Pandemic Response

I kind of flip-flop on this. But I wanted to write something which reflects the truth of how I feel.

I get upset and disappointed with people some times. The misinformation is maddening. And normally I can bear it, but I can lose that composure when it comes from friends and family.

And that isn't helpful.

The fact is... we know it is in human nature to make these mistakes. We literally evolved this way. Hoping that humanity will, all at once, drop their differences and act in unison is a flight of fancy beyond any statistically justifiable hope. Like all evolutionary creatures we even rebel against consistency at a cellular level. 

In fact that IS evolution (or a decent enough analogy thereof); you inherit some genes others go against the grain. And, if that particular form of "genetic rebellion" is useful in a meaningful way to the species survival it may become a dominant trait. And, if it is harmful, it will fade away. And if it is neither, you'll likely survive but the trait won't dominate.

Humans have evolved a social form of this as well. On just about any given topic there will be opinions which are useful, ones which are harmful and ones which aren't particularly relevant. There are sparingly few topics which would ever even hope to achieve a unanimous vote among the sum total of humanity.

And harmful views and opinions during a pandemic are an example of a case where a person's views can actually have an impact on their survival. And those holding harmful views will disproportionately contract the illness and die. And this may shift public sentiment. A social evolution.

I kind of wish I were a social scientist right now. Or even better a grad student. The data on this would be incredible. 

A prime example of where you might see this in action is American politics. The US, like many other developed nations does not have a birth rate high enough to sustain their population. So, across a cross section of American society, if there is a disproportionate loss of life, the ranks will likely not be bolstered through reproduction. They need to be bolstered through immigration.

And, an interesting divide has formed in the US. Republicans are OVERWHELMINGLY less receptive to vaccines and social distancing protocols. Given how tight many elections are in many places in the US, losing a few percentage points more in one camp or another could seal their fate for years to come. And, it is a double-whammy; Republicans are tougher on immigrants and immigration. So, it may come as no surprise that immigrants lean Democrat more often Republican.

But, the point is more that this pandemic is actually exposing how our social structures can behave at times in similarly to genetic evolution. There is a serious threat to human life and the response to it cuts along social lines. The very fabric of society is likely to change as a result. 

However, as with traditional evolution, change takes time. Generations. The effects won't be fully felt for years to come. As more and more children are born to people who held constructive views and those views are passed down relative to those who had harmful views.

What I'm basically saying is, while the conflicting views are painful when there is a personal relationship it isn't like there is anything explicitly "wrong" with these people. The developed a different set of "social genes". And, ultimately, the right and wrong will be sorted out over time.