Here we are months into the coronavirus scare when it has become obvious that coronavirus for most people poses little to no threat. Yet, we see businesses and other entities repeatedly trumpeting the danger of coronavirus as if each and every person should view the disease as the Grim Reaper hovering over one’s shoulder.
Of course, these entities will also trumpet their responses to coronavirus, including in many instances requiring people to wear masks that have no clear net benefit in protecting against coronavirus transmission but do have clear negative health consequences.
It is coronavirus idiocy on display.
For an example of such coronavirus idiocy, check out a Monday press release from the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, a couple museums in Dallas, Texas. It notes “the spike in COVID-19 cases in Dallas County” as a reason for deciding “to pause plans to reopen in early July” the museums that, supposedly due to concern about coronavirus, have been long closed.
Of course, a spike in cases by itself is no reason for concern. This is especially so when the spike in cases accompanies a spike in testing, as has been the situation in Dallas County. An increase in cases (people who test positive for coronavirus or are presumed to have coronavirus) can be expected to accompany a testing increase. Such a cases spike says nothing about the spread of or danger from coronavirus.
The recent shift in media and government to talking about the number of coronavirus cases instead of the number of deaths attributed to coronavirus — itself an inflated number — happened when deaths attributed to coronavirus came way down. Death numbers having dropped too low to be used to scare people as well as they had, new higher case numbers have become the focus for instilling and maintaining fear. While cases of coronavirus are nothing to be afraid of, many people do not understand that. They imagine that each case is someone at death’s door hooked up to a ventilator in a hospital. Instead, a case is often a person who is slightly sick or has no symptoms.
Statements such as this in the museums’ press release help cement unfounded fear in regard to cases. People hear that a spike in cases caused a group of museums to stay closed longer, and they conclude that the spike must be something to really worry about — a propaganda success.
The museums’ press release then proceeds to state: “We believe it is important to support Governor Abbott’s, Mayor Johnson’s and Judge Jenkins’ appeals for Texans to stay home, if at all possible, to be good community partners and neighbors.” Not content with just spouting idiocy to explain keeping museums closed, the museums echo and praise extreme hectoring of politicians at the local and state level (Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins) that people should hide at home for the indeterminate future.
Why have so many businesses and other entities, including museums, not fought back strongly against governments’ shut down and operations limitation orders, as well as governments’ absurd exaggeration of the coronavirus threat? One big reason is that many of these entities, and especially those with strong political connections, are receiving or are hoping to receive money, tax relief, and other benefits from government via special coronavirus aid. They can see it as advancing their pursuit of these benefits to play along with the coronavirus crackdown and amplify its supporting propaganda.
Museums, along with other entities including professional sports teams and preforming arts organizations such as theater companies, symphonies, and operas, are often significantly dependent on governments for funding, including often for the creation of their venues. On top of all that, many of them also can benefit from governments’ special coronavirus aid. All this weighs in favor of these entities being sycophantic concerning governments’ coronavirus crackdowns.
Next time you hear some private entity spouting coronavirus idiocy, consider that it may be doing so for a smart reason — ensuring it receives a good share of government aid.
from When Spouting Coronavirus Idiocy Helps the Bottom Line
