Quarantine Bloglette: Cooperation

I forgot to post yesterday. It was Easter, I was distracted by all the candy Douglas hid for me in the apartment. I hope I'm excused.

I recently wrote a post abut cooperation versus competition. This pandemic is an extreme example of a time when we need to cooperate. We need to cooperate with those who know more than we do (the medical professionals and researchers who are dealing first hand with this coronavirus). We need to be isolating ourselves as directed, not attending church services, holding weddings and such.

Read about New Zealand and how they have been handling the pandemic. As of April 10, there had been only a single death in the country. The government enacted strict quarantines early and were enforcing them. Australia's numbers were also relatively low at the time. They were both following pandemic response plans. It's too late for the US government to do anything that fore thinking and proactive, so it's up to us as individuals.

But people don't want to be told what to do. I learned that as a lifeguard just trying to get people to take off their street shoes while on the pool deck. That's petty. Potentially spreading a deadly virus is not petty. How many of the people who are scoffing the calls to self-isolate will cry, "What am I supposed to do?"when they wind up with the virus and there's no more space, equipment or supplies available to treat them? I'd want to answer them: You tell me.

I think the best thing we can do, aside from following the advice of those who know more than we do, is to write letters to our congressmen and women and vote. Every time I see incumbents on the ballot, I hear Dr. Phil's words, "How's that working for you?" And I must answer, not very well. Before Douglas was hired by the State Department, he had to prove in a group interview that he could work with others. A group of five or so applicants were each given a project. There was a budget that would support three of these projects. Each applicant had to make the case for their project, but also recognize if another's project was more critical factoring in budget and timing. Our senators and representatives prove time and time again (every time a budget needs to be passed, for example) that they are incapable of doing this. It is my humble opinion that every time they miss a deadline (and the government shuts down, or they rely on a continuing resolution), they are all serving their last term.  We need them to work together as Americans, not against each other as political parties.

Here's another of Alexander Filkine's photographs. Again, I apologize for the poor quality of my picture of his picture.