Editorial #162 When Will This End?
Social media and network news is bombarding us with opinions and complaints that are wrongly reported as news. Those complaining are only increasing fear, and contribute nothing. These smug, unqualified sources second guess everything. They point out: would haves, could haves or should haves, quoting statistics out of context, about which we can do nothing, but worry. This whining is making news boring, unwatchable and bordering on terrorism. Any good news is quashed for being overly optimistic, quickly pointing out small technicalities to criticize.
This virus is just another cause that adds to the 9000 Americans that die every day. Once this stabilizes, we must put on our grown-up underwear and face reality. There are only two paths in life that always end at the same place:
1.We will die healthy
Or
2.We will die poor
If we want to die healthy: We individually decide to let nature take its course and spend on only those things that sustains and entertains us. We would use our own resources to prolong life beyond that which caused most people to die. If we decide not to use our own money for extraordinary medical and technological advances, it is our choice.
If we want to die poor: We would decide to spend our last dime to prolong our life, using all the technological advances available, regardless of the cost. This is the free market in action and we have the right to decide how we spend our own money. The inevitable outcome is exactly the same. Death will take longer but the last check we write will bounce.
Our Country needs to return to work and have some sense of normality. We need to gather and socialize again. We need to be self-sufficient and realize we cannot depend on the government for everything. We must each decide how we want to die, healthy or poor. Sadly, this virus will eventually infect us all and a small percentage will not survive. We must cherish the time we have. Many will not know they contracted the virus. Most will build an immunity. Those who do survive, will want something to which they can return.
The question we all must ask: when is enough, enough? How much spending is too much? What is the trigger that starts the country and economy moving again? When do we stop over reacting? How few deaths are acceptable? And, that answer is not zero.
The virus is attacking those who are more vulnerable, those on treatments with compromised immune systems or using special medications, had operations and transplants that gave them a little more borrowed time. Now nature is doing its cruel thing by culling the weaker ones.
We are living longer because technology gives us more “borrowed time”, avoiding that which killed us before. Most of us are living on some “borrowed time”. This virus is just another way natural selection interferes with the amount of borrowed time we have. It is part of life.
We don’t want the cure be worse than the disease. There are no “sure things” in life except death. There will always be risks. We cannot shut down the country permanently. We take risks and deal with what we are given. This is what makes America great. It is never what happens, but how we deal with what happens. The longer we delay restarting the country, the longer it will take to return to normal. It is the option we must take.
This is Keith Kube wishing you the best in making the world a better place.
Bumper: Keith has a regular commentary on WJAG 780 radio at 7:40 on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Check his website www.keithkube.com for past editorials.
