[Blingy]

Originally Posted by Lune [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

But the economic catastrophe is worst in the US precisely because our infections are so out of control. You can tell the serfs to get back to the fields all you want, many people are reluctant or outright refuse to subject themselves to the stroke & lung damage lottery so the stock market can keep humming along. And that's not counting the millions of people who are elderly but not yet retired, or have cardio-respiratory comorbidities or diabetes, who have a very real chance of death from this thing. The current economic situation really isn't a result of the shutdown, which in the United States was very lax and short-lived (here in South Carolina, you could barely tell anything was "shut down" at all), but rather from a critical mass of well-justified avoidant behaviors on behalf of consumers and workers, which will remain as long as the infection is perceived as out of control.

Meanwhile in Italy, where their outbreak used to be as bad as ours, things are getting close to normal with some precautions.

"But the economy", oft used by the right to justify destruction of the environment or any number of things, is a horrible and reductionist refrain and I think it shows in this case. Many other people in this thread have admitted they don't really care who or how many die or get hurt from this thing and I think that's sick.

How do you propose they get food? put gas in their car? pay other basic necessities?