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20,000 deaths in the U.S. and I'm seeing a lot of lifestyle pieces about what to watch and how consumers are spending their money. Where are the faces of the people we're losing?
This isn't an issue of waiting for families to go public. Countless mourning families are posting on Twitter, FB, elsewhere & would welcome coverage. Newspapers could cover ordinary people's losses immediately instead of prioritizing consumer/ market/ lifestyle stories.
"Lives We've Lost" should be a prominent feature of the @nytimes front page and should include non-famous people. 6x the deaths from 9/11. We're living through a horrific event that's being upstaged by quarantine lifestyle articles and market briefings. https://www.nytimes.com/series/people-died-coronavirus-obituaries
You want people to say home? Don't run your 15th article titled "Why You Should Stay Home." Honor the dead and give some weight to this enormous tragedy instead of serving up the cheerful distractions and denial that led us into this nightmare in the first place.
It's disturbing that even in the midst of a worldwide catastrophe, the imperative to keep things light is everywhere. This is why we vote the way we do. We are a dangerously unserious culture. Our leaders need to steer instead of following the tide.
I wrote a book about this. I also recommend Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neal Postman and Fantasyland by @KBAndersen. If we can't correct our mistakes under these conditions, we really are damned for all time. https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780385542883
People say "I can't look at the bad news, it makes me too anxious." I'm the same way. But there's a reason we can't digest darkness. American culture trains us to avoid & deny sadness and bad news. There's a point where avoiding the truth makes survival even more difficult.
We're *all* more anxious than ever because our culture is built around addictive distractions & upbeat messaging that victory is just around every corner. Slowing down to give this historical moment the weight it deserves is healthier for individuals and for the country at large.
This is a good start from the @washingtonpost. https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/12/coronavirus-first-1000-deaths/
