The Unequal Distribution of "Normal"

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 15:31:53 GMT

I think the whole deal with the current COVID situation is that “normalacy”—whatever that is, whatever that means—is not equally distributed. Will never be equally distributed. Because it represents a mathematical concept that’s defined by its outliers.

COVID is not normal, will never be normal, to the millions of people who are immuno-compromised or otherwise at risk, who’ve lost loved ones, who have the misfortune to work in the American healthcare system.

But it is normal to the many more millions who are not high risk, who will essentially catch the flu if they become infected, and who are sick and tired of hearing and thinking about COVID-19.

These people are not necessarily COVID deniers. I mean, maybe some of them are. But for the most part, I suspect that they take the precautions that seem reasonable to them, and that the imposition of hard restrictions on their behaviors, mandated though discriminatorily enforced by the state, are merely going to drive them into heavy “acting out” territory. Which is no good for anyone.

Face it: Some people have a rational fear of COVID.

Others are addicted to panic and quarantine.

Myself, I am taking a break from most public activities until the middle of February when I judge the omicron spike will mostly have played out because my age and my autoimmune disease put me in the high-risk category.

But I certainly have no issue with people who aren’t taking a break.

Nor do I get into religious wars with people who refuse to don The Mask.

I simply avoid them.

I'm really fuckin' sick of the "stop telling me the whole story; just tell me who to hate" ethos.

###

This past week has been a veritable parade of Famous Dead People.

My present level of misanthropy can be gauged by my reaction to those deaths.

Thich Nhat Hanh: “Mindfulness” is like Buddhism Lite for the Silicon Valley crowd. Who cares?

Meat Loaf: Shoulda got vaccinated when you had the chance.

Bob Saget: Background clamor for the Olsen Twins.

I get that celebrities are proto-archetypes who, in less enlightened times, might have achieved immortality as dryads, oreads, nymphs, or even saints.

But for the time being, I am out of the archetype business.

My Wordle scores on the other hand. Out of this world!

Wordle 217 4/6

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
🟩⬜🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

-1° when I woke up this morning.

I think it’s up to 3° now, though.

Bikini weather!

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The Unequal Distribution of "Normal"