When causes are pursued on social media, status hierarchies are set up within the crusading groups, as humans…
When causes are pursued on social media, status hierarchies are set up within the crusading groups, as humans do off social media as well.
For example, ventilation groups develop a hierarchy of bad to good to perfect ventilation. Or the same for masks. /1 https://t.co/GgefxGrDeU
I once compared this to bicycle groups in towns, which begin as social outings, and become a pissing contest over gear.
Suddenly everybody has the $15,000 platinum-titanium bike and $500 drink bottle and $2000 glasses and low resistance suit. /2 https://t.co/cewzT9SuJI
I’ve watched this happen with both masks and ventilation, for Covid. And also on house efficiency groups.
Quickly the process becomes a near-fanatical pursuit of the ultimate top-tier system. No virion or joule of heat can be allowed to escape. /3
The history of infectious disease suggests something I’ve done a few threads on. We don’t need to stop Covid all by ourselves. We just need to slow it.
Exponential decay will do the rest. This reflects an ecological understanding of pathogens, who live in ecosystems. /4 https://t.co/mm5d0So20I
It’s not just us and our immunity and protections, and them. It’s that and a whole lot more. You can make that whole lot more work for you.
But the team sports of social media will battle it out over the status of various interventions. /5
We need good enough ventilation. Good enough masks when required, not necessarily fit-tested. Good enough vaccines.
All of that will slow spread. Reality does the rest. Not sterile environments and sterilising vaccines. /6
One reason I criticise social media as a mechanism for solving problems is this. It will transform all problems into status-driven team sports.
Suddenly people in a high-risk hospital ward and a local shopping centre will both be in FFP3 masks. /7
And true believers will police compliance. On both sides of a debate. It’s team v team.
Sensible slowing of SARS2 spread can eliminate regular community spread. And is the only approach likely to be sustainable, longer term. /end