by Barry A. Liebling
It has been five years since the onset of the Covid pandemic. In 2020 when it started a host of malignant events occurred, and much of the damage done has not been assuaged.
Members of the leftist ruling class, always hungry for more power, recognized the pandemic as an opportunity to expand their dominance. Mandatory masking, forced vaccinations, closing businesses and schools were not merely attempts to promote public health. More significant, they were policies that proclaimed the elite bosses are in charge and all citizens must submit to their authority.
Censorship – facilitated both by government and by private agents – was remarkably high where anyone contradicting or questioning the woke directives was in jeopardy of being cancelled, denied employment, and even criminally charged.
Ordinary crime, that occurs even in the best of times, escalated dramatically. In New York City where I live shoplifting and vandalism continues to be a major problem, and shelves in many retail stores are locked behind plastic barriers. The subway system has many more people engaged in fare-beating than before the pandemic, and there is often a sprinkling of dangerous crazies menacing riders in the stations.
Aside from public health issues, the pandemic paved the way for leftists to intensify their favorite programs. DEI-related initiatives (diversity, equity, inclusion) which were spreading mischief before 2020 went into overdrive. Scoundrels both in the public sector and in private institutions stepped up their racialist demands.
But there are several developments that occurred since the Covid catastrophe that are benevolent.
The leftist ruling class pushed its fallacious doctrines too hard and too fast. Masking, social distancing, requiring vaccinations were declared by the “authorities” to be absolutely necessary, and any dissenters were smeared as being “against science” and “enemies of society.” Now that the Covid emergency is mostly history it is apparent that the “experts” were mistaken or were deliberately misleading the public. The result was a strong – well deserved – backlash.
One good consequence today is that many people who previously had unconditional faith in “official authorities” realize that bosses are often wrong. Trust and confidence for those who occupy powerful positions is much lower than pre 2020. Many citizens are now appropriately skeptical of “experts” who attempt to direct their lives. Perhaps they will remain cautious and habitually do their own research before they comply with would-be dictators.
Consider people who were never taken in by the woke avalanche. While they had no sympathy for the leftist authoritarian onslaught, they hesitated to speak up. Expressing opinions and attitudes in opposition to the Neo-Marxist clerisy could result in social ostracism. But the 2024 presidential election revealed that many voters – representing about half of the country – are not on-board with the leftist long march.
Now people who were silently against the woke ruling class are less likely to be intimidated. The change in the political climate has boosted the courage of those who were secret dissenters. Many are expressing their opinions and taking actions to reverse the damage that occurred since 2020.
Before the Covid disaster masking was unusual. There were a few people who covered their faces for health reasons, but generally a mask signified that someone was up to no good. During the days of compulsory masking everyone’s face was covered. So it was difficult to differentiate people who were masking in compliance to the rules from those that used masks to conceal their identity
Today it is much easier to interpret the significance of people who mask. Some are genuinely worried about spreading or contracting infections. But most are either signaling their criminal intent or are using their masks as badges to proclaim their enthusiastic fealty to the woke horde. In a lot of cases the wearers are both leftist progressives and bad actors.
Prior to 2020 business, government, educational, and social meetings could be done in-person or via applications such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. But the default was live meetings in the same space with everyone present. The Covid pandemic nearly wiped out in-person meetings.
Today there are no restrictions against in-person meetings. But because everyone is experienced with remote video conferencing many people prefer to confer electronically and are resistant to convening in one physical location.
Why is this a good development? It forces planners who favor live interactions to step up the quality of meetings. In-person meetings have got to be more important, more interesting, and more valuable than previously. People know that if they are required to travel there must be a good reason to have attendees in one physical location.
Of course, it is tragic that the Covid epidemic occurred. But five years later many people have a more accurate view of the world, better judgment, and more courage to act properly.
*** See other entries at AlertMindPublishing.com in “Monthly Columns.” ***