There is so little being written on the experience of life in the pandemic from a blue-collar, working-class, lower-income person's first-hand perspective. It is the majority perspective of our society, and it is utterly absent from our online discourse.

I read things all of the time that say "we" hunkered down, did zoom meetings, and had our groceries delivered.

If you're talking about the majority of the country, "we" did no such thing. "We" went to work, continued to see people in person, and went to the store, as always.

If you're talking about the majority of the country, "we" continued to make, build, fix, and transport things; help the sick; grow, transport, process, and prepare food; keep the lights on, keep the water running, keep the natural gas flowing; fight fires, and patrol the streets.

One of the things that I find most frustrating about post-1995 (internet-age) life, and post-March 2020 life in particular, is the sheer level of utter ingratitude and lack of appreciation for the importance of the jobs, people, and systems that make civilization possible.

Many people will say they appreciate these things, because it's still what you're supposed to say.

But they don't. They see electricity, running water, cheap and abundant food, reasonable expectations of personal safety, and political stability as some sort of birthright.

It's not a birthright. It is a historical anomaly. It is counter to the state of nature. People far bolder and braver than most of us worked, sacrificed, fought, killed, and died to make all of these things possible.

If you know anything about history or human nature, you understand the speed with which it could all disappear; vanish; could be taken away from you; in the absence of sufficient appreciation, stewardship, and you owning your personal responsibility to ensure that it is not.

Preserving our civilization, the rule of law, the principles enshrined in our Constitution and our Declaration of Independence, is not a lifestyle option or a consumer choice.

It doesn't happen on its own. It's not someone else's job.

It's yours. It's mine. It's ours.

In most human civilizations there weren't debates about rights, because the people had no rights.

In most human civilizations there weren't arguments about how to distribute wealth, because there was either little wealth, or no possibility of it being distributed differently.

In most human civilizations, if you had any prosperity at all, there was good chance that at some point, someone else would come along, and try to kill you and your family so they could take it away from you. If you were lucky, perhaps someone would be there to help you fight.

Reform our system to provide more opportunity and prosperity for more people?

Absolutely. Let's debate how best to do it.

Discredit our system, despise our civilization, and throw it all in the garbage can?

No way. Not with my help.