The Fearful and the Fearless Part 2

Or why some see risks while others don’t

Last week, in Part 1 of this mindflow, I shared my views and observations on this pandemic era and those of other people I’ve talked to. Some of the paragraphs below were written before I discovered a great article that gave me light regarding my inquiries over why the world can be divided into two clear and almost opposing distinct groups — see the title.

After the information learned, though, I kept my previous writing because even if I did find some logic through the article, my questions — about the human mind, heart, and soul — remain valid as so, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this quest.

The fearless

There are several motivations for some people choosing to abandon the lockdown and the safety measures; or the social distancing — other than not having a home, not having an income deposited in their accounts monthly, making it impossible to quarantine, of course. Some haven’t chosen to not quarantine, I know and acknowledge, and feel deeply sorry for them, as I have written before.

But here I want to talk about the ones choosing to not stay at home. When I mentioned the ‘social distancing’ separate from the safety measures, there was a reason: I’m not referring to the 6 ft/1.8m distance between people when outside their home, whether outdoors or indoors. I was referring to the necessity of some — many — of going on with their lives no matter what, being social again. Man is a social species, indeed.

They have resumed their lives regardless of the information and the evidence that this is still among us, posing a potential risk that can be disastrous — not necessarily so, true, but potentially disastrous, for them directly, for the people in their bubble… or for the rest of us. Their fellowmen. The others, other than them.

No man is an island, entire of itself.

— John Donne

We can categorize the fearless: the non-believers, the daredevils, the ones lacking self-control or compliance with rules; the ones that cannot stay put in isolation — needing in-person contact — or the ones that reached their limit — needing their lives back. I bet there are other types but these are the ones I have observed the most, interestingly ranging in all ages, you know, of all ages.

1

Some people have taken the so-called quarantine (much longer than what the term originally meant, true) with no seriousness. These are the people who never stayed home, who kept on getting together for crowded and long parties, who never wore masks, who never kept the 6ft/1.8m distance; who didn’t pay attention to what was informed or the updates about what to do and what not to do. We saw them then and we see them now. Going about life as if nothing were happening.

I know, the information has been changing along the long weeks depending on the stage of the pandemic, yes, but mostly depending on the pieces of new information — or informed guesses, let’s call them that — which have been discovered and disclosed, involuntarily, little by little, sometimes even being contradictory. But this strange flow of information hasn’t been so due to lack of commitment or scientific rigor, as it has been truly due to a lack of knowledge. Remember this is a novel thing?

2

Other people say that this pandemic is not real, that it’s a plot, an economic move, a political maneuver. While I’m not so naive as to believe the people in charge of ruling the world — politicians, businessmen… the powerful, I mean — have the interests of mankind as their priority, I wonder just how all of them simultaneously have agreed to ruin the world at the same time. If they cannot reach a consensus on some common pressing matters, how could they all have come to terms for this very one goal, ruining the world together, for identical reasons and evil gains? I find this highly unlikely and still and rather think they have come together to find treatments and vaccines.

3

Apart from those who never stopped getting together mentioned above, there are also the ones who did stop for a while — scared, obedient, and/or displaying solidarity — but then could not do it any longer. They simply couldn’t. Their degree of self-control is limited. ‘Limited’ not meaning ‘ little’ necessarily but finite. They can stay put for some fixed amount of time, yes they can, but not endlessly.

I can surely understand and relate to the feeling because endlessly is as discouraging and heartbreaking and spiritless and aimless for me — and everybody like me — as it is for them, you see. Some of us have managed to self-control, but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy or it’s not taking a high toll. Even if many have found blessings in this limbo state, it has been hard, especially due to its endless uncertainty.

But it’s got to be done, right? To add up more distancing time and to avoid the spreading of the virus longer, right?

4

I find it astounding to see people who have traveled these months, and done so more than once… for pleasure, I mean. Not only have they not been afraid — or have controlled their fear very well, if you ask me — but have gone all the way for it. I can’t see tourist traveling as an essential activity, yet it’s been authorized in some countries, and it’s been desperately needed by some.

Me? I don’t even think about it yet. Even if I long for packing my suitcases and go see my daughter and family abroad and enjoy touring lovely places again. I simply cannot even consider the possibility. I still cannot collect myself to visit a niece in another city in my own country, much less go abroad; not in the near future, no. Not yet. The term near future is rather ungrabbable now, don’t you think? What’s near? How much is ‘near’? Are we not still in pandemic times? Are we not? What am I missing?

The problem with traveling is that people can catch the virus — either get sick or remain asymptomatic — and bring it back home to the non-travelers. That’s how it began to spread in the first place, right? Through travel. Of course, nobody knew it then, and then we learned a little, but there’s much to be found yet, to assess and address all possible variables. Or am I wrong? Is there something that others know that I don’t?

I don’t believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so vertical. It goes from the top to the bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other person. I have a lot to learn from other people.

— Eduardo Galeano

And here’s where — after asking myself these existential questions, knowing I’m not alone in this state of mind — I tell you about the little logic I found that helps explain why people are divided into two. According to Howard Kunreuther — co-director of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center at the University of Pennsylvania and co-writer of the 2017 book “The Ostrich Paradox: Why We Underprepare for Disasters” — risk perception:

• is highly individual
• inherently subjective
• dependant on the type of thinking we are prone to, intuitive or deliberative
• but also dependant on the community we belong to, or are closer to
• individuals have to evolve to perceive threats
• additionally, information without feeling is not enough because people need certainties
• and likely to adhere to things that fit with their beliefs or existing views

No wonder there are the fearful and the fearless! The ones still waiting diligently for the green light and the ones daring to not wait anymore. Because each individual elaborates on a subjective view, based on their peers and their need to match it with their necessities. Voilá!

These ideas have brought some logic, indeed. At least the understanding that I cannot understand some behavior, and why. As I said before, I kept my string of questions previously written because they have not been fully answered, though. Human nature continues to intrigue me and to leave me perplexed because the options are crystal clear for me. As WHO officials have said and I have quoted before ‘Nobody is safe until everybody is safe’. It’s become my mantra, the belief that rules me, and my decisions. Mine, I’m aware. Just mine, now I see.

Then to fully resume my life first, we’d need to get to the so-called traffic light in green, a steady one… the same green one for all. We’d all need to be there, in the freedom mode again. Not until the conditions are safe for all will the mainstream new life be attainable for all, independently of personal perceptions or views.

Are you an island, dear reader? I’m not.

So I stay at home.