8 June

The great lie of the Covid pandemic was that public health action against the virus was both unpopular, and damaging, to people and the ‘economy’. In reality millions were lifted out of poverty for the first time in generations. Catastrophe also unifies people, whereas normal times just lead to endless rivalries, for status. Covid was on track to do what disasters always do. Uproot an old status quo and replace it with a new one. The existing status quo saw that coming, and rapidly shifted us to ‘living with’ a pandemic instead. A nonsensical and lethally damaging idea. It killed 20,000 Australians in the first year alone. But they sold it. Social media got the old status quo over the line. Tiny handfuls of insane cookers and their conspiracy and wellness horseshit generated a perception of public anger. It was all fake. What did the Covid action cost, for those who say it was unaffordable? About $50 billion less than the half-dozen nuclear submarines we’re buying.