Drawing from a great article, "Economy of Life?," Ryder discusses some thoughts on how people make decisions based on emotion instead of intelligence. (Yes, Ryder is aware, the 'economy or life' distinction is hyperbolic.)
He discusses how the economy has become a religion with associated rituals and dogma and the politicians are priests. The problem is, when a storm hits praying for rain isn't gong to help, and politicians doubling down (fixing capitalism with more capitalism) is simply a preacher telling you to pray more and have faith.
Ryder also mentions the American history of risk for beliefs, and how this trend is nothing new. It probably doesn't mean they are idiots. Maybe.
0:55 The two camps of Coronavirus: Economy of Life
1:58 Humans are heuristic machines, not logic machines: we tend to react for short-term benefit rather than think
4:02 Prognostication: The Economy is more like mysticism than a science, requiring "faith" to survive.
5:50 Contradictory injunctions from leaders: stay home and go to work.
6:50 Our leaders worship the economy, making citizens sacrificial to "the greater good"