In March, while following social distancing, I watched the award winning HBO series Chernobyl. Excellent series. However, it is chilling how the US response to Covid-19 mirrors the Russian response to Chernobyl.
The initial government claim that there was no risk. Then that it was all under control. Then that we are well prepared to handle the problem. Then that the problem is overblown and will just fade away shortly. We and the situation is improving and life will be back to normal soon (easter) And finally, we did a great job!
Total propaganda! All BS!
Then as the true scope of the problem becomes apparent to everyone, the blame game starts. We did not cause this. The real problem is the actions of others, not us. We cannot get the supplies we need and deserve. And finally attacking the scientists and doctors who are honestly working on strategies to mitigate the disaster.
The final minutes of the show present the following message and I think it is a message everyone on this site needs to hear and think about long and hard. And not just as how it relates to Covid-19 but everything in life:
To be a scientist is to be naïve. We are so focused on our search for truth we fail to consider how few actually want us to find it.
But it is always there, whether we see it or not; whether we choose to or not.
The truth doesn’t care about our needs or wants. It doesn’t care about our governments, our ideologies, our religions.
To lie in wait for all time.
And this, at last, is the gift of Chernobyl
Where I would once fear for the cost of truth, now I only ask, what is the cost of lies.
What will be the cost of the lies made back in February when we were told there was nothing to fear about Covid-19, when nothing needed to be done. What will be the cost of the conspiracy theories and claims theories that are still being made that this virus is a hoax? What will be the cost to society if we continue to ignore scientists and doctors call that social distancing is the best chance we have for defeating this virus? What is the cost if we continue to ignore science because it does not match our ideologies?
The initial government claim that there was no risk. Then that it was all under control. Then that we are well prepared to handle the problem. Then that the problem is overblown and will just fade away shortly. We and the situation is improving and life will be back to normal soon (easter) And finally, we did a great job!
Total propaganda! All BS!
Then as the true scope of the problem becomes apparent to everyone, the blame game starts. We did not cause this. The real problem is the actions of others, not us. We cannot get the supplies we need and deserve. And finally attacking the scientists and doctors who are honestly working on strategies to mitigate the disaster.
The final minutes of the show present the following message and I think it is a message everyone on this site needs to hear and think about long and hard. And not just as how it relates to Covid-19 but everything in life:
To be a scientist is to be naïve. We are so focused on our search for truth we fail to consider how few actually want us to find it.
But it is always there, whether we see it or not; whether we choose to or not.
The truth doesn’t care about our needs or wants. It doesn’t care about our governments, our ideologies, our religions.
To lie in wait for all time.
And this, at last, is the gift of Chernobyl
Where I would once fear for the cost of truth, now I only ask, what is the cost of lies.
What will be the cost of the lies made back in February when we were told there was nothing to fear about Covid-19, when nothing needed to be done. What will be the cost of the conspiracy theories and claims theories that are still being made that this virus is a hoax? What will be the cost to society if we continue to ignore scientists and doctors call that social distancing is the best chance we have for defeating this virus? What is the cost if we continue to ignore science because it does not match our ideologies?
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