Read the rest of Hamlet's soliloquy here.
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die—to sleep,
~~ William Shakespeare
While maintaining social distancing protocols. many conversations are taking place regarding Shakespeare age old question and sharing a wide range of opinions. These conversations are happening via phone calls, emails, and social media. These conversations started at least six weeks ago, maybe longer, things are become a blur for me.
The situation is fast changing and scientists, doctors, and number crunchers are trying to gain the type of broad-based understanding on COVID-19 that they have on the varieties of flu that kill many people each year. Now I may not be a doctor or a scientist, but I am a number cruncher of sorts (or at least I play one at work).
Actually, I manage data and database systems for a paycheck. What that means is that when I have problems with a database system, I gather evidence, try to find patterns, look for scraps of clues. I come up with a hypothesis based on my root cause analysis.
As you can see from the handy, dandy flow chart, there can be multiple symptoms that lead to potential root causes, but are actually not the root cause. When you think you've found the root cause, then you need to test it out to validate your results. More often than not, you failed at finding the root cause. As you eliminate potential root causes and continue to analyze symptoms, you usually find the cause, at least in the world of computers.
But there are situations that I call Blue Sock Tuesday. This means the bug in your system only occurs on a Tuesday if the person experiencing the problem is wearing a blue sock. Wearing a blue sock on Friday, won't make the issue happen. Wearing red, green, or white socks on a Tuesday won't make the issue happen.
Humans and COVID-19 are much more complex organisms than my database servers and databases. It takes time to do the analysis, correlate findings with other doctors and scientists and even come up with a possible course of action. This is an insidious disease that is causing strokes in young people, pneumonia in older people, and a host other issues that I'm sure you can read about at many news sources and hear first hand from your friends who work in hospitals.
With autonomy comes responsibility and maybe now is the time to start thinking about your responsibility to the gathering, the people who come home for the first-time or for the 20th time, and for the local communities.
Maybe now is the time to come up with a backup plan in case it's not sane to hold a gathering in July. A camp out with your immediate family, a gathering in a local park for the morning of July 4th, a day of service to those less fortunate? We are a creative people and can make our special day in a variety of fashions.
As Shakespeare wrote in the early 1600s, these questions are part of the human condition and there are no easy answers. But the time has come for contemplation and deep heartfelt thinking of what the best steps are to move forward. I wish us all luck as we work through these challenging issues.
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Conscience makes cowards of us all.
ReplyDeleteWell said again Doc.
Remember consensus was for Idaho 2020 not 2021 so hypothetically speaking; if there is a gathering this year in Idaho and vision council decides to have a gathering elsewhere next year will that consensus be respected?
ReplyDelete2020 Idaho would not be in Idaho if every forest burned down....it be in a sister state. I'm sure you would still consider the Vision Council decision was carried out. The letter of the decision ie:law verses its Spirit is what we are discussing. Everyone that is well vested into the infra structure of creating a Rainbow knows that if illogical and somewhat irrational extremely harmful or otherwise to Gather in a certain counciled region we move to another....its been done many many times.
DeleteWhat I see your presenting is majority rule and using health and safety as a justification. Nature often sends into the environment agents that will caul the heard (so to speak), but that’s not really dealing with the question, but rather side stepping it. Just the same I believe I know your answer we’ll have to wait to see what actually happens. The Swedish aren’t giving in to fear and herd immunity is taking hold which seems to me to be more “rainbow culture” than what you’re presenting.
DeleteSweden is now reaping the consequences of that decision. Most deaths of countries nearby and their economy has tanked.
DeleteI mean. If you all name it Rainbow, I will come and picket/protest that it's not Rainbow, because I don't consent.
ReplyDeleteI love your beautiful unique logic. We could all write letters to the editor in nearby towns too.
Delete“To die, to sleep – to sleep, perchance to dream – ay, there’s the rub, for in this sleep of death what dreams may come…”
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ReplyDeleteThese times are a nightmare from which I wish to “Wake, awake, for the night before the Gathering is flying," and the vigilant watchmen on the heights of Rainbow walls are crying: Wake up... its Tuesday, put your blue socks on...
ReplyDeleteEveryone should bring two yardsticks. At noon on the Fourth, stretch out a yardstick in each hand and touch two other yardsticks! In your local park, I mean . . .
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