Re: the Pandemic, Each Town Has Its Own Ethos
As previously mentioned, 2GreenEnergy “headquarters” is located in Santa Ynez, CA, a fairly rural, “God and country” (read: redneck) part of Santa Barbara County. Ironically, our little burg has the completely opposite ethos of the tiny little beach city that sits only 30 miles away, featuring the University of California at Santa Barbara, home of 12 different Nobel laureates, 9 of whom won for physics and materials science.
As one might expect, our town’s Facebook page contains frequent discussions of the pandemic, and in particular, the wearing of facemasks. Here’s a sample conversation:
Clarissa: Just drove to town. Restaurants with people packed like sardines, like COVID wasn’t happening. Worrisome.
Eliza: Stop frustrating yourself and take the back roads if you’re so bothered… stop posting every frustration in regards to crowds. (Gets 23 likes)
Me: I’m a law-abiding mask-wearer, because I care about the health and safety of those around me, and I’m not normally a wallflower. In this case, however, it’s hopeless. Trying to convince some inconsiderate slob who won’t take simple precautions to protect other people is not only a waste of time, it’s dangerous as well. If I made a habit in getting into these people’s s***, it would only be a matter of time before one of them beats me up, or worse. It’s a very sad time. (Gets 11 likes)
Carissa: I thank you for caring from the bottom of my heart.
Lezlee: I’m with you. It’s just heartbreaking that in about 2 weeks this will get very real and personal. People just don’t learn. We watched this in the spring and where we are now is so much worse.
Me: I’m worried that it’s indicative of something even more troubling. The more people act in such irresponsible and utterly disappointing ways, the more it looks like the human race, at this stage of its evolution at least, doesn’t possess the level of intelligence and decency required to pull it through the tough conditions we face–and the current pandemic isn’t the only one. What are we going to do about climate change, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity? What about the constant erosion of educational standards and honesty? The possibility of an even tougher virus? The corruption of rule of law and a would-be dictator who isn’t totally incompetent? The human race may have bitten off more than it can chew.
