Death

Lindsay Mitchell has been researching and commenting on welfare since 2001. Many of her articles have been published in mainstream media and she has appeared on radio,tv and before select committees discussing issues relating to welfare. Lindsay is also an artist who works under commission and exhibits at Wellington, New Zealand, galleries.

The panicked response to Covid is a feature of death denial. 

We all die. Everyday there is a death for every two births roughly speaking. In 2020 an average of 89 people died each day. Incidentally that is fewer than the 94 in the prior year, pre-covid.

The profile of deaths by age is similar to covid deaths though the lowest bars would be non-existent on a covid death chart.

So why the gripping fear?

The chances of dying from cancer are very high – the highest. By a long shot.

In 2019  9,773 people died from cancer. Just short of a 1,000 died from diabetes.

These are big numbers.

But more importantly, some of these deaths could have been avoided. And on their deathbed, some probably regrettably knew that was the case. But they hadn’t been frightened enough of the prospect of death to change their behaviours.

A good chunk of the population has that mentality. I include myself. I keep very fit but I drink more than I should. I shouldn’t drink at all if I want the longest life possible. I should also probably knock off cheese and red meat if I want to get a letter from the Queen … except of course she will be dead by then. Yes, even the Queen is going to kick the bucket.

But I am also one of those quality versus quantity people. And I do want to enjoy my time here.

So if I am right, and most people indulge in some degree of life-shortening risk (and I haven’t even got to the risk of death by accident) WHY this maudlin, unprecedented, pervasive fear of covid?

The answer matters because it is allowing our lives to be controlled in a way I never thought possible

The fear is driving glaring irrationalities that are more than something we can chuckle about and dismiss.

Why, in the Hutt Valley, is one local council banning unvaccinated people, and by implication their children,  from the popular Huia swimming pool while the neighbouring local council is allowing unvaccinated people in to the very popular H2O swimming pool?

Even our so-called leaders can’t agree on what is safe and what isn’t. Their decisions appear more about their own covering- my- back safety as opposed to public safety.

There are many inconsistencies about protocols and rules – too many to list and plenty of people have already pointed them out.

The only reason for compliance with such arbitrary confusion must be fear.

But I go round in circles.

Fear of what exactly?

If this virus was killing young people in their droves I would be petrified of my children succumbing. That kind of terror I could understand.

BUT IT ISN’T.

The likelihood of dying from covid is minuscule.

So why am I wearing a mask then taking it off to scoff that glass of Lindauer I shouldn’t really be having?

I’m wearing a mask because fear-ridden zombies tell me to. But I’m getting to that stage where I am going to simply stop. I am not one of you. And I’m not playing along with this stupid charade any longer. Get a grip for God’s sake.

We are all going to die … some day.

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