I’d once thought I would make a career out of the Army and retire as a soldier. That mindset changed a few years ago when I no longer believed most Americans deserved my sacrifice.
Why should I die on behalf of those who can’t be bothered to consider anybody other than themselves? The recent popular response to COVID-19 has demonstrated something I already learned: society is the pandemic and the virus is merely a symptom.
Around the world, country and Colorado, COVID-19 has been spreading. Faster than the virus, something far more rotten has been spreading: a complete lack of concern for fellow individuals. All it took was a novel virus to have society show its true colors; thereby showing the true pandemic.
The media is not above the rest when it comes to showing despicable colors in this time of crisis. Rather than disseminating valuable information about the illness and preventing its spread, the media saw an opportunity for ratings. Subsequently, broadcasts stirred up panic through irresponsible coverage.
Such irresponsible coverage infected the lowest and weakest-minded individuals of society. When no limits to supply existed, both weak sheep and hungry predators rushed to the stores to empty the shelves of toilet paper, rice, canned food and other non-perishables.
The more this happened, the more individuals became roped into the hysteria. Soon fistfights were happening in grocery stores over toilet paper of all things.
Even as the store’s shelves were emptied, social media ‘experts’ began sharing catastrophic predictions at an unreasonable pace. While claiming to be attempting to inform their fellows, such individuals did nothing but add fuel to the hysteria fire. They patted themselves on the back as new followers jumped on their posts to feed their own paranoia.
The problem is that stores failed to plan ahead for the psychotic obsession with hoarding that preempted the arrival of COVID-19. Before there was a single confirmed case in Mesa County, the shelves were emptied of nearly every essential item.
The resulting bare shelves hurt far more citizens in our county than have even had the opportunity to be hurt by COVID-19. Elderly individuals that can’t get to the store as often or as easily as their younger counterparts can’t get items they need.
People of lower socioeconomic status, forced to live paycheck to paycheck, didn’t have the money to buy the items they were running out of before such things were no longer available.
If everyone had simply bought only as much as their respective households actually needed, the elderly and the economically struggling individuals wouldn’t have to go without. There was plenty in the stores for everyone, after all; just not enough to account for the greed and cowardice of the self-absorbed.
Even worse than the pathetic hoarders are the predators that saw an opportunity to profit from the desperation of others. Some had the money and time to grab essential items in bulk and chose to resell them at a ridiculous markup. Such individuals are truly the lowest of the low.
Having first-hand experience with terrorists, I can confidently say that those who use crisis to prey upon their fellow citizens are made of worse moral fiber than the leadership of Al-Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban combined.
At least those scum commit evil acts out of belief it helps their own people. These predators commit evil upon their fellow citizens to help only themselves. Disgusting.
Aside from those seeking profit at this time of difficulty, others probably aren’t deliberately trying to hurt others. Regardless of intention, however, that’s exactly what they are doing when they behave like panicked animals.
To those individuals I have this plea: try to prove that humans have not lost their humanity. Prove that society is actually worth saving. Do this by considering others rather than merely oneself. Don’t buy more than you actually need; leave some items for others that legitimately need them.
Even better, if you have the time and available income, buy the items needed by those who cannot as readily get to the store. This doesn’t need to be done for free, but it also shouldn’t be done for a profit. It’s perfectly okay to break even on such things because it’s not about the money; it’s about caring for one’s fellow.
I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong about my assessment of society. I’m begging readers to restore my faith in humanity. Until I see otherwise, however, I stand by my statement that, while good individuals exist, people as a whole are the true pandemic.
