I was all set to post it yesterday morning and then by yesterday evening I didn't. I follow Matt Stoller on Twitter and I generally like to hear what he has to say - but I think "COVID-19 COULD mark the end of affluence politics" is a safer bet. I just don't think we know how bad this could get. I mean, I have the flu right now (probably). It's maybe the 2nd or 3rd time I've had the flu this season - it's the worst, for sure. But I also drove up the PCH rather than fly to my wedding in 2009 because we were expecting borders to close and airline travel to stop because of swine flu. And Mexico dealt with it, and Mexicans in America probably dealt with it, but it was a nasty flu season anyway so we'll never truly know how much of that was flu flu and how much was swine flu. It didn't change politics in any event. I say all this only because you asked for "my take." Otherwise I woulda circledotted and moved on.
Nah, I'm glad you said it! This is exactly the type of thought I wanted to hear. I didn't put the title in quotes for nothing. I don't really have much to add, but I agree that it could mark the end of affluence politics even if I'm not certain that it will. Either way I think the potential sociological impacts are interesting to consider, whether they go realized or not. As far as I'm concerned, this article is another purl in the speculation the country has been knitting into a narrative. Time will tell. I am a bit worried about how well we'll handle COVID-19 with the cost of testing w/o insurance, and people's reluctance to take two weeks off of work. Again, time will tell!
Testing only matters if you're trying to track it. The era of tracking is probably a week from closing I'd wager. Your model is 2009 Swine Flu wherein something like a billion people had it, it was enough like any other flu that nobody cared, and people just got sick. I am a bit worried about how well we'll handle COVID-19 with the cost of testing w/o insurance, and people's reluctance to take two weeks off of work.
Dude but flu shots are wonderful. First time it was like "I'm achy and I have excess snot." Second time was "I'm kind of achy and I wonder if it's just sympathy for my kid who is coughing." Third time is "you know? I'm going to sleep all day and not leave the couch." If you told me I had coronavirus RIGHT NOW I would not be surprised. We were on a plane Sunday, we were on a plane the Sunday before that, we spent a week putting on other peoples' rental ski gear and the entire resort was clammed up in the building because we got four feet of snow in two days. Presume symptoms typically run towards mild and I could easily have coronavirus.
Yeah I started getting flu shots once I had the flu the first time. I remember Monday feeling a bit shit, Tuesday like I had been punched in the face by peak Mike Tyson, and Wednesday I wasn't moving out of my bed. Hopefully the ol' corona steers clear of our islands but I doubt we'll remain free of it for long. Plus I work in and around a Hospital! Joy.