The news is of course focused on this Chinese virus. Yes you can call it COVID 19 if you want to use the technical term, but it's the Chinese virus as far as I'm concerned. The President has been holding press conferences every day that lasts for an hour or more. All the experts explaining everything as best as they can. I haven't heard anything about any shootings in the city, has that all stopped? Fact is, I haven't heard much about anything else. In Maryland we are not being told to shelter in place, Governor Hogan placing emphasis on that, but as of yesterday evening at 5 O'clock only essential businesses may remain open. Sounds reasonable enough but I do question Liquor stores being an essential business. That's correct, liquor stores are considered essential businesses. I wonder if we had those Marijuana dispensaries if they would be considered essential as well? Whatever the case. in Maryland we are not ordered to stay at home but it is highly suggested.
So among the numerous stories about the virus was one about anxiety. There was an expert talking about people suffering from anxiety during this time of isolation. Yes, beyond the anxiety people may be feeling because of the threat of catching this virus people are becoming anxious due to isolation. This expert was recommending getting out of doors. That's right, get outdoors, work in your yard, go somewhere, but don't get close to other people. Practice social distancing. Basically this expert was talking about cabin fever. I'm sorry but I had to laugh about that. Cabin fever, really? I guess that's why the liquor store is an essential business. Of course I question how wise a decision that really is. Let's see, confine people to their homes, allow them to purchase alcohol, no going to work, no going to the club, just sit at home and drink. Hmm, sounds like a dangerous mix to me. Talk about anxiety! I don't know. But to have experts reporting on this anxiety ( cabin fever ) this early on in this situation says something to me. I'd say we have a bunch of emotional cripples on our hands. People that require a distraction to keep their sanity? Sounds that way to me. We literally have an entire library at our fingertips and we are bored? We can go on You tube and watch videos on virtually any subject you can imagine, and you are bored. There are streaming services to provide unlimited entertainment in every genre, and you are bored. You are suffering from anxiety.
I just fail to see how anyone with an internet connection can consider themselves isolated. I understand that not everyone does, especially the older folks. I also expect the older folks aren't bothered by that at all. I'm quite certain those folks know how to entertain themselves. I do enjoy the internet and all it offers but could certainly get by without it. Would I want to? No, I admit I would not. But I have spent a great deal of time being isolated from friends and family, it was called being in the service. Of course, in all fairness, I was isolated with hundreds of others. Thing is, that wasn't always a good thing. It's very possible to be isolated in a crowd. I wrote letters and read books.
This isn't the first time I have thought about this. I do believe we are raising a bunch of emotional cripples. Think about it. People are offended by the truth, changing terms to make reality palatable. We seek consul for every thing that disturbs us. We are prescribed " medications " that alter our mood. We become addicted to those medications, blame the medications, then seek recovery. If we quit abusing the medications that we were prescribed, that is to say quit using them altogether, we proclaim ourselves survivors! We have survived what? Being a victim of our own choices? Yes, I'd say so. What happened to " buck up " people? That is what I was told, suck it up buttercup. Yes we should be aware, paying attention to what is going on around us. That's how I was taught to survive, by awareness. You shouldn't fear what you understand. Fear comes from not knowing. I'm thinking we are well informed on this virus and what measures to take to minimize your odds of catching it. Nothing is 100% fool proof. But what I'm seeing is people demanding help, demanding protection, and someone else, or the government, should be providing that! And when they feel like that " help " isn't responsive enough anxiety sets in. Instead of turning to self reliance, something that seems foreign to many, they turn to government.
The bottom line to me is this. In a time of crisis drastic measures must be taken. The response to this virus has certainly been that. If it is an overreaction that's fine. I'd rather err on the side of safety than be foolish about it. I figure the government knows a whole lot more than they are letting on, hence this response. I admit, at first. I thought otherwise. I never thought it was a hoax but questioned the response. I chalked that up to our general emotional response in the country today. And as I said, I think we have a bunch of emotional cripples these days and it's getting worse. Candy pants is what I call that, we are raising a bunch of candy pants these days. People easily offended, especially by the truth that doesn't fit in with their desires. Yeah, there are times to say no, and that something is wrong! Yes, judgement! There are times when we need to judge our actions and responses. And yes, when you are saying, don't judge, you are judging! You're judging what I'm judging as a judgement contrary to your judgement. Oh my, how offensive. Well, buck up and deal with it. Anxiety? Really?
I listen to the news and hear little reassurance. What I hear is all gloom and doom. Hours of nonstop statistics about mortality rates, graphs showing the curve, infections rates, number of tests performed, results from those tests. and how our Seniors will certainly die from this! Yes, this time it isn't our children, it is our Grandparents that will suffer. About the best the news has to offer, is, we're working on it. It's a global pandemic! Ominous music plays in the background as you hear, we're going to get through this. And then they follow that with the stories of tragedy. Americans stuck abroad, running out of medications and they can't get home. Nursing homes infected, pictures of grandchildren pressing their hands against the glass of their grandparents bedroom windows, almost like a final goodbye. The economy is crashing, the politicians are fighting over what to do, amid promises of a cash give a way to every American. And then stories about anxiety. If you are feeling anxious call the hotline. But take heart, the liquor store is open. It's essential.
