Hypocrisy in Covid Response

[timewerx]

Poverty / huge income inequality would probably kill more people around the world (through disease, violence, crime, injustice) than Covid ever would without quarantine measures.

The fundamental causes to this problem is well known but very little is being done to solve it.

While Covid also affects the rich and powerful, is this the reason why the global response to it is intense???

 

[Aussie Pete]

Poverty / huge income inequality would probably kill more people around the world (through disease, violence, crime, injustice) than Covid ever would without quarantine measures.

The fundamental causes to this problem is well known but very little is being done to solve it.

While Covid also affects the rich and powerful, is this the reason why the global response to it is intense???

That's a stretch. You are right about global poverty. Blaming the West for the problems in Africa, for example, is simplistic. Most poverty is the result of corruption at the leadership level and/or the constant wars that wrack Africa and the Middle East. You can't blame Bill Gates for that.

Leaders and business like stability. It is fundamental to economic health and economic health helps with stability. So it reinforces itself. Corona is a spanner in the machinery of commerce. Given the right conditions, everyone will be infected eventually. The death rate is unacceptably high and treating the disease far from easy. Yes, most people suffer mild symptoms and recover. But a high proportion suffer severe symptoms. Most people do not think it acceptable just to let the virus take its course and kill the susceptible and let the strong survive.

 

[Rescued One]

I don't have an answer, but God is more powerful than the rich.

You might be interested in
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America
by Chris Arnade.

 

[Silmarien]

Poverty / huge income inequality would probably kill more people around the world (through disease, violence, crime, injustice) than Covid ever would without quarantine measures.

The fundamental causes to this problem is well known but very little is being done to solve it.

While Covid also affects the rich and powerful, is this the reason why the global response to it is intense???

To a certain extent, I would say yes. There are plenty of diseases that only affect certain regions of the world (Ebola in Africa is the most obvious one), and we tend not to throw tons of money into them unless they threaten the West. Generally speaking, people have stronger reactions to what's going on in their backyard than to what's happening out there somewhere out of sight. I don't think that's necessarily a matter of income inequality, though there are connections.

The global response is also so intense because this is something new, whereas poverty and violence are not. If we saw pandemics as just another fact of life, then we wouldn't react in such an intense fashion, but I don't we've faced an issue like this in 100 years. That makes the perception different. Epidemics are also not perennial problems in the way that income inequality and instability are, since they come and go.

 

[timewerx]

That's a stretch. You are right about global poverty. Blaming the West for the problems in Africa, for example, is simplistic. Most poverty is the result of corruption at the leadership level and/or the constant wars that wrack Africa and the Middle East. You can't blame Bill Gates for that.

Leaders and business like stability. It is fundamental to economic health and economic health helps with stability. So it reinforces itself. Corona is a spanner in the machinery of commerce. Given the right conditions, everyone will be infected eventually. The death rate is unacceptably high and treating the disease far from easy. Yes, most people suffer mild symptoms and recover. But a high proportion suffer severe symptoms. Most people do not think it acceptable just to let the virus take its course and kill the susceptible and let the strong survive.

Africa and Middle East isn't the only continents where poverty is a significant problem.

The world is willing to wreck the economy for the Covid response but it won't do so to try to solve poverty.

Doesn't anyone see the hypocrisy (double standard) in it?

 

[archer75]

Africa and Middle East isn't the only continents where poverty is a significant problem.

The world is willing to wreck the economy for the Covid response but it won't do so to try to solve poverty.

Doesn't anyone see the hypocrisy (double standard) in it?

Hypocrisy and double standards aren't the same thing.

Hypocrisy is insisting on a moral standard although one doesn't live up to it oneself (or even try).

A double standard usually means applying different standards to different groups, while acting like everyone gets the same treatment.

