Coronavirus in DFW - News & Discussion (Dallas, Katy: job market, high school)

[calgirlinnc]

This is from a thread in the politics forum. I hope it's OK if I post it here.

This discussion of timelines seems very abstract and math based. Meanwhile, people will be suffering and dying because of these measures. People need hope, and putting in additional 8 week stops after 3 weeks of this doesn't give them hope.

Originally Posted by self-made

When I went to the store the other day, I stood in a line for an hour (social distancing) next to a gentleman who had lost his job re Covid. He has a wife and 5 (I think I remember that right) kids and had the remainder of his money in his wallet. He said after he grocery shopped, he would have no money left to support himself and his family.


He said he had not drank in 10+ years but was going to "buy a bottle" just to help him make it through. That statement drew tears to his eyes and to mine. He said, "Please don't judge me, and I said, "I don't." He said he felt "destroyed" by the loss of his job and his inability to provide for his family. He said, "This has to end, or it will end me."


I offered him the cash I had with me, $400. But didn't want to take it, maybe out of pride. But I explained that I had it to give and that I was not giving it out of pity, but rather that I wanted to ease his suffering. He finally accepted.


The look on his face and in his eyes will not soon leave me, maybe never.


I agree and feel strongly that if we continue the shutdown of our economy, we will destroy some people.


It seems people will suffer and die either way. I don't have the answer.

[Katana49]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

This discussion of timelines seems very abstract and math based. Meanwhile, people will be suffering and people will be dying because of these measures.

No. People are suffering and dying because of the virus. The measures are put in place to mitigate an even greater disaster. The economy is an unfortunate side effect of the root cause.



It's like taking antibiotics. If you're sick and the Dr. prescribes you a 5 day course of antibiotics but you only take 2, you might feel better for a couple days and think you're on the road to recovery... Until it's out of your system and it comes back even harder than before. So you take the other 3 days worth of pills... But now that isn't enough, you need a full 5 days in a row to beat it. But you've only got 3 more pills...And it comes back again. We have (had) one shot at this to do it right. We've completely blown it in my opinion, precisely because in the beginning we didn't want to take such draconian measures like shutting everything down. But now here we are with every single state infected and the peak yet to be seen.

[Sunbather]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

This is from a thread in the politics forum. I hope it's OK if I post it here.

This discussion of timelines seems very abstract and math based. Meanwhile, people will be suffering and dying because of these measures. People need hope, and putting in additional 8 week stops after 3 weeks of this doesn't give them hope.

False hope is not hope. It's worse than hope. It gives a short burst of hope followed by skepticism and a lack of trust in those in charge. Transparency and honesty, with a tinge of optimism is what we need.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by Sunbather

False hope is not hope. It's worse than hope, imo.

Maybe for you.

Maybe for some people, hope is all they have.

Imagine if the POTUS announced that the US is shut down until July 1. There would be mass panic, looting, chaos. And don't tell me the National Guard would take care of it. There are not enough Guardsmen.

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Let's keep the discussion as DFW-centric as possible. I think we have received clear instruction from the powers that be that posts will be deleted otherwise. I know I work too hard on my posts regarding this stuff to see them disappear.

[Sunbather]

Originally Posted by Wittgenstein's Ghost

Let's keep the discussion as DFW-centric as possible. I think we have received clear instruction from the powers that be that posts will be deleted otherwise. I know I work too hard on my posts regarding this stuff to see them disappear.

You're right. I'm trying to keep the posts specifically related to the Dallas shelter in place decrees but it can still stray easily.


I agree the math seems harsh and sad/frustrating. Understood people are dying. But there are clear patterns and timelines that we are seeing all over the world and we are not special or immune to them. Giving people unrealistic hope only to rip it away is something I always find to be a horrible management strategy except in the most dire of situations (and I do not think we are there yet).

If someone thinks long, realistic time-frames will cause panic and riots, just wait until the FIFTH time a government delays the shelter by 2 more weeks. what do you think happens then? Rioting and total untrust of the government.

Short term gratification of false hope is more dangerous than the reality. Let's trust in the local leaders right now.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Katana49

No. People are suffering and dying because of the virus. The measures are put in place to mitigate an even greater disaster. The economy is an unfortunate side effect of the root cause.



It's like taking antibiotics. If you're sick and the Dr. prescribes you a 5 day course of antibiotics but you only take 2, you might feel better for a couple days and think you're on the road to recovery... Until it's out of your system and it comes back even harder than before. So you take the other 3 days worth of pills... But now that isn't enough, you need a full 5 days in a row to beat it. But you've only got 3 more pills...And it comes back again. We have (had) one shot at this to do it right. We've completely blown it in my opinion, precisely because in the beginning we didn't want to take such draconian measures like shutting everything down. But now here we are with every single state infected and the peak yet to be seen.

That's an excellent analogy.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by Sunbather

If someone thinks long, realistic time-frames will cause panic and riots, just wait until the FIFTH time a government delays the shelter by 2 more weeks. what do you think happens then? Rioting and total untrust of the government.

Short term gratification of false hope is more dangerous than the reality. Let's trust in the local leaders right now.

I hate to tell you this, but many people are already at that point.

[RJ312]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

This is from a thread in the politics forum. I hope it's OK if I post it here.

This discussion of timelines seems very abstract and math based. Meanwhile, people will be suffering and dying because of these measures. People need hope, and putting in additional 8 week stops after 3 weeks of this doesn't give them hope.

I am conflicted about this. The economy needs to be restarted. I found the story that you shared to be quite important. Would you like to know why White Rock Lake and Katy Trail are busy right now, even on weekdays during the traditional working hours? Unemployment has to be up over 15% right now.

The economy needs to be restarted because the jobless from that anecdote need jobs. I would argue in a different argument that unemployment is worse for men than women, and men tend to get laid off more than women.

At the same time, my personal approach to this has been to stay alive first and foremost, and to stay healthy. I have been financially devastated by this event, but money can be replaced. I am aware that my financial suffering will be immensely painful as I go forward in my life. I will be making the effort to rehabilitate my financial health. I would be unable to replace my own life or my long term well being.

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Correct. We own a non-essential, public facing business and at this point are preparing for a 6/15 “soft open” and business back above 60% of normal by around August 1. And I would say possibility that those dates move our another 4-6 weeks.

This would be the reason why $2 trillion was pumped into the economy by the Fed. If business owners are planning this course of action, the unemployed need the additional monies due to them to survive until business owners can hire again. Business owners are also not in great shape if that's the case. For a lot of small to medium sized businesses, the financial outlook is as messy as the average individual's financial situation.

This scenario, as played out on a macro level throughout DFW and a macro level nationally, involves a lot of financial suffering.

[Sunbather]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

I hate to tell you this, but many people are already at that point.

Well, understood. But we are not quite at peak distrust: there is room for more distrust if we aren't rioting and looting yet.