So, right now there's been a lot of discussion and a lot of buzz over one particular topic - the economy in how it relates to what's going on with the pandemic and various quarantines. I've been reading a lot of shit on the internet, a big mistake I know. But it's... aggravating how a lot of people are saying "fuck the economy if it means no one dies"... not understanding that if the economy gets fucked a lot of people will die. Many people don't understand economics, or think it's only important to the rich.
No... economics determine whether you have a job, can afford your rent, insurance, food, etc. It's important to every single person within the economy. But let's take this out of an abstract concept. Let's put it in terms of water.
Let's assume that there is this town with a water shortage. If they keep using water willy nilly they'll be out of it before long because droughts have been very bad over the past couple of years. However, during this pandemic they're encouraged to wash their hands thoroughly several times a day. If they keep doing this, they will be out of water long before the pandemic is over. What should they do?
What you're looking at is a choice with no right answer. And this kind of contradicts the internet's mentality of "I'm/my side is always right." People are still going to fight and battle and argue as if they're absolutely right, and I guess they might possibly take the blame for the horrible side effect of what they're arguing for. I'm hoping too much. Today, in the US, more unemployment claims were filed than any other point in US history. One thing that's been repeatedly stated about any argued stimulus package here is "it's not enough."
There is only so much a system like unemployment can handle. Some people put projected unemployment at 30%, which is nearly a third. A society cannot function with a third of their people out of work. In terms of unemployment, there's only so much money to go around. The same with any social plan. There is only so much stimulus we're able to throw around.
When people become unemployed and can't get any sort of social support network, because that social safety net has broken, they become homeless. They start starving to death. They are unable to get any kind of medical attention. Or they might end the process early and commit suicide.
I want to make this clear, I am not advocating ending quarantine, especially this early on. But let's be clear here, the economy is a discussion that we need to have. There is only so much strain that it can take before the damage becomes something like we have never seen before. And just throwing it to the wind or considering it a "rich people problem" might end up with more death and human misery than the pandemic alone could create.
Where the line is, I don't know. I feel very much like we're in the middle of a rock and a hard place. I feel that there is no answer here that isn't a bad one, and that's not a good place to be. End quarantine early and many people will die; the medical systems will get incredibly overwhelmed. Stay in quarantine until the the curve is flattened, and the economy will have taken a significant pounding. Many people will be out of a job. Many corporations wouldn't have the funds to keep themselves going throughout the months, and then many more people would be out of a job.
I don't like asking things of the internet, but can we please stop assuming that anyone who wants to talk about the economy is an evil rich person who wants your grandma to die so they can stay rich? Like, let me put it this way. Some people's grandparents - mine included - are or were very close to retirement, and the economic side effects are going to hamper or even destroy what they put into retirement.
I'm sorry to be pessimistic. It's just... very frustrating to see all of this bickering.
