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On 07/04/2021 22:51, billw wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:mailman.123.1617832307.658.extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org"><span
style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"> <font
face="comic sans ms, sans-serif">...</font></span><font
face="comic sans ms, sans-serif"> how many lives have been
saved? No one is shutting down things to ruin the economy.
Impossible to measure, I'll grant you that. But that has to be
the other side of the equation. People are still catching it
and some are dying. Keep that in mind. How much damage to the
economy is worth it to save a life? Theoretically. Does anyone
know what variables are being used to make these mask and
shutdown decisions? Who is measuring the effects? Are they
making decisions based on data? What data? Does shutting down
even work? Somebody has to know these things so they can make
recommendations. I see none of the above in the news - just the
actions to open up or close down. bill w</font></blockquote>
<br>
It seems obvious to me: These are political decisions, made in the
same way that all political decisions are made. The important thing
is to get re-elected, to maintain power. This takes precedence over
everything: Human lives, the economy, the environment, the entire
world, everything. The way to be re-elected is to be seen to be
'doing something'. Doing nothing is political suicide, because you
can't get credit for doing nothing, no matter what the outcome. So
the politicians will decide to 'get things done', without any regard
for the actual effectiveness of the actions taken. If the voters see
them as being decisive, they will get re-elected. Data doesn't come
into it, calculations don't get anywhere near it. Recommendations
are listened to then disregarded. Or not even listened to at all.
Politicians know how effective 'knee-jerk' reactions are, and are
experts at manipulating them for their own ends. No other
explanation is needed.<br>
<br>
Ben<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Ben Zaiboc</pre>
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