Contagion: A Bit of a Ramble

     I learned a lesson the other day. Actually, I relearned a lesson that, for the most part, I try to adhere to: Never get involved in politics or religion on social media. It is a no-win proposition. Thankfully, I don’t have to be reminded of it very often. 
     I had re-posted a photo that was actually two photos next to each other. One was from an absurd movie, the kind of base level lunacy, that makes me laugh out loud. The other was from the daily White House press briefing on the Covid-19 crisis. It was a minor post with a few likes and humorous comments. Then, a news story broke saying that the number of deaths in the US from this virus would likely be between 100,000 and 200,000. At this point, a close friend of mine saw the post and got royally pissed off and completely offended, insisting that I take it down. In trying to explain myself, he got even angrier. I took the post down. 
      I hope not to make that error again. The bias and scorn between the pro- and anti-Trump camps is worse than ever. Did we act fast enough? Could we have done more? Should we have we have done more? And… it is still an election year. This is not the time for politics and there is entirely too much of it. The tension is magnified even more by the essential shutting down of our economy. I want to be no part of adding to anyone’s angst. Getting through this with the least number of people dying is the goal. We can do a serious After-Action Review when we are it is over. 
     I vacillate from worrying what is in store for all of us and being hopeful. I am not alone. Many are feeling the same way. I talked with another friend this evening who was despondent about this whole situation. Many will die if we don’t stay at home in self-isolation. We are paying a hefty price not only economically but emotionally especially those who have suffered a loss of a loved one to this virus. 
     There is no need or reason for me upsetting anyone more than the gravity of this situation already has us feeling. 
     So, what will happen in terms of this pandemic and he economy? There are plenty of forecasts and projections on both counts. But forecasts and projections are fancy words for predicting the future. We are reasonably OK at it when the immediate future resembles the immediate past. No matter how intelligent and mathematically gifted the people developing and running these models might be, all bets are off when the immediate future is nothing like the immediate past due to the magnitude of this random shock we have been dealt. 
     It is not all doom and gloom. It seems, at this moment, we may stay well below the estimated amounts stated late last week. With each day our actions, the ramping up the production of much needed equipment, and fast track research changes the immediate future. The economy, well, that is another story. Most everyone is agreeing that this is going to get worse before it gets better. I believe folks smarter than me are constantly at work and obsessed with getting the economy back on track. This is truly unprecedented. I have used that word more in the past month than I have in my entire life up until then. 
     Well there you have it. I suppose I deal with all of this by writing… and hopefully not raising the stress levels in others by doing so.