Arsehole proliferate. That includes anti-vaxxers who are, IMHPO, potential killers.
Crime the world over
What is the real pandemic? We suffer major problems all over the world. The problems are exacerbated by STUPID. Search as one might, there is no cure for “stupid”. I have no idea why stupid is on the increase. There is a plethora of stupid and the numbers appear to be rising alarmingly. I am not going to quote statistics on this. Look around you. You might laugh or cry. Add to this the problem of general lawlessness in S’Effrica and we are damned to another explosion of the pandemic about which other journalists are writing. I shall not. The disregard for and often deliberate and consciously active breaking of the laws is frightening.
It get more frightening
Even more frightening is the fact that the law-breakers are not only common criminals like murderers, rapists and highjackers at which we are aghast. The scary reality is that the lawbreakers are your friends and mine. Our neighbours. Our colleagues and associates. People who we know and respect but who nonetheless break a law every day. “Nooooooo!” I hear you thinking. “Not me. Not John. Not Sipho. Not Ismael. Not Mary. Not Nthombi” and you are naming all your righteous friends and colleagues who you think would never break any law, in your head. But Yes. It is them.
The “holier than thou” brigade break the law regularly and frequently. Some examples to help you focus and clarify your thinking include: Accelerating through a red traffic light. Talking on a mobile phone and texting while driving. Overtaking over a solid white line. All these and others are contraventions which could result in death or disability. Perhaps I’ll discuss this at another time.
The latest crime?
What is the latest crime which can cause the death of one or many people? Not wearing a cloth mask over your nose and mouth. Read a bit more in this article by Michele Gilfand which was published in The Guardian. She talks about “loose” countries. South Africa is one of those.
Too many people simply do not wear masks. Too many simply throw wild celebratory parties. News24 reported that “East London erupted into a carnival atmosphere . . .”. There are videos circulating on social media showing young people dancing and singing in the streets to celebrate the return of liquor sales. All these gatherings being conducted illegally include further deadly criminal acts like not wearing masks or not observing physical distancing. Add this all together and BANG! An explosion of infection resulting in more deaths by the thousands.
Add to this the sad reality that living conditions for too large a portion of our population simply does not allow them to keep physical distances, nor isolate when required. Apparently refusing to wear masks is common.
The Truth
Too many people at all levels of society are law-breakers and simply stupid idiots. And they are supported by a growing number of equally stupid conspiracy theorists who are, regrettably – also our friends, colleagues and associates. Why does Stupid appear to be growing so fast? Is it our failing education system where a pass mark is so low as to be valueless, or that teachers have been told: “No one can fail in your class.” (Afrikaans, second language) Is it social media where everyone is free to say whatever they want to, no matter how stupid or how bizarre? And other stupid people read it and worse, believe it to be the truth. Is Darwin to blame? Has evolution gone wrong or is it survival of the stupidest?
This, to my mind, is the real pandemic. The exponential growth of stupid. Which is how I described it in the past. Now I say simply that the real pandemic is – –
Too many ARSEHOLES.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the views of the author and not of SAFREA or the Safrea Chronicle MediaHub or any of its members. The author’s website – Peter Ucko
One Response
I’m reading you loud and clear. If I could post a pic here that I recently shared on my social media, I would – it explains this beautifully. Here’s hoping that the curve of the wave of stupidity flattens a bit in future.