I’m hearing and reading more and more discussions of how we’ll see vast systemic change for the better when this is over. People are talking universal health care, universal basic income, universal remotes, the works.
This feels naive.
9/11 didn’t bring an end to American intervention in bullshit places. Hurricane Katrina didn’t lead to an improved FEMA or social safety nets. The disaster that is President Big Chungus Orangus did not cause the Democratic party to nominate Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.
All of these problems led to the shitbags that caused the initial fuck ups consolidating their wealth and power further.
Sure, the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic dwarfs those prior disasters, but I’m still not holding my breath, even though I’d love a fancy new remote.
And one other thing! You think Patient 0 in Wuhan decided to have bat soup for lunch because he wanted to? No! That motherfucker wanted a nice, safe hamburger, but he’ll never be able to afford a delicious Big Mac because he was born into a social stratum that exists purely as grist for the global mill. Free healthcare and a couple grand a month ain’t gonna change the fact that people in need will do the things they need to do to survive, even if all of their available options suck. The playing field needs to be leveled globally or the repercussions of desperate actions will continue kicking us in the ass.
What else?
People are reportedly cancelling their cable subscriptions because there’s no sports. This supposedly has cable companies looking to recoup their rights fees from the various leagues that aren’t providing the content they promised.
I thought I’d be getting more use out of my Nintendo Switch while I’m stuck at home, but it turns out I’m actually getting a lot more use out of the gaming laptop I’ve rarely touched. The difference? Game prices. Steam sales and Humble Bundles are great! Discounts in the Nintendo eShop, when they exist at all, are a joke.
Scott Land 