But yeah, we should act like poverty and global warming are extreme emergencies, which they are, but we don't, because we're used to them / want to close our eyes to them. COVID is like a tidal wave. Politicians are (many) ok with closing because they don't want to be held responsible for bodies piled outside locked hospitals. People are okay with it, generally, because they don't want to be or see bodies piled outside locked hospitals.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Africa and Middle East isn't the only continents where poverty is a significant problem.

The world is willing to wreck the economy for the Covid response but it won't do so to try to solve poverty.

Doesn't anyone see the hypocrisy (double standard) in it?

The "world" isn't the problem. People just aren't taking advantage of the opportunities that the business world provides. Just as "everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die", so everyone wants a 'position' but no one wants to work. People want to go to college, get a job in an air conditioned office, with high pay and cradle to grave benefits, while sitting on their butts in front of a computer all day. Meanwhile millions of skilled workers are needed by these same companies, who more and more are hiring skilled immigrants.

Of course some of this attitude comes from a sense of entitlement, and as a white male I share this attitude. But one has to go and get that which one believes they're entitled to. You still have to work for it.

 

[timewerx]

But yeah, we should act like poverty and global warming are extreme emergencies, which they are, but we don't, because we're used to them / want to close our eyes to them. COVID is like a tidal wave. Politicians are (many) ok with closing because they don't want to be held responsible for bodies piled outside locked hospitals. People are okay with it, generally, because they don't want to be or see bodies piled outside locked hospitals.

You do see my point.

Poverty is strongly linked to large social inequality and large social inequality is also strongly linked to severe moral degradation of a society - high crime rates, rampant injustice, and severe corruption in the government.

Many countries going down that way never gone back up. It's a cancer

THat is why it is an extreme emergency if we need to at least preserve our modern civilization.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Blaming the West for the problems in Africa, for example, is simplistic. Most poverty is the result of corruption at the leadership level and/or the constant wars that wrack Africa and the Middle East.

Well it certainly didn’t help that Africa was carved up in artificial nations without any regard to people who actually lived there.

Just replace the Europe part on this comedy sketch to Africa.

Having said that. This reason is getting thinner all the time.

It is 2020. You would think that you are entitled to live without having your arms chopped up by a neighboring tribe or some Jihadist.

 

[timewerx]

The "world" isn't the problem. People just aren't taking advantage of the opportunities that the business world provides. Just as "everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die", so everyone wants a 'position' but no one wants to work. People want to go to college, get a job in an air conditioned office, with high pay and cradle to grave benefits, while sitting on their butts in front of a computer all day. Meanwhile millions of skilled workers are needed by these same companies, who more and more are hiring skilled immigrants.

Of course some of this attitude comes from a sense of entitlement, and as a white male I share this attitude. But one has to go and get that which one believes they're entitled to. You still have to work for it.

Ignoring the fact, the resources USA possesses were stolen from the Native Americans, ages past.

Same thing in Europe, Asia Pacific, everywhere. THe wealth of the world is originally stolen from those who chose to live freely among the Lord's creations and share His provisions with one another.

So what entitlement are you claiming? We are nothing but thieves. Ignorance is not an excuse for ignorance is laziness to uncover the truth. fear of the possibility the truth may cause more harm.

Our Lord returning as a thief in the night is not without a sense of irony. The joke is on us.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Poverty / huge income inequality would probably kill more people around the world (through disease, violence, crime, injustice) than Covid ever would without quarantine measures.

The fundamental causes to this problem is well known but very little is being done to solve it.

While Covid also affects the rich and powerful, is this the reason why the global response to it is intense???

What do you think the response to poverty and income inequality should be?

 

[timewerx]

What do you think the response to poverty and income inequality should be?

The world is already sacrificing billions, if not, trillions of money in terms of loss in profits though participating in national lockdowns.

If we can do that, I think we can also sacrifice a bit of money through tax reforms to make healthcare and quality education, all the way to college free.

We can also make justice nationalized(free) so that justice is fair and equal to all, not to the favor of the rich

I think that's a good start. I don't wish to elaborate everything, I know how the world and everyone hates losing a bit of money to help the poor.

