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Media consults with marketing firms (in house or Madison ave.)
Media creates hysteria to get clicks and ad revenue
Public watches media and becomes concerned
Companies want to sell more products so they buy more ads
Media sells more ads and creates "news" to sell the hysteria
Public becomes hysterical, panic buys/hoards
Media demands action from government
Government responds
Then repeat the formula for any "crisis".
While I think there's some truth to that, On LinkedIn, I've heard from plenty of non-media and government folks with a high degree of concern at this time. Doctors, nurses, etc. And I don't see the profit-motive is here for this crisis, as so many companies are losing valuation on the stock market, and people losing jobs... broadly very bad for business, imo. Though yes, I'm sure some people or companies will profit from this.
One of the reasons infection rates have dropped in China, is due to quarantine measures. Hopefully that's not the only reason, but conclusions can't be based yet on how low numbers have gotten there. Hopefully, yes, things will blow over soon and with as little damage as possible. I think if people were out and about as usual, the hospitals and health care system would be completely innundated, with more people than they could handle at one time.
One interesting side effect of the pandemic is the virtual evaporation of the European Union. Where it once stood, there is now a patchwork of independent countries managing their own frontiers and their own industries under their own rules. Free movement, that European shibboleth which lost David Cameron the referendum, is as dead as the dodo. And this will last for months.
I wonder what will happen when it is all over. Will they be able to put Humpty-Dumpty together again?
One interesting side effect of the pandemic is the virtual evaporation of the European Union. Where it once stood, there is now a patchwork of independent countries managing their own frontiers and their own industries under their own rules. Free movement, that European shibboleth which lost David Cameron the referendum, is as dead as the dodo. And this will last for months.
I wonder what will happen when it is all over. Will they be able to put Humpty-Dumpty together again?
Interesting observation you make here, Hazel. I hadn't really thought about that, but it sure does seem as though it's every country for themselves as it's always been in Europe.
Maybe the EU is more of a trading pact than a union, after all.
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Originally Posted by Andy Alt
While I think there's some truth to that, On LinkedIn, I've heard from plenty of non-media and government folks with a high degree of concern at this time. Doctors, nurses, etc. And I don't see the profit-motive is here for this crisis, as so many companies are losing valuation on the stock market, and people losing jobs... broadly very bad for business, imo. Though yes, I'm sure some people or companies will profit from this.
One of the reasons infection rates have dropped in China, is due to quarantine measures. Hopefully that's not the only reason, but conclusions can't be based yet on how low numbers have gotten there. Hopefully, yes, things will blow over soon and with as little damage as possible. I think if people were out and about as usual, the hospitals and health care system would be completely innundated, with more people than they could handle at one time.
Keep in mind that every seasonal flu season has approx. 7-15% rate of coronavirus, this season is still within that range. So on one hand the only "new" thing that happened was the hysteria created by the media and governments/agencies. Even with all of the hysteria and coverage of this particular virus the 2019-2020 influenza season was particularly bad and led to more deaths then this virus.
The learning lesson here is the general public and businesses learning about cleanliness, and proper social behavior etc... Many people, had/have become very slack with cleanliness and that needs to stop. One of the best practices is to WASH YOUR HANDS, stop touching your face in public, stay home when sick until all symptoms are gone, be mindful of what you touch in public spaces, public spaces should be cleaned thoroughly much more frequently etc.... Another reminder for all of us is that no matter how advanced we think we are, as humans, as this life-form, we are very much like our ancestors and moments like this remind us of that. Sophistication and schemes are not the answer, the answer is always found in simplicity not complexity.
PS: I don't use social media so I cannot comment on the LinkedIn reference. Other than Dr.'s being human are just as susceptible to hysteria as anyone else. That's why we need to stick to the raw data and strip away all the emotion.
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Originally Posted by hazel
One interesting side effect of the pandemic is the virtual evaporation of the European Union. Where it once stood, there is now a patchwork of independent countries managing their own frontiers and their own industries under their own rules. Free movement, that European shibboleth which lost David Cameron the referendum, is as dead as the dodo. And this will last for months.
I wonder what will happen when it is all over. Will they be able to put Humpty-Dumpty together again?
Spot on....Humpty-Dumpty or smoke and mirrors. Perhaps the Emperor was naked after all.
Keep in mind that every seasonal flu season has approx. 7-15% rate of coronavirus, this season is still within that range. So on one hand the only "new" thing that happened was the hysteria created by the media and governments/agencies.
I seem to recall reading that China had to build new hospitals because there were so many patients at once. Not true?
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I seem to recall reading that China had to build new hospitals because there were so many patients at once. Not true?
True for Wuhan and some other areas. Several factors involved though that don't get reported. Wuhan experienced a large increase in population without a commensurate increase in health facilities. Several US and EU cities are noticing a similar problem. They also, as well as USA and EU, were having a very active influenza season along with upper respiratory infections so combined with the coronavirus it was several problems all at once. Again, similar to what the US and EU experienced. Remember also, China, South Korea and Japan did not shut down or quarantine their entire countries, they only did so within the affected areas, for China it was primarily the city of Wuhan within the Hubei province (state). This would be the equivalent of the USA locking down only Manhattan not all of NY and definitely not all of the USA.
"Statistics are like a bikini, what they reveal is suggestive but what they hide is vital" - Aaron Levenstein.
Wonderful!
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It was clear from the beginning that this would attract all sorts of conspiracy theorists.
Frankly, it disgusts me a little to see how they use this as a vehicle to get the attention for what they've always been promoting.
I say: don't buy into it.
For once, now's the time to do what your government says.
OK, I can’t speak for your country and its government, but here where I live (and certainly most of Europe) I go with the recommendations before they become enforced rules. All politians are working together, agree across all party lines. Even the right-wing populists.
Don’t panic, don’t buy into the hype, but don’t ignore it either and don’t try to swim against the stream on principle.
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