Comment by salmon30salmon | Hacker News Reader

Comment by salmon30salmon | Hacker News Reader

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Don't be so sanctimonious. People also die from loneliness, isolation, lack of exercise, depression, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, malnutrition.

Do you even fucking realize how much our response to COVID has impacted food programs worldwide? How shutting down major economies has pushed our children back by _years_ of educational attainment?

People die from everything, for fucks sake. People die from TB, which inoculations against are way down this year. People die from lack of clean water, which financial assistance from developed nations has tanked this year.This is not even counting the delay in cancer treatment, heart treatment. Hospitals in my state were essentially shut down all Spring and Summer when we had incredibly low community spread. So the woman who is six months late for her mammogram, is her cancer less important than COVID?

When you say people die and it is a big deal, are you only concerned for well-off white people in developed nations? Because I do say you've turned a blind eye to all the death and famine around the world to suddenly be on your high horse when it comes to COVID.

Edit: I am sorry but I need to come back to this. Do you have any idea what these lockdowns are doing to mental health of teens and adults? Suicidal ideation is on the rise as is self-reported depression. So are you saying that those who kill themselves from despair and depression aren't as entitled to support to help _them_. We closed down a nation to support those at risk from COVID. What will we do to support those who are dying from other means, due to our response?

Look closer at these ladies: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/0436/production/... Do you notice that they are holding drinks purchased from Starbucks while not wearing masks? Their entire attitude, from their words to their daily actions, smacks of an unconcern towards the affairs of others.

I see elsewhere in this comment thread, where you are being a denier about the severity of COVID-19. I have family who work in an ICU, and I'm going to trust them over you. This cramps the entirety of your whataboutist rant somewhat.

If you want to think globally, you're going to have to consider how we're trying to lower the HIV and AIDS rates in southern Africa. Safe sex is akin to wearing a mask and social distancing, and it requires government support, including discouraging gatherings which are likely to spread disease.

Finally, your edit. You've seen the rest of our society, outside our homes, right? Abusive family and roommates are not the ultimate cause of all mental health issues. These folks were free to do what I have the rough equivalent of doing: Going to a nearby park, with a mask on, to get fresh air and exercise and communion with nature.

As a long-term sufferer from depression and suicidal ideation, I think that it is infantile for you to take the stance that you've taken. Your selfish attitude, when shared by millions of others, has killed thousands of people over the past year. We can conquer measles, we can conquer ebola, but COVID-19 is somehow special? No, what is special is the politically-motivated and ignorant response that you've espoused throughout this thread.

We didn't conquer those two diseases by locking down entire economies, damn the consequences. We accepted deaths as we do any cause and worked diligently to create a vaccine. Ebola is different as it is far, far deadlier than COVID-19.

I do not deny the severity of COVID-19. For those over the age of 65 it is far more dangerous than the flu. For those under, it is about as dangerous with the exception of those under 30 where it is far less dangerous.

The problem with the world today is that nuance no longer exists. There is a place between doing nothing and draconian lockdowns. But nobody seems to advocate for that middle ground at all.

You have absolutely no clue about my political stance, so don't pretend to know this is motivated by my politics. The problem is that you see this through a lens of politics. You believe that the only reason someone may disagree with you is political.

Please provide data that refutes any of the points I made. I will be happy to check them out and change my mind, if warranted.

> Do you notice that they are holding drinks purchased from Starbucks while not wearing masks?

I'm interested in how you think they are supposed to consume the drinks while wearing masks.

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