2020 archive
Denial Is Not Just a River in Egypt 0
Two recent posts at Psychology Today Blogs offer insight into the intersection between political leanings and failure to take seriously–even to actively discount–the seriousness of the rapid spread of COVID-19.
Nassir Ghaemi offers a taxonomy of disease deniers:
Meanwhile, Nigel Barber identifies an irony:
Given the confused and chaotic–often self-contradictory–response to the coronavirus by the current Federal Administration and tendency of many to, say, confuse a Facebook frolic with a fact, I commend both pieces as being worth the few moments it will take to read them.
Aside:
My grad school professor for early federal period history, Dr. Shade, was fond of saying that “history is irony.”
Far too often, history has proven him correct, as when the United States went from having its first black President to having the most racist President since Woodrow Wilson.
Both Sides Don’t 0
Leonard Pitts, Jr., fears that the United States will not find unity to combat the threat of the coronavirus. Here’s a snippet (emphasis added):
And I’m sorry, but you’ll read no false equivalence here — not even in the service of hoped-for reconciliation. Because the truth matters. And the truth is, it was the political right that seceded from that greater and larger “us,” that inculcated in its adherents a sense of separateness, that made of them an island warmed by a burn of permanent grievance.
Follow the link for the rest.
The Epidemiologist Quacks Up 0
E. J. Montini warns us to get medical advice from persons who know what they are talking about.
Disinformation Nation 0
David does a round-up coronavirus scams. As he points out, these are not nice people.
Elsewhere, David does a round-up of coronavirus scam ads. It’s absolutely mind-boggling.
What’s in a Name? 0
Sometimes, quite a lot.
End Times 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Laura Otis offers a theory to account for the impulse to hoard toilet paper in the face of a respiratory disease pandemic. I think she may have a piece of the puzzle.
Here’s a bit:
Aside:
I’ve linked to several other articles also attempting to explain this phenomenon (you can find them with the search over there ——-> on the sidebar), because, frankly, the irrational stupidity (stupid irrationality?) of it leaves me gaga.
In related news, I had to visit my local drug store today and the TP shelves are still empty.
Lowering the Barr 0
Methinks that a strong argument can be made that the current United States Attorney-General is the nation’s top law defacement official.
Rand Gestures 0
And yes, Joe Patrice, to use your words, some Senators are indeed gobsmackingly stupid.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Another great moment in politeness.
According to the caller, after inspecting the property they were headed back to the house when she stumbled and accidentally shot her brother in the shoulder.
Guns and stupid, guns and stupid.
They go together like love and Cupid.
Let me tell you brother,
You can’t have one without the other.