus and it changes literally every day. Always has and always will.
“To ask questions, to debate, and to keep an open mind isn’t anti-science, it’s a sign of intelligence. To blindly accept what people tell us without analysis is dangerous. A little common sense in our culture would be very helpful right now. My hope for you and Evan is that you question everything. Look at all sides. Not to accept a narrative because everyone else does. In many cases that narrative may be correct and in many cases, as we’ve seen throughout history, we’ve got it wrong.”
Son: “All true. But it’s important to keep in mind that it’s extremely easy to question what you oppose politically. It’s a valid statement to say I question conservatives consistently, probably as you question Democrats consistently. It should be applied across the board if that’s your argument. Call into question what scientists say. You’re an American you have the first amendment and have every right to voice your concerns with how the CDC and WHO approached this. But blatantly ignoring and disregard for advice to help your fellow man is different than ‘questioning.'”
Dad: “When I lived in England, I remember the scientists telling us we were 10 years away from a new ice age. The earth was cooling!!! People were freaking out. It was, after all, science!”
“When AIDS became the national health crisis I was Evan’s age. For a year, we were told you could get it from kissing and it may even be as easy to transfer as breathing the same air. People were petrified. In our high school, there was talk about postponing Prom. Kids didn’t go out on dates. There are countless other examples.
“I wear a facemask at the grocery store so I don’t make others uncomfortable who are freaked out over COVID. But breathing in your own Carbon Dioxide is deadly. I have a sore throat every time I do it. So, if I’m outside, there is no need.
“Not buying into the panic isn’t the same as ignoring there’s a virus that will kill some people and taking precautions. Washing hands, etc. But again, just 60 days ago the scientists told us a 3.5% casualty rate (that included social distancing). CDC quietly released the updated rates last week (0.26%) and the media ignored it. Why? Is there a larger force behind all this? If so, who stands to benefit from a devastated economy?
“Why, as states started to open up again, the hard Left (not the legit peaceful protestors) were already organized across the country to attack, vandalize, and loot businesses in dozens of cities? Who paid for, distributed, and placed pallets of bricks in over 30 cities overnight? You keep people locked up for 90 days, no income, no social life, no school, work, or travel, then you create a powder keg ready to blow. Not everyone has a comfortable home. Many live on top of each other in small spaces, with little money, food, and a lack of ways to entertain themselves. As soon as the horrific murder happened in MN, that lit the fuse. It could have been any number of other incidents.
“The older you get, the more you realize there are significant powerful interests out there, using groups, legitimate causes, genuine anger felt by decent people, and media like a marionette. I am not a conspiracy theorist. We landed on the moon, 9/11 wasn’t an inside job, and the earth is round. But to ignore what is happening right now, this election year, just like 1968 where we had riots and assassinations, is to ignore what we are seeing right in front of eyes.
“This year will be one historians will discuss for decades. You will talk about it with your kids and grandkids. It’s my opinion the global lockdowns will be viewed as the single largest mistake made in human history.”
I’m awaiting a response.
Published in General
There has been a lot of hand-wringing among leftists about the booming economy. (And not only is that bad because it benefits Trump, it is also bad because it might reduce the number of people dependent on government welfare–and that is a horror that cannot be born.)
Your son is inside the echo chamber.
I wonder how he feels now. Because his inner circle is not concerned in the slightest about COVID and its death toll, so I doubt he is now worried about his mom, or Mimi – nothing matters for much of the nation’s young except overthrowing our society so that justice can be had for one Mr Floyd.
I spent the time period of May 15th to May 26th or so having former friends PM me on Facebook that I was a selfish ignoramus due to my protesting the shut downs of our society that came about due to the over hype of COVID and resulting restrictions.
Then suddenly overnight, my not advocating mask wearing and my protesting shut downs were no longer a problem, as the people who had dissed me were outside elbow to elbow and shoulder to shoulder with people out in the streets. Over the death of a single man.
There is no logic in any of this. I don’t blame your son, as this has been carefully orchestrated over the last twenty years. I knew back in Dec 2016 when my friends ousted me from my women’s group due to my stating that Trump wanting funding to improve our infra structure was an idea I approved of that this nation was on a dangerous course.
Dave, has your son studied Economics at all? Not “capitalism creates inequality” and “socialism is the answer” Econ as taught at most colleges these days, but the real deal. It provided me with a very useful lens to view the world. The concepts of productivity and economic growth were critical. “Highest and best use” of capital and assets was another. Third, opportunity cost. Because of that, I can’t help but view the lockdowns as a huge loss of productivity and an incurred opportunity cost on a scale not seen in our history. I don’t think even past wars would equal it, though an attempt to quantify it would be interesting.