 

[Larniavc]

Poverty / huge income inequality would probably kill more people around the world (through disease, violence, crime, injustice) than Covid ever would without quarantine measures.

The fundamental causes to this problem is well known but very little is being done to solve it.

While Covid also affects the rich and powerful, is this the reason why the global response to it is intense???

Yes with a qualifier.

Corona does affect everyone but it also stops the working classes from working for the rich.

All the doomsayers about the economy are so because the oligarchs have seen the chance that their fortunes may take a knock. And that is unacceptable.

 

[Ana the Ist]

The world is already sacrificing billions, if not, trillions of money in terms of loss in profits though participating in national lockdowns.

I'm not sure "sacrificing" is the right word.

If we can do that, I think we can also sacrifice a bit of money through tax reforms to make healthcare and quality education, all the way to college free.

Tax reform was always an option. It doesn't happen for a lot of reasons....but the main reason is priorities. People are more concerned about issues abortion or gun control. People who care a lot about affordable housing one election care about police violence the next.

Like tax reform...healthcare and education are complex issues that people tend to get distracted from over time.

I'm not sure about free college. If it were free, it would have to focus almost entirely on job skills in order to produce any value. What's more is that the taxpayer would justifiably be able to demand certain things be taught....while other things aren't.

This goes against what college is supposed to be about.

We can also make justice nationalized(free) so that justice is fair and equal to all, not to the favor of the rich

Justice is free....taxes pay the police, public attorneys, judges, etc. It's a taxpayer funded institution.

 

[com7fy8]

While Covid also affects the rich and powerful, is this the reason why the global response to it is intense???

Well, the spread of the virus internationally was able to happen because of people with money to travel internationally. So, its spread was helped by high-end aristocratic people.

But also, it could be spread by ship workers, like on that cruise ship. I recall that most COVID-19 patients of the ship were workers. I have read how on a cruise ship they keep the workers in very packed quarters, and each one might have more than five partners during a voyage. That can make sure the virus spreads.

So . . . ones could have stayed put until the virus was contained; they could have voluntarily made sure they did not spread it. Meanwhile, workers could be sanitary and moral with one another.

But humans, being how we can be, did not do what easily could have been done.

Also, there are places where there is close family culture; so if one member gets it, it will get hugged and kissed on to others in the same family group. And this will happen when they go to the funeral of the family's first COVID-19 victim who dies > at the funeral they will be closely sharing so they get more people sick.

So, the politicians and professionals do not decide that people will have family culture, and cramped and promiscuous workers, and people who try to escape an infected country instead of staying put in order to protect the country and households where they try to escape to.

And possibly there are ones who know they have symptoms or are high-risk, but they hide it and go out and do things as usual . . . spreading the virus in the process. This is what a number of people can have a tendency to do . . . to cover up. Plus, possibly ones do not tell investigators who their contacts are > they don't want trouble with friends they name, and there can be adultery partners they don't want anyone to know about.

People have helped it along.

The world is willing to wreck the economy for the Covid response but it won't do so to try to solve poverty.

Doesn't anyone see the hypocrisy (double standard) in it?

Jesus guarantees we will always have the poor with us, right?

The everyday person can help the virus along, and so can people help poverty to continue. This is not because of what is done with money, but because of the character of humans. No law or program can change people's character.

May be what is helping is how certain people are pointing the blame at the politicians. This can help to cover up for how everyday people make choices which help themselves to stay poor or which excuse them to not help the poor.

Meanwhile, look at how Ben Carson started and then became a world-renouned surgeon who could separate twin babies who were born with their brains joined . . . and keep both of them alive.

And, maybe we should say . . . look at how certain people wash their hands and this helps to keep them and others alive.

 

[timewerx]

Well, the spread of the virus internationally was able to happen because of people with money to travel internationally. So, its spread was helped by high-end aristocratic people.

THe purpose of my topic is not to blame anyone.

