Performative Pandemic Panic – Reason.com

https://reason.com/2021/06/04/performative-pandemic-panic/

by mrfusion • 5 years ago

3 1 5 years ago

retrac• 5 years ago

Public figures tailored policies and messages with seemingly less regard for the evidence than for herding the population into desired behavior. It's unlikely they'll command sufficient good will to pull such stunts again anytime soon.

Here in Canada (where it was really some of the worst in regard to the heaviness of message) I'm not so sure.

The problem is that it kinda worked. The messaging was so terrifying and the public so cohesive and compliant with the measures, that the vast majority in my province never got infected. We've now reached an 89% first-shot vaccination rate.

Belief that we've handled it well by going shutdowns + social distancing mandates + mask mandates + vaccine mandates is quite high. There's no real partisan split. E.g. a recent Abacus poll asked "Do you believe that MPs should be vaccinated if they are going to be physically in the House of Commons, or should they be able to attend sessions in the House of Commons even if not vaccinated?" and that's at 76% with clear majority support from every demographic breakdown, including political party (66% of Conservatives), sex, party, gender, age, province, etc.

So now what? It makes re-opening a little awkward if nothing else, though that is proceeding with a tentative schedule and about the only major rules left are masks and proof of vaccine status for some spaces. Perhaps our vaccination rate will be high enough to suppress it largely. Most people here have not wrapped their heads around the endemic reality though. I don't know how much longer this indefinite state can drag on.

Performative Pandemic Panic – Reason.com

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