Shelter-In-Place Involuntary Quarantine, Day 6: People in WEIRD countries tend to be individualists, while people in non-WEIRD countries tend to be collectivists.
In WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) countries, the rights of the individual are considered equal to if not greater than the needs of society as a whole. "I have a right to own a handgun," it's thought in WEIRD countries, even if there's an on-going epidemic of gun violence. "I have a right to free speech," even if that speech hurts others. Society, in short, exists for our benefit, to help us reach our own goals and desires - otherwise, what's the point?
In non-WEIRD countries, a collectivist mentality holds that societal needs are greater than the needs of any one individual. Collectivists feel that we need to share common resources, we need to make sacrifices as necessary for the greater good, and all glory goes not to our selves but to the nation or tribe or clan or whatever level at which the society is organized. We exist, in short, for the betterment of our society - my success is measured by that of the larger whole.
I'm not saying one is better than the other. In my opinion, the "perfect" society balances a little of both. Too much of one and we have anarchy, too much of the other and we have authoritarianism.
But right now, people, we could use a little more collectivism. We've all seen the graph by now of how social distancing and self-quarantine can "flatten the curve" of this deadly pandemic sweeping across the globe. Sure, it's a sacrifice, and might be uncomfortable and inconvenient for you, but without us collectively taking some action, the pandemic could kill hundreds of thousands, millions by some estimates.
Here in Atlanta, like so many other places, the mayor has issued a "shelter-in-place" order in an attempt to reduce the pressure on our overloaded hospitals and health-care system. As of Friday, the city's ICU capacity was at its limit. No more beds available for flu victims, or anyone unlucky enough to have a heart attack right now, or get shot, or get in a car accident. But if we can break the chain of person-to-person transmission of the Trump flu by staying indoors and isolated for 14 days, the pandemic won't disappear, but the doctors and the hospitals can save many more lives and make fewer triage decisions about who gets a ventilator and who gets a bed and who doesn't.
Businesses are closed and non-essential shops are shuttered. Most people are not at work, either with or without pay, and are told to stay inside, avoid contact, and if it's absolutely necessary to leave home (groceries, etc.), maintain a six-foot distance from others. And wash your hands frequently and try to avoid touching your face.
The mayor closed all playgrounds and the parks are also closed, but so that people can have some exercise, allowed the Beltline to remain open. Signs are conspicuously posted along the trail reminding people to remain six feet away from others, which is difficult as most of the trail is only 14 feet wide.
Well, the good individualists of Atlanta aren't having any of that. They are packing it in on the Beltline (the picture above was taken on the Eastside Trail on Saturday). When I last walked the Northside section on Friday, there were plenty of people out walking in groups, clustered much closer than 6 feet apart. Worse, the large groups were nearly impossible to pass - in either direction - without violating the 6-foot rule.
A young man, shirtless, came running down the center of the trail, leaving an invisible trail of air-born sweat and an aerosol of droplets in his wake. Groups of young men and women were sunning themselves on blankets spread out on the grass. Others were playing frisbee or tossing tennis balls for their dogs. Mothers watched as their children played on the swings and other playground equipment, ignoring the "Playground Closed" signs but taking advantage of the fact that there was no enforcement. It can't be that bad if I can get away with it, right?
This is not sheltering in place. This is not social distancing. This is not flattening the curve. This is how contagious diseases are spread, and the behavior I saw and that has been reported elsewhere in the press means that this pandemic is going to be around for a long while, and lots of people whose death could otherwise be avoided will die.
But staying inside is for other people. You shouldn't have to stay indoors and should be able to go out strolling with your friends, shouldn't you? You're special - you're a true individual!
It gets worse. A Facebook friend posted a selfie of her outside in a lawn chair with the caption stating that she was out on a date but maintaining six-feet separation. And she's a health professional! She may (or may not) have maintained her distance for the duration of the date, and may (or may not) have avoided transmitting the Trump flu with that one person, but she's outside, touching lawn chairs, touching beverages, and sharing her personal microbiome with folks unknown, folks she may not even see.
This is not sheltering in place, etc.
Worse, someone even closer to me, someone I know and love, decided to enjoy the weekend by going out to Athens, Georgia, which is also in lockdown, to spend time with another couple there. What is it about "stay inside, stay away from others" that people can't seem to understand?
People on the Nexdoor neighborhood app are all asking and giving each other advice on places still open that they can take their kids to, setting up play dates for their children, and generally scheming on how to "beat" the shelter-in-place edict.
Ha, ha, it's funny because they're all going to die, and their parents are going to die, and their children are going to die. Fun-ney!
But at least they didn't have to be alone and still and quiet for a while and face the existential emptiness of their meaningless lives.
We're doomed.
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