Bad sign up ahead, or just another harping up of the old fear? Scenes of people suddenly out in the streets and headed towards wherever remind one of many flood gates opening and stampeding waters. These images are further compounded by the sight of city roads, once- empty, but now suddenly being filled with vehicles of all sorts, and creating a traffic jam that stretches for so long, it begins to look like a stuck centipede, or Snake, from that analog phone game.
Of course in the end, it doesn’t really matter, just like the song goes, but just the same, the human thread of frailty called stubbornness will always have its way, despite any present danger lying in wait before it.
Likewise, the airtight justifications that support whatever action we choose to pursue, folly or not, will make our positions right when all this is finally over and assessed. This unique talent for discourse and making excuses is also built-in in our system, along with God-given ability to be rational, and to be gifted with free will. Ironically, these two, as exposed by the present situation, not only make us stubborn, but also stupid, however human we pride ourselves to be.
Surely, who else can we blame? Not to worry, scapegoats appear to be a-plenty, and in our eyes, they will always seem to breed like the virus itself. We will never run out of them, because another human trait indelibly marks us, B2B, born to blame. Blame government, blame DOH, blame media, blame 23-C, blame China, neighbor, dog, cat, bat, ad nauseam. We will never go Mao’s way, as self-criticism should go to rot. Like the epidemic pandemic, our propensity for pointing the finger still has not peaked, and frankly, it’s not even halfway there.
I just realized that I really needed to do some very important errands downtown today, but had decided against the notion for the moment. As one can afford to wait for the rains to stop, human that I am, I am not water-proof and surely not virus-proof. I will blame the rain, people in the rain, and blame traffic. So it goes, my human nature having its way. For the rest, go placidly amid the noise and haste… and remember… good luck.
Which reminds me, have we gotten that system of contact tracing up and running yet? Just asking. Not blaming anyone, mind you, not even sure who’s listening.
