I was browsing the internet today and everywhere I went I saw headlines like these:
“CHANCES OF DYING FROM CORONAVIRUS”
“WESTCOAST ON ALERT”
“DEATH IN WASHINGTON STATE”
“VIRUS ENDGAME”
“SPREAD TO UNITED STATES INEVITABLE”
The Coronavirus has spread to many places all over the globe and understandably, people are concerned about it, viruses are scary and we have all seen movies like Outbreak, Contagion, 12 Monkeys and others that showcase the horror endgame of a worldwide pandemic (Some ridiculous and some realistic). What started as a simple unknown illness in China has now infected close to 100,000 people and killed nearly 3,000.
The illness was causing some worry, but not panic until the media, and health officials in the United States hit the cray button announcing it as the next Spanish flu. With both the CDC and WHO stoking mass hysteria by making bold claims about the virus’s global spread, linking it to other outbreaks that existed in times before today’s robust pharmaceutical industry and its ability to produce vaccines rather quickly.
After the media dove in, it was not long before the politicians waded into the crisis. With both right and left using it as a means to blame the other side for perceived failures in government. It can be easy to get drawn into the panic and uncertainty, but it presents an interesting look at the reasons behind the panic and why so many jump on board the hysteria train.
Pandemic Profiting is nothing new, but in today’s modern age, it can be easy to get swept up within the mass hysteria, It was Winston Churchill who once said “Never waste a good crisis”, while this quote is seen nefariously this basically means, that once should take advantage of a crisis and use it to your benefit. It’s no secret the media has been in trouble as print news consumption changes, thus they have grabbed on to the Coronavirus for dear life, as stoking fear massively increases clicks and visits to the media written articles (Speaking of which be sure to share this article so I get my fair share of pandemic clicks!)
Likewise, the various political parties are seeking to use this potential pandemic to gain political points with their electoral base. Trump has done his best to push down the panic in the hopes that he can stabilize the stock market and prevent a full collapse (Likely a far more damaging situation in the long run then Coronavirus) and his opponents in the Democratic Party have used it as a means to further blame Trump, with one article in the New York Times going so far as to say Trump was to blame for the virus and naming it “The Trumpvirus” (I have not linked it so as to not reward its badly written dribble with a single click)
The mass hysteria has bred massive fear in the population with masks sold out online, rushes on food and bleach at supermarkets and even one man buying years worth of food! Its never a bad thing to be prepared, and I would recommend, people, have a supply of food and water in case of emergency, however, the media and other sources are creating fear when there is not yet a credible reason to be this fearful. Scientists in Isreal have reported they have a vaccine that may be shipped for human use in 90 days, and other scientists in China have reported the mortality rate may in fact be much lower than reported.
So don’t fall for pandemic profiting, do your own research and use critical thinking, yes the world is a dangerous place, and yes Coronavirus is a bad virus and worthy of gravity, but so far, we are not at panic levels yet. So calm down and crack open a corona beer, and maybe rethink ordering that 2 year supply of canned beans. chances are you won’t need them…