Every discussion involving advertising or app marketing here inevitably attracts tons of comments adopting a let's-be-real-here, this-is-just-how-it-is tone about the realities of the industry. And yet these same people are also experts on the news industry and know the exact opposite is true there, that "de-politicized" or "balanced" news is somehow a thing that is not only possible but stupidly trivial to produce.
I mean, I get it, I utterly despise crabbed, shoddy, stupid journalism, too. But don't pretend there's some trivial fix. It is the way it is because of a combination of economic and ultimately social pressures. It is as much a symptom as a cause.
but as individuals, we each have the capacity to center ourselves emotionally, clear our heads, and think critically about the coercive messages we're being fed. we have that power, and it is effective.
Lockdowns were invented by panicking authoritarian politicians. The ruling class showed its true nature and was all too eager to copy China's brutal boot-on-throat approach to crisis management.
I generally hate the phrase "check your privilege", but in this case it fits perfectly.
I sympathize with those who are affected negatively by the situation, but I wish, for example, those who decide to buy a larger car would also sympathize with those who prefer clean air and less noise.
Telling people in the city, that you decided to move to, that they should be conscientious of your decidedly non-city wants, is kind of pretentious.
regarding trump, luckily our governmental structures are designed to withstand such incompetence. i'm more concerned that the legislative process is torching money in the wrong places.
if we'd been more levelheaded, we would have suggested the public should either
1) physically distance, or
2) wear a mask
in enclosed spaces and face-to-face situations.
if you're an essential worker or particularly vulnerable, you'd do both where possible. that's it. that likely would have provided all the risk reduction we needed to get the spread under control.
the message would have been simple, the effects likely as good, and we wouldn't have left a hundred million poeple on the edge of (or in) economic and psychological collapse.
but that doesn't punch the emotional and neurochemical pathways the way politicians and news peddlers want.