The entire world has gone mad. Why is it in our nature to completely lose our shit over something we cannot possibly control?
Yes. Control.
Today’s headlines (and, mind you, I don’t news or social media, yet I cannot seems to get away from this one) have the media reporting governments and businesses taking drastic measures to attempt to control the spread of the novel coronavirus from China.
Only human arrogance can assume there is anything WE can do to contain the threat.
Seattle is a high-risk area? Okay, their team will play in a less risky area. Wait, won’t that move masses of people into this area for these games... making it a high-risk area?
Tournaments will be played in front of no fans. Sports seasons suspended (possibly cancelled?). Travel from Europe to the US suspended for thirty days. No toilet paper can be found in the grocery stores.
All out of fear.
Yet, has humanity ever successfully “slowed down” the spread of a virus? Especially a new one that no one really understands?
Has no one read The Stand? Nor seen The Walking Dead?
And again, human arrogance assumes that somehow we can keep death at bay. Why don’t people realize that death is still the endgame. No one will get out of this alive.
Death finds us all. Maybe the planet has found a way to rid itself of the human plague. Maybe not.
Maybe I’m cynical. Maybe we should “try” to contain this threat. But please, be rational about it.
Yet all we do, as a society, is react.
Good luck with that.
These are interesting times. One possible reason for this excessive media coverage over this threat is it could single-handedly cripple the economy. Lead the US into financial ruin.
Let’s forget about the virus for a second and consider this: March Madness, while I don’t partake, is a big deal to many in this country. Closing off the events to the general public deals a considerable blow to the economies of the hosting cities. How many of these local economies rely on these events?
Add to this, recent comments from a sports owner that fans that attend the games don’t matter—at least not in the grand scheme of television royalties and $$$. So, we disinvite the public. The threat passes, but sports (read: business) likes this. It’s cleaner. The big money is still there, the overhead is gone in the arenas. Big sports will go on, without fans in attendance.
Why, then, should cities continue to host these teams? Their economies will crumble. How much does the food, beverage & entertainment industries (minus sports, of course) rely on fans? How many cities will soon file bankruptcy in this potential timeline?
Okay, I get that the threat is real. Maybe attempts should be made to contain it. Maybe, however doubtful, humans will succeed in halting the spread.
The best predictor of future behavior/success is past behavior/success.
Just breathe people. This too shall pass. And someday, every one of you will die. And someday, every one of you will be forgotten. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.
The house always wins.