I'm simply exposing the global response to the Covid virus. Why not do the same thing with poverty?

Because poverty does not affect the rich (ironically benefits them for source of cheap labor) but Covid does.

Jesus guarantees we will always have the poor with us, right?

I don't think it means we shouldn't do anything about poverty because the Bible is full of teachings to help the poor.

WHat gives?

Maybe Jesus meant those words for His 12 disciples only. Because they were also having their last moments together (shortly before Christ's crucifixion, resurrection, and eventual return to Paradise).

A lot of Christians don't like that interpretation because helping the poor or working to a solution to help end poverty means less money for them (unless they're poor themselves). Many CHristians love money than they care to admit. It's not surprising because loving money is seen as a bad thing in the Christian religion. "The love of money is the root of all evil". But you can't help the poor in any substantial degree and as many of them as possible if you love money.

 

[com7fy8]

But you can't help the poor in any substantial degree and as many of them as possible if you love money.

Part of the problem is how people with their so-called rights can have each citizen in isolation . . . worshiping one's own idol of independence.

There are people who don't know how to handle money. But they can do things very well, which money experts can't do. So, it could be good for the one good with money to handle the finances of the person who does not know how to handle money. But independence can isolate people from ones who could help them. And often enough they want to waste money on TV cable and smoking and drinking, possibly, instead of being creative with things to do with their families.

 

[timewerx]

I'm not sure about free college. If it were free, it would have to focus almost entirely on job skills in order to produce any value. What's more is that the taxpayer would justifiably be able to demand certain things be taught....while other things aren't.

Seems to work quite well in some countries in Europe, especially those with the "Nordic Welfare Sytem" they tend to rank highly in positive country global statistics. In other words, they are one of the best/easiest/least stressful countries to live in and also to raise a family

Justice is free....taxes pay the police, public attorneys, judges, etc. It's a taxpayer funded institution.

THe rich have access to much more expensive lawyers.

One side represented by low experience lawyers and the other side represented by highly experienced, very talented very expensive lawyers. Doesn't anyone see the problem in that?

I think lawyers representing two opposing sides should always have approximately the same experience and skill level to maximize observance of fairness.

The courts should be appointing the lawyers to either side for free. NOT have us the choice to pick our lawyers (the most expensive we can afford) which often gives unfair advantage to the rich.

 

[bèlla]

Because the eradication of poverty is not a priority for the majority of global citizens because they aren’t directly impacted by it.

There is no one alive who cares about every ail and is actively working for its resolution. People respond to issues impacting them, friends, and loved ones. That’s human nature.

Poverty is one of many problems. It doesn’t have primacy over others.

~Bella

 

[Ana the Ist]

Seems to work quite well in some countries in Europe, especially those with the "Nordic Welfare Sytem" they tend to rank highly in positive country global statistics. In other words, they are one of the best/easiest/least stressful countries to live in and also to raise a family

The #1 ranked university in Sweden is ranked 47th worldwide. I think the only reason it's that high is it's medical program.

Meanwhile....

Best universities in the world

The US and UK hold all but 1 of the top 20 universities in the world. You might gain something from free college....bit you clearly lose something as well.

THe rich have access to much more expensive lawyers.

Right...and arguably, the more expensive they are....the harder they work.

I think that much like universities....we'll lose quality if they're forced to work for cheap. You won't get better outcomes...just cheaper ones.

One side represented by low experience lawyers and the other side represented by highly experienced, very talented very expensive lawyers. Doesn't anyone see the problem in that?

Why don't you explain it?

I think lawyers representing two opposing sides should always have approximately the same experience and skill level to maximize observance of fairness.

That's just not possible in a criminal case. The government will almost always have someone who has far more experience.

The courts should be appointing the lawyers to either side for free. NOT have us the choice to pick our lawyers (the most expensive we can afford) which often gives unfair advantage to the rich.

If you did this for civil trials....the court system would immediately be overwhelmed. Everyone and their mother would be suing someone just to try and get some money.