I was chatting with a friend the other day, talking about the upcoming restrictions in our country, which are also already in place across much of Europe (e.g. requiring a green pass to go into cafes, restaurants, movie theaters, etc.). And her biggest issue around the subject seemed to be the question - well, where will she go out, then? She seemed pretty certain that her boyfriend would refuse to get the jab, when they implement this new wave of restrictions, and she seemed to think oh, how selfish of him. Imagine that, not wanting to inject yourself with a substance you deem questionable just so you can take your girl out and throw some hard-earned money down the drain...
I warned her she wouldn't find much sympathy on the topic with me, since I hold a similar stance on the matter.
Restrictive or Liberating - The Unobserved Bright Side of the Green Pass
I've been thinking about this for a couple of days now, ever since reading the post of a prominent (anti-lockdown) Romanian lawyer - that all these restrictions have a surprising benefit to them, in the sense that they will save us all a lot, both health-wise and money-wise.
I thought about all the things that would soon become "off limits" to myself - access to cafes and restaurants, the gym, maybe even shopping centers, someday? Since I'm a freelancer at the moment, I wouldn't be affected by the restrictions on employers, so really, the only things that would be lost to me would be ones of convenience, rather than need. And even those might be bypassed, if I really wanted to, with a test. As I explained to my friend, I doubt that people in my position (or that of her boyfriend) would be inclined to spend money on a test, only to go out for a meal and spend more money. Not when they can easily eat in or work out from home.
I estimated that in a given month, the restrictions would save me between $150 and $200, on outings, gym membership, and so on. And while that's not a lot in Western countries, in Romania, it's quite a bit of money, if you consider that the minimum monthly salary is roughly $450.
I don't believe these restrictions will last long. As I tried explaining to my friend, I consider them as a last-ditch attempt to coerce the population into getting the vaccine. It seems to me that our evil capitalist overlords are displeased with us. The vaccination plan should've gone a lot more smoothly than it has so far, which is why they've resorted to these desperate measures.
Think about it - if the vaccine was truly successful, and if the general population truly scared of Covid, then the vaccination numbers should be a lot higher. You wouldn't need to offer lotteries, food, money, Uber rides, or all the other little sugar cubes the world governments have tried to ply us with over the past six months.
Now, they've resorted to coercion, since people didn't want the vaccine for fear of the virus, or for want of the rewards. Now, they're using force and restrictions, as in the beginning, only I don't think these will have a lot of effect. Consider, first, the type of trivial restrictions I spoke of above. Let's be honest, who in their right mind would subject themselves to a questionable medical practice, for the sake of going to Starbucks? It seems like a plan doomed to fail. Most countries already underwent at least a couple of months of not being allowed into restaurants, cafes, theaters, etc., at all. We can withstand these restrictions for another few months, if necessary.
The Health Upside of the Green Pass
Many restrictions will (or already do) apply to fast food chains, and other big brands that are slowly poisoning us. From greasy, mutant McDonald's chicken to sugary Starbucks sprinkle delights, we've been weaned on a diet of poison that's difficult to shake, from a societal standpoint. We're at a point where we accept these things are bad for you, but everyone's having them, so I guess I will, too. Maybe a couple of months off of McD's is what you and I need. To detox. To remind us that we can live without the greasy, cash-loving hands of big corporations.
Funnily enough, this is the first actual sign that the government cares about your health - they're barring you from ingesting poison, because you won't submit to injecting it. Amusing, isn't it?
As with convenient entertainment venues, I don't think this "loss" will make much difference in the scheme of things for unvaccinated people.
Which leaves the matter of jobs...
No Vax, No Paycheck - could this be a double-edged sword?
In many places, we're seeing restrictions that threaten people's livelihoods, and obviously, those fall in a different category. No green pass, no job, and that's no longer something I can opt out of. So I think if there is going to be some success in these new restrictions, it's gonna be there.
And yet... We're seeing (well, glimpsing through the iron curtain of censorship) protests all over Europe, and in many places in America and Canada, against these restrictions. People saying okay, then if that's what it takes to maintain my integrity, I will not go to my job. Obviously, this is, at best, a short-term solution. But maybe short term is just long enough.
Most people aren't financially capable of surviving unemployed for long periods of time. But neither are most businesses. I made a joke the other day that it's appropriate for local businesses to lose half their employees, since they'll also be losing half their customers. And yet, for how long can a business survive in such a situation? I don't think very long. Now obviously, the state might dole out hefty support packages to these businesses, but let's not forget that the state is bleeding, too. No business, and fewer general sales, means fewer taxes paid to the state. Means less funds. And yes, I know they can print out as much money as they want, but I don't think it would be in their general interest to do so.
To me, that signals an expiration date on these restrictions. And maybe closer than they'd like to admit. In much of Europe, for instance, these restrictive measures are only scheduled until October/November. So six weeks, at best, which is a long time, in terms of lockdown, but not so long that we can't survive them. We've done it before, and by all indication, the restrictions won't be as harsh as they were last year.
Again, I don't presume to speak for those people whose job and livelihood is threatened here. I have no idea how much you could withstand, if your children's lives depended on this, but thankfully, I am not yet in that position. If that's your situation, what are your thoughts? I'd honestly love to know, as I don't know anyone in that position.
Choosing what is easy over what is right...
I cut the conversation with my friend short, as I didn't want to argue with her, and I was becoming increasingly irritated that the worst thing she could see in this was, really, that she'd have nothing to do. Not the dictatorial restrictions that will one day blight the lives of her children, but the horror that she might have no one to go out with Saturday night. It infuriated me, as only ignorance can, and yet now, I'm trying to understand.
Part of me understands. After 18 months of being disagreeable and in constant conflict with the world at large over my choices, I recognize a part of myself that thinks it would be much easier to get vaxx'ed, at this point. Yes, in most instances, I have been able to find a solution to do what I wanted, without compromising this. But that takes its toll, too. You say "I'd rather take the more difficult route, than do what is easy, yet questionable."... but for how long? Eventually, what is easy starts to seem a lot more appealing.
And then, what can you expect from people who never took the difficult route? Their life has been made easy by their choice, so it's perhaps natural to become upset when others around you refuse to embrace the same easyness.
This isn't to say you shouldn't get the vax. If you feel or felt that is right for you, then that's something you should be entitled to do, in any civilized society. I try to keep a balanced view, and usually shun extremist views on either side. I would never persecute someone who's vaccinated for being so, as I think that's a gross injustice. As such, I wouldn't resent my friend for having access to things I don't through her green pass.
What I am saying, however, is that it should be an informed choice. And by that, I mean it should be a well-rounded view, one that you could rationally explain, if necessary. I don't like ignorance, as I think it puts us in grave danger, as a society. In my friend's case, I know she got the jab as a result of peer pressure, mixed with ignorance and without proper individual research on the topic. And I can't help but feel that such ignorance will one day be paid for in full by our children, and grandchildren.
By the way, this isn't a discussion of the abuse that these restrictions represent. Obviously, I'm not saying they're right or fair, in any way. In fact, I think what's happening is appalling, and that's precisely why I think it should be opposed and boycotted with any chance. Vaccinated or not, this is your future we're talking about, and maybe you shouldn't choose what's easy simply because you're afraid of what's difficult.
And after all, what is difficult? Not going to a cafe for a couple of months? If you think that's hard, just wait for the post-Covid society that we're shaping through our silence and ineptitude. You'll be allowed to chug all the sugary Starbucks goodness you want, so I guess you'll be happy.