So among the numerous stories about the virus was one about anxiety. There was an expert talking about people suffering from anxiety during this time of isolation. Yes, beyond the anxiety people may be feeling because of the threat of catching this virus people are becoming anxious due to isolation. This expert was recommending getting out of doors. That's right, get outdoors, work in your yard, go somewhere, but don't get close to other people. Practice social distancing. Basically this expert was talking about cabin fever. I'm sorry but I had to laugh about that. Cabin fever, really? I guess that's why the liquor store is an essential business. Of course I question how wise a decision that really is. Let's see, confine people to their homes, allow them to purchase alcohol, no going to work, no going to the club, just sit at home and drink. Hmm, sounds like a dangerous mix to me. Talk about anxiety! I don't know. But to have experts reporting on this anxiety ( cabin fever ) this early on in this situation says something to me. I'd say we have a bunch of emotional cripples on our hands. People that require a distraction to keep their sanity? Sounds that way to me. We literally have an entire library at our fingertips and we are bored? We can go on You tube and watch videos on virtually any subject you can imagine, and you are bored. There are streaming services to provide unlimited entertainment in every genre, and you are bored. You are suffering from anxiety.
I just fail to see how anyone with an internet connection can consider themselves isolated. I understand that not everyone does, especially the older folks. I also expect the older folks aren't bothered by that at all. I'm quite certain those folks know how to entertain themselves. I do enjoy the internet and all it offers but could certainly get by without it. Would I want to? No, I admit I would not. But I have spent a great deal of time being isolated from friends and family, it was called being in the service. Of course, in all fairness, I was isolated with hundreds of others. Thing is, that wasn't always a good thing. It's very possible to be isolated in a crowd. I wrote letters and read books.
This isn't the first time I have thought about this. I do believe we are raising a bunch of emotional cripples. Think about it. People are offended by the truth, changing terms to make reality palatable. We seek consul for every thing that disturbs us. We are prescribed " medications " that alter our mood. We become addicted to those medications, blame the medications, then seek recovery. If we quit abusing the medications that we were prescribed, that is to say quit using them altogether, we proclaim ourselves survivors! We have survived what? Being a victim of our own choices? Yes, I'd say so. What happened to " buck up " people? That is what I was told, suck it up buttercup. Yes we should be aware, paying attention to what is going on around us. That's how I was taught to survive, by awareness. You shouldn't fear what you understand. Fear comes from not knowing. I'm thinking we are well informed on this virus and what measures to take to minimize your odds of catching it. Nothing is 100% fool proof. But what I'm seeing is people demanding help, demanding protection, and someone else, or the government, should be providing that! And when they feel like that " help " isn't responsive enough anxiety sets in. Instead of turning to self reliance, something that seems foreign to many, they turn to government.
The bottom line to me is this. In a time of crisis drastic measures must be taken. The response to this virus has certainly been that. If it is an overreaction that's fine. I'd rather err on the side of safety than be foolish about it. I figure the government knows a whole lot more than they are letting on, hence this response. I admit, at first. I thought otherwise. I never thought it was a hoax but questioned the response. I chalked that up to our general emotional response in the country today. And as I said, I think we have a bunch of emotional cripples these days and it's getting worse. Candy pants is what I call that, we are raising a bunch of candy pants these days. People easily offended, especially by the truth that doesn't fit in with their desires. Yeah, there are times to say no, and that something is wrong! Yes, judgement! There are times when we need to judge our actions and responses. And yes, when you are saying, don't judge, you are judging! You're judging what I'm judging as a judgement contrary to your judgement. Oh my, how offensive. Well, buck up and deal with it. Anxiety? Really?
I listen to the news and hear little reassurance. What I hear is all gloom and doom. Hours of nonstop statistics about mortality rates, graphs showing the curve, infections rates, number of tests performed, results from those tests. and how our Seniors will certainly die from this! Yes, this time it isn't our children, it is our Grandparents that will suffer. About the best the news has to offer, is, we're working on it. It's a global pandemic! Ominous music plays in the background as you hear, we're going to get through this. And then they follow that with the stories of tragedy. Americans stuck abroad, running out of medications and they can't get home. Nursing homes infected, pictures of grandchildren pressing their hands against the glass of their grandparents bedroom windows, almost like a final goodbye. The economy is crashing, the politicians are fighting over what to do, amid promises of a cash give a way to every American. And then stories about anxiety. If you are feeling anxious call the hotline. But take heart, the liquor store is open. It's essential.
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