#365 - Reality Check
Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content
Reflections on Pandemic Response and Collective Memory
The pandemic elicited extreme fears about Orwellian takeovers that did not materialize, leading to overestimation of restrictions and political divisiveness across states. The memory of intense government-directed lockdowns was largely distorted, as data showed people remained mobile. Individuals and public officials cultivated a culture of fear during the pandemic, resulting in a misremembered and exaggerated narrative. The blame for disruptions was wrongly shifted instead of individuals reckoning with the known facts about the virus' fatality rates and age skew. The panicked response to the pandemic was influenced by fears and projections, causing emotional, social, and political disruptions based on collective fear. Reflecting on the past response and advocating for a more voluntary approach in the future could be misguided and delusional, especially in preparing for potential future pandemics.
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