The Pandemic and how I link it to the environment
I think this year and the ongoing pandemic have changed a lot of my views on people, and unfortunately a lot of them were not positive. I will probably try and get into this more in my Final Blogpost, as I have more space there but I kind of wanted to bring up Covid and link the attitude of some people to their blindness to the Climate Crisis.
This year like none before really showed how people respond to really visible and drastic obstacles. With the Environment a lot of people say that it is something that does not apply to them yet, they do not want to be bothered by changes in their everyday life to possible help out the environment and reduce their carbon footprint. A lot of these people have the same attitude when it comes to Covid. It is an inconvenience to wear a mask, they listen to sources that tell them that the virus is a hoax and it has not affected their life immensely enough to make them think otherwise. A lot of the people I know had Covid and since their had a mild reaction, they do not think it is harmful to anyone. If we ask someone who has lost both of their parents to covid, kids that are college students like us and all of a sudden their mom and dad is gone, they probably do not have the same opinion.
Obviously, I am generalizing with this but I do see a trend of people being selfish and taking life and earth for granted, just because they see that a little bit of their freedom could be taken away. They do not see the benefit, the greater good they do for society or the planet and I get to the point where I do not want to be around these people anymore. We need to start caring about others, as much as we care about ourselves and the people close to us and we need to give things the benefit of the doubt. Educate ourselves on topics and maybe consider more than just one news source...
I think in some way Covid is an invisible force that is endangering a lot of people and is still not taking seriously. Basically just like Climate Change just in a faster and more evident form, but still not big or important enough for people to care.
This is just kind of a dump of thought and I hope in my final blogpost I am able to elaborate or put it into a different perspective again.
This Essay (+3)
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Total Points: should be 70, if I counted correctly
You're not wrong, Carolin, to notice the parallel between covid denial and climate denial (and science denial, more broadly). Let us hope that the inauguration of a US presidential administration that affirms and values science will begin to change hearts and minds. (And as Ed reminded us: hope is a verb.)
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree agree with you Carolin that Covid is dangerous, but I disagree with exactly how deadly it is. Considering that compared to the people who have been affected by Covid and the number that have been killed by it, Covid itself is less deadly itself than the Flu which we get every year. I do agree with though like Covid people do underestimate climate change and how it will effect our society in general.
ReplyDeleteIts too bad that wearing a mask became politicized as a “taking away our freedom issue” because in the end it’s just recklessly endangering others. Every day, people make concessions to their personal freedom for the good of others, like not speeding in school zones, not running red lights, or not drinking and driving. People don’t object to these rules and realize that the safety benefits way outweigh any “minor inconvenience”. I mean people still DO these things, but everyone thinks they are reckless jerks. No one looks at a person running a red light and goes “that guy is taking a stand for personal freedom” they just think “that guy is going to get someone hurt or killed”. It sucks because wearing a mask is such a simple thing for most of us to do to keep others and ourselves safe, but people want to turn not wearing one into a political statement, or can’t be bothered to shoulder really minor levels of inconvenience for the good of everyone’s health. No one should be proud of not wearing a mask. They should be ashamed of how little regard they have for others safety. I hope people really take this situation we’re all in as a call to rethink their actions and priorities.
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