Ebola.
Permit me to point out some American
fantasies that are related to this topic, and what happens when they come into
conflict with realities.
Fantasy: Humans are absolute masters
of the planet, and therefore there are no meaningful threats to
humans.
Result: Americans don't take the ebola
virus seriously, at first.
Reality: Human life is very fragile,
and there are many dangerous threats to human life.
Fantasy: Corporations are the most
essential part of our society; protect corporate profits at all
times.
Result: Maintain international air
travel intact during an ebola epidemic in West Africa. Therefore people in
the infected area fly to America and other locations while they are
carrying the virus.
Reality: Corporations are evil and
irresponsible.
Fantasy: Americans reach out to people
in distress anywhere in the world, and can rescue them from
anything.
Result: American health care workers
voluntarily travel to West Africa to help ebola victims; some get infected
themselves.
Reality: Our ability to influence
events far away is limited, and fraught with risk.
Fantasy: America is the land of the
free, and the home of the brave, and the most advanced country in the world; you
will be safe in America.
Result: Bring the infected American
aid workers home to America, where they can get the latest treatments, and fully
recover their health.
Reality: America is just a country
like any other. Maybe facilities and technology are a little more
advanced.
Fantasy: Technology will solve all
problems and is invincible. Therefore we can treat people with ebola in
our hospitals, and no one else is going to get infected.
Result: Nurse in Dallas gets
infected. Head of CDC seems to suggest that she was careless, and this was
the cause of her getting infected, because it could not be a fault in the
technology. After a preliminary investigation, it appears she was very
careful. Head of CDC apologizes, and now says they need to re-examine
procedures. Meanwhile, more people have been in contact with the
virus.
Reality: Technology is always somewhat
faulty, does not solve all problems, and creates some unexpected negative
consequences.
Fantasy: America is invincible.
No one in their normal life must experience any inconvience, ever.
Result: There is a major ebola
outbreak in the US with many deaths. The ebola virus leaks out into the
environment where vectors are established here, probably in warm or sub-tropical
climates (bayous of Louisiana? Florida?) where fruit bats are
present. Now the ebola virus is established in North America, moves to
Central America and South America. There are periodic outbreaks of ebola
in the Americas where there were none before.
Reality: America is vulnerable, just
like other nations.
Seems like there are two
dangerous epidemics going on here. The lesser one is ebola. The
greater one is those stubbornly-established American
fantasies.
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