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[Frustrated thread]
The excuses quite often used by politicians at the moment are:
“Once in a generation event”
“Once in 100 year event”
And the current favourite - “unprecedented”.
But there are a few problems with this.
The excuses quite often used by politicians at the moment are:
“Once in a generation event”
“Once in 100 year event”
And the current favourite - “unprecedented”.
But there are a few problems with this.
These phrases are used to justify their response to the Covid-19 crisis - usually when their response has been slow, lacking or simply not there.
This also applies to the migrant crisis and weather phenomena like the floods that just devastated the Valleys (among other places).
This also applies to the migrant crisis and weather phenomena like the floods that just devastated the Valleys (among other places).
I am going to attempt to articulate the problem with these excuses.
Please bear with me, these are after all, unprecedented times.
Please bear with me, these are after all, unprecedented times.
Let’s start with that phrase unprecedented, which simply means “without precedent”.
To argue that there is no precedent for this is simply not correct.
A deadly infectious disease spreading rapidly without cure or vaccine is a great recurring theme of human history.
To argue that there is no precedent for this is simply not correct.
A deadly infectious disease spreading rapidly without cure or vaccine is a great recurring theme of human history.
Many diseases have affected whole continents before, though not as rapidly as we now have fast travel and a globalised world.
Even in the last 2 decades there are examples. Ebola, Sars & swine flu all killed people. Look at the impact AIDS had, especially in parts of Africa.
Even in the last 2 decades there are examples. Ebola, Sars & swine flu all killed people. Look at the impact AIDS had, especially in parts of Africa.
A global pandemic is not a surprise. It was predicted by some of the smartest people in the world. Back in 2015 in a TED talk, Microsoft founder said that a big pandemic was coming and we were not ready for them.
The existence of these types of diseases is not unprecedented.
What is without precedent (at least in recent history) is the measures put in place to tackle the virus.
Also, in this case, rich people are scared it could also impact them, their families and their £££.
What is without precedent (at least in recent history) is the measures put in place to tackle the virus.
Also, in this case, rich people are scared it could also impact them, their families and their £££.
My other big issue is when policy makers say floods and other extreme weather are “once in 100 year events”.
We know, from the smartest people in the world, that climate change making these events the norm. With that, will come the wide scale mass migrations of human beings.
We know, from the smartest people in the world, that climate change making these events the norm. With that, will come the wide scale mass migrations of human beings.
Policy makers know these things are going to happen.
This means that “it hasn’t happened for ages” doesn’t wash as an excuse.
This applies to several things in our society such as the impact of automation on employment and bacterial resistance to drugs.
This means that “it hasn’t happened for ages” doesn’t wash as an excuse.
This applies to several things in our society such as the impact of automation on employment and bacterial resistance to drugs.
Now don’t get me wrong. Just because these events are predictable doesn’t mean they are not incredibly challenging to tackle.
My point is that, when you have stood for election and told people to vote for you on the claim you are the best placed person in the country to make their lives better - you need a better excuse for failure than incorrectly saying something is “unprecedented”.
