https://blue.feedland.org/?river=http://data.feedland.org/blue/feeds/JohnRowan.xml Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:21:54 GMT feedland v0.6.43 https://cyber.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:21:54 GMT http://rpc.rsscloud.io:5337/pleaseNotify Wed, August 7, 2024 6:21 AM EDT <p>Having spent far too much time reading right wing posting on X recently (which is why I&#39;m now here!), I’ve noted the role that the covid lockdowns continue to play in the far-right’s view of the world. A short reality-based thread.</p> <p>According to the far/alt-right (whatever you want to call them), governments used covid as an excuse to implement systems of control over the population. And only got rid of those systems of control because of mass demonstrations against them.</p> <p>I followed the policy responses EU Member State and the UK very closely during covid and my reasoned analysis of this is: codswallop. Quite the opposite: governments were very reluctant to introduce social distancing restrictions and lockdowns.</p> <p>(to the point where some would argue they did so too late, but that is a whole different discussion)</p> <p>Why? Because these kind of measures are unwelcome, unpopular and cost a lot of political capital to introduce and maintain.</p> <p>And the opportunity cost is huge: if you’re spending your time, resources, and political capital on lockdown measures, you’re not spending them on any of the things you wanted to do when you got elected (or, indeed, went into politics) in the first place.</p> <p>Plus you’re painfully aware that these measures might be grudgingly accepted by most but they are unlikely to be popular and that you may well end up getting punished by voters at the ballot box at the next election – which is never more than a few years away at most.</p> <p>And then - double whammy! - lockdown measures are terrible for the economy, which means a) even fewer resources left to you to do what it was you wanted to do and b) even more likelihood of getting spanked in the next election.</p> <p>Which is why – contrary to the views of the conspiracy theorists – governments lifted restrictions just as soon as they could. Demonstrations, schmenonstrations. They were just one more headache to deal with (relatively minor at that, but still unwelcome and unnecessary).</p> <p>At the time, I wondered whether the people screaming about governments using covid to introduce totalitarian systems of control would stop and reflect for a moment when they saw governments getting rid of restrictions as soon as possible. The answer: a resounding “nope”.</p> <p>It&#39;s a fascinating case study of how there is no empirical evidence that can penetrate the carapace of conspiracy theorists: narrative overwhelms reality.</p> Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:21:54 GMT https://blue.feedland.org/?item=506750 https://blue.feedland.org/?item=506750 Having spent far too much time reading right wing posting on X recently (which is why I'm now here!), I’ve noted the role that the covid lockdowns continue to play in the far-right’s view of the world. A short reality-based thread. According to the far/alt-right (whatever you want to call them), governments used covid as an excuse to implement systems of control over the population. And only got rid of those systems of control because of mass demonstrations against them. I followed the policy responses EU Member State and the UK very closely during covid and my reasoned analysis of this is: codswallop. Quite the opposite: governments were very reluctant to introduce social distancing restrictions and lockdowns. (to the point where some would argue they did so too late, but that is a whole different discussion) Why? Because these kind of measures are unwelcome, unpopular and cost a lot of political capital to introduce and maintain. And the opportunity cost is huge: if you’re spending your time, resources, and political capital on lockdown measures, you’re not spending them on any of the things you wanted to do when you got elected (or, indeed, went into politics) in the first place. Plus you’re painfully aware that these measures might be grudgingly accepted by most but they are unlikely to be popular and that you may well end up getting punished by voters at the ballot box at the next election – which is never more than a few years away at most. And then - double whammy! - lockdown measures are terrible for the economy, which means a) even fewer resources left to you to do what it was you wanted to do and b) even more likelihood of getting spanked in the next election. Which is why – contrary to the views of the conspiracy theorists – governments lifted restrictions just as soon as they could. Demonstrations, schmenonstrations. They were just one more headache to deal with (relatively minor at that, but still unwelcome and unnecessary). At the time, I wondered whether the people screaming about governments using covid to introduce totalitarian systems of control would stop and reflect for a moment when they saw governments getting rid of restrictions as soon as possible. The answer: a resounding “nope”. It's a fascinating case study of how there is no empirical evidence that can penetrate the carapace of conspiracy theorists: narrative overwhelms reality. <p>Having spent far too much time reading right wing posting on X recently (which is why I&#39;m now here!), I’ve noted the role that the covid lockdowns continue to play in the far-right’s view of the world. A short reality-based thread.