I've been off twitter for the most part recently because I received some news about covid and the Philippines that has been hard to stomach. I don't think people in the States know how incredibly privileged they are when it comes to resources and covid.

Instead, many in the States choose to be irresponsible because they can. I cannot stand this selfishness anymore when family and friends of mine in the Philippines are suffering still.

Empathy. That's what I keep seeing people in the States lacking. Everyone here is so quick to go back to their normal when they forget just how many countries that aren't the States is suffering.

There's a government mandated lockdown going on in the Philippines right now.

I'm worried about the global ramifications of the selfishness of Americans. I'm worried that this irresponsibility will prolong covid in the States and continue racism against API folks.

Your actions have consequences for others. You have a responsibility to your communities.

I've started ending friendships with anyone who choose to be irresponsible and selfish regarding covid, especially when they know full well what I've had to deal with -- both with my friends and family in the Philippines and how it's prolonged my recovery.

The friends I need in my life are the ones who have the same standards of respect and empathy that I have. The ones who understand they have a duty to their communities. The ones who understand that their actions affect everyone else around them, as well.

The way folks have been acting in this pandemic have shown me who I can and can't trust. I've already lost a lot of friendships. It hurts. But it doesn't hurt as much as the suffering I see my family and friends are going through in the Philippines, the hurt I can't stomach.

Sights of lockdowns that include military tankers that reminds my dad of living under martial law, one of my closest and dearest friends who can't even get groceries because of the lockdowns, testing still being something hard to get, unavailable resources.

There's still an extremely low vaccine supply. Many cases being mild or asymptomatic, but being able to get into a hospital if you do have it is so, so hard.

This is still the reality for my family and friends in the Philippines.

These are things that so many in the States don't realize is also going on in the world. These are the things that so many Americans choose to disregard just because they can. It's pure entitled American individualistic behavior that I loathe and cannot tolerate.