Lee Lee wrote this as a comment to yesterday’s Quarantine Diary. I asked if I could post it as today’s entry and she said yes.
To know more about her, you can read this interview she and I did a while back. Right here.
Lee Lee is currently an editor in this very-cool online feminist project. Needle-Movers
The first time I read this letter from Lee Lee, I started arguing with her in my head. The second time, I agreed more with her POV. Len and I just sat here discussing how much we do and don’t trust our government and how that influences doing this Quarantine.
What do you think? Are you being strict or lackadaisical? Are you afraid? Angry? Skeptical?
Who do you trust?
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Submitted by lee lee on March 16, 2020 - 8:48am
What most concerns me about everyone going full-on quarantine is that (I feel) intelligent people have stopped thinking for themselves--checking in with their values, their intuition, and their guts. Rather, we are following orders blindly (often because we have to, but still following nonetheless).
I think back to other crises in our not-so-distant past when the government was "doing what's right for everyone" and, yeah, that didn't go so well. It's hard to find truth & facts in this type of climate, with lay people spouting statistics like they're scientists and scientists giving advice that differs from their colleagues.
It's frustrating that people are so "black and white" in their thinking that we have to enact all-or-nothing policies. So, yeah. I'm grappling with my need to THINK, then act -- and not having enough trustworthy outlets to get information that allows me to think.
I'd like to see more dialogue among intelligent people about the ways in which the government forces us to live according to herd mindset, and less dialogue about all the fun ways in which we can wash our hands. (I already know how to wash my hands!!)
I'd like for us to be able to hold two desires at the same time (wanting to keep others safe + wanting to remain in community are two that come to mind) AND to be able to share that we hold those two desires.
I'd like for there to be more AWARENESS of how debilitating this quarantine is to anyone who basically isn't white & privileged (I am, btw).
I'd like for teachers & parents to show Way More Recognition that learning can take place OFFline. That it often, does, in fact, take place naturally--in the real world--when technology isn't available. When kids are forced to use their brains (something we adults are having trouble doing! Gee, I wonder why...). When kids are "bored." When kids have to get resourceful because their mom/dad is busy right now so please just go away and find something to do...!!
I'd like to see more women pick up the phone to make a call than reserve a "virtual" conference room to still be able to interact with each other. I'd like to see people sharing toilet paper instead of fighting over it. (Wrapped TP, obvi)
I'd like to receive feedback that I'm not the only one who sees the sham behind all the precautions (actually there was a Slate.com article that made me feel better), and I'd like to feel like I can talk about this with other human beings without being ostracized because I don't blindly follow rules.
Comments
These have been my thoughts,
I tried to split this up into
Lee Lee's POV
Len and I felt as if Trump
Why can't there be a simple answer?
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