</p> <p>According to the far/alt-right (whatever you want to call them), governments used covid as an excuse to implement systems of control over the population. And only got rid of those systems of control because of mass demonstrations against them.</p> <p>I followed the policy responses EU Member State and the UK very closely during covid and my reasoned analysis of this is: codswallop. Quite the opposite: governments were very reluctant to introduce social distancing restrictions and lockdowns.</p> <p>(to the point where some would argue they did so too late, but that is a whole different discussion)</p> <p>Why? Because these kind of measures are unwelcome, unpopular and cost a lot of political capital to introduce and maintain.</p> <p>And the opportunity cost is huge: if you’re spending your time, resources, and political capital on lockdown measures, you’re not spending them on any of the things you wanted to do when you got elected (or, indeed, went into politics) in the first place.</p> <p>Plus you’re painfully aware that these measures might be grudgingly accepted by most but they are unlikely to be popular and that you may well end up getting punished by voters at the ballot box at the next election – which is never more than a few years away at most.</p> <p>And then - double whammy! - lockdown measures are terrible for the economy, which means a) even fewer resources left to you to do what it was you wanted to do and b) even more likelihood of getting spanked in the next election.</p> <p>Which is why – contrary to the views of the conspiracy theorists – governments lifted restrictions just as soon as they could. Demonstrations, schmenonstrations. They were just one more headache to deal with (relatively minor at that, but still unwelcome and unnecessary).</p> <p>At the time, I wondered whether the people screaming about governments using covid to introduce totalitarian systems of control would stop and reflect for a moment when they saw governments getting rid of restrictions as soon as possible. The answer: a resounding “nope”.</p> <p>It&#39;s a fascinating case study of how there is no empirical evidence that can penetrate the carapace of conspiracy theorists: narrative overwhelms reality.</p> Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:21:49 GMT https://blue.feedland.org/?item=506749 https://blue.feedland.org/?item=506749 Having spent far too much time reading right wing posting on X recently (which is why I'm now here!), I’ve noted the role that the covid lockdowns continue to play in the far-right’s view of the world. A short reality-based thread. According to the far/alt-right (whatever you want to call them), governments used covid as an excuse to implement systems of control over the population. And only got rid of those systems of control because of mass demonstrations against them. I followed the policy responses EU Member State and the UK very closely during covid and my reasoned analysis of this is: codswallop. Quite the opposite: governments were very reluctant to introduce social distancing restrictions and lockdowns. (to the point where some would argue they did so too late, but that is a whole different discussion) Why? Because these kind of measures are unwelcome, unpopular and cost a lot of political capital to introduce and maintain. And the opportunity cost is huge: if you’re spending your time, resources, and political capital on lockdown measures, you’re not spending them on any of the things you wanted to do when you got elected (or, indeed, went into politics) in the first place. Plus you’re painfully aware that these measures might be grudgingly accepted by most but they are unlikely to be popular and that you may well end up getting punished by voters at the ballot box at the next election – which is never more than a few years away at most. And then - double whammy! - lockdown measures are terrible for the economy, which means a) even fewer resources left to you to do what it was you wanted to do and b) even more likelihood of getting spanked in the next election. Which is why – contrary to the views of the conspiracy theorists – governments lifted restrictions just as soon as they could. Demonstrations, schmenonstrations. They were just one more headache to deal with (relatively minor at that, but still unwelcome and unnecessary). At the time, I wondered whether the people screaming about governments using covid to introduce totalitarian systems of control would stop and reflect for a moment when they saw governments getting rid of restrictions as soon as possible. The answer: a resounding “nope”. It's a fascinating case study of how there is no empirical evidence that can penetrate the carapace of conspiracy theorists: narrative overwhelms reality.