Mike Burr - log

[suh-SAH-et-ee] COVID's `RealThreat / ChickenLittle`

I don't think either are zero. ChickenLittle is never zero.

What am I talking about? Welsir,

I am talking about the ratio of "super scary, for real, red alarm pandemic emergency" verses "omg, omg, omg, did you hear the thing on Facebook?!".

It is now "fun" to trade end of the world scare stories on our various social mediums. It's a new kind of entertainment no one knew we were missing: thousands upon thousands of people with identical opinions as an audience for you to flex your opinion-muscles. See who can "not even care" the most!

I'm talking to you anti-anti-masker. Defender of empty handicap parking spaces. Grocery store shopping cart etiquette enforcer. Pointer-Outer of evil big corporations. You!

And also you, anti-anti-anti-masker. Seeker of snowflakes. Fucker of feelings. Coal rolling, fist pumping, lover of true ignorance.

Both of you people are annoying and destructive. Go away.

COVID meanwhile goes on, being what it is, ignoring the strong-sentiment-having, the all the things-ers.

It is exactly what it is, as the wise saying goes. And nothing more. Your feelings, whether, you, or the other kind of moron, are not really going to change the trajectory of reality. Try as you might. Note that this is not the same as "fuck your feelings". Feel free to write an essay in your defense if you feel otherwise.

What you can do to move things forward is:

  1. Relax
  2. Relax
  3. Ask yourself what your goal is, write a pargraph or two so you don't forget what it is. Frame it. "My Goal Is X ..." Be sure you have your goal defined clearly. You're going to frame it after all.
  4. When the blood pressure comes up because they are not doing what they are supposed to do, look at your goal and see if what you are doing brings us closer.
  5. If what you are doing is "feeling strongly" about something, then you need to realize that that doesn't accomplish anything, which sounds trite, but ...stop and think... does it accomplish anything?
    • Yes? --> What?
    • No? --> Why are you doing it?

And here's another thing. I'm pretty sure my perception of how many up-to-11-ers there really are is distorted. Ironically, my sanctimony comes in the form of telling everyone they're wrong. Mea culpa.

I still can't help but think that taking facts as they come and considering how or even if you can react to them in a dispassionate way that makes life better for everyone, somehow, even a tiny bit, is the way to go. coobeerong.