If he’s not familiar with them, try introducing these concepts. Just might open his mind a bit.
No, there isn’t.
Sowell’s “Basic Economics” is very readable.
IIRC, the first edition is shorter and thus an easier quicker read, while the second edition is longer due to more examples expored at greater length.
His other books offer numerous insights to cultural and economic matters: Conquests and Cultures, Migrations and Cultures, Race and Culture, Discriminations and Disparities, Intellectuals and Society, Wealth Poverty and Politics, …
Thomas Sowell for the win.
Nice straw man.
First, we aren’t talking about shutting down society now but just taking some common sense precautions in a pandemic. Like distance and masks.
Second, we have a flu vaccine which many people for what ever reason chose to ignore, and contribute greatly to those (estimated) flu deaths every year. So if you don’t get a flu vaccine and you get sick and infect someone who is at risk for a bad outcome it’s on you.
Third, death is not the only bad outcome from this nasty virus. Long term damage to lungs, heart, kidneys liver etc are turning up. This ain’t the flu bro.
Fourth, since Feb 29 we have over 108,000 dead. We are still losing about 1000 a day, and with the opening back up of the country, the riots and idiots deciding they are bored with the whole thing and acting like fools ( see Memorial Day weekend) I anticipate those numbers will start growing again.
Social distancing takes away freedom of association. Six feet can easily become ten, then twenty, then stay-at-home. Banning large groups of people meeting, such as at sporting events, conventions, and yes, houses of worship, can lead to banning smaller and small groups from meeting until a group of three people together becomes a potential insurrection.
People are willing to take temporary measures, some even extreme, until the prompting incident passes. Once passed, they expect things to get back to normal, and no “new normal” is good enough . . .
But we have shut down a significant part of society–hence all the small businesses that failed or are close to bankruptcy.
And are the measures “common sense”? There are many businesses which are required to be stay closed–with prison as a penalty for opening, whose modes of operation are compatible with distance and masks. Furthermore, the actual death rate seems to be far less than the estimates on which the shutdown policies were based. (Not that this should surprise us: initial estimates regarding any new phenomenon are likely to turn out to be inaccurate and sometimes greatly so. We will continue to learn more.) Shutting down a large part of the economy has immense human costs, both immediate and long term. We cannot dismiss with a wave of the hand objections to current policy, but must consider all the effects of all policy choices.
Just because something is a strawman argument doesn’t make it invalid. One could argue any hypothetical argument is a strawman.
Things need to get 100% back to normal ASAP. Most people did their part, but that time has passed. There will still be deaths, and those who fear catching the virus are free to continue taking precautions as they see fit. As for me, I want to go to a crowded restaurant and be served by a pretty waitress with no mask. My “new normal” is the old normal . . .
Given the mass gatherings of the past several days, If we don’t have huge outbreaks of the virus in the next 2-3 weeks, the pro-lockdown people are going to have some serious explaining to do.
Great post, Dave! Does your son drive? You may want to explain risk mitigation. Because people increase the risk of harming themselves or others every time they drive a car. It destroys the entire “if it can save one life, it’s worth it” argument. Same exact principal.
I agree with all the Sowell recommendations above. One thing I would add is to show him some YouTube Sowell, especially the Uncommon Knowledge chats. I find that YouTube is far more effective at communicating to young people.
It remains to be seen (though in fact we may never know) whether they were “common sense” precautions, and whether the cost is outweighed by the benefit.
Firstly, this “pandemic” is only ~50% worse than a severe flu season. Secondly, the flu vaccine is iffy; it often targets the wrong strains and gives little if any prophylactic help. Thirdly, this Wuhan flu is likely to recur every year, so Fauci says. And the country has been shut down.
It’s easy to put people into categories based on our political disposition, but our kids, and most of Gen Z and their millennial cohorts are not all in the ‘burn it down’ camp. BTW, not that you should’ve known this, but his mother has been battling multiple cancers for 12 years. He’s conscientious and concerned about the health of those he loves. Can’t fault anyone for that.
As much as I can without being an annoyance, I refer him to sources like Prager U. He sees the politics in much of what I send him, but I think some of it sticks.
Sometimes he asks me questions about economics for his classes or he is required to take a side on a debate, that’s where I give him my economic perspective and send him to the great thinkers. Sowell is a gem.