Rebelling against sanity
Defying sound health advice on COVID-19 won't save the economy
This is the editor's letter in the current issue of The Week magazine.
Our country was born in rebellion against authority, so it's no surprise Americans have always had a strong libertarian streak. We bristle at being told what to do, especially by the government — even when it's demonstrably in the public interest. Millions of Americans angrily objected when health officials and the government began warning that cigarettes could kill them, and banned indoor smoking, and required motorists to wear — ugh — seat belts. Such bondage! Each of these impositions on personal freedom saved immeasurable suffering and many, many lives. Government can also overreach, of course; finding the right balance between individual liberty and the common good is a perpetual struggle. Now, in the midst of a catastrophic pandemic, it is masks, social distancing, and the closures of public places and businesses that have provoked cries of nanny-state tyranny from such diverse voices as a Dallas beauty salon owner and Elon Musk.
Infectious diseases, however, have a strong anti-libertarian bias. Without knowing it, a single infected person sheds billions of viruses and can spread illness and death to anyone standing near him or even sharing the same enclosed space. And if COVID-19 lands that free spirit in the hospital, the cost of a typical, 20-day hospitalization is $30,000 and up, which all of us pay through higher insurance premiums and taxes. The freedom to ignore the virus isn't free. Several countries have used strict closures, testing, contact tracing, and masking not only to flatten their curves — but also to crush them. Taiwan (population 24 million) has had just 440 cases and seven deaths. Densely populated Hong Kong has had just four deaths. The U.S. may be stumbling into the worst of all worlds: repeated waves of infection into 2021 and a devastated economy paralyzed by ongoing, legitimate fear. This is not a good time to act like a 5-year-old shouting: "You're not the boss of me!"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
William Falk is editor-in-chief of The Week, and has held that role since the magazine's first issue in 2001. He has previously been a reporter, columnist, and editor at the Gannett Westchester Newspapers and at Newsday, where he was part of two reporting teams that won Pulitzer Prizes.
-
'Elevating Earth Day into a national holiday is not radical — it's practical'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
UAW scores historic win in South at VW plant
Speed Read Volkswagen workers in Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers union
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 22, 2024
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - dystopian laughs, WNBA salaries, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geopolitics and the economy in 2024
Talking Point The West is banking on a year of falling inflation. Don't rule out a shock
By The Week UK Published
-
US-led price cap on Russian oil 'almost completely circumvented'
Speed Read 'Almost none' of seaborne crude oil from Moscow stayed below $60 per barrel limit imposed by G7 and EU last year
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mexico's Sinaloa cartel bans fentanyl, reportedly under pain of death
Speed Read The top exporter of fentanyl to the U.S. is apparently looking to diversify as law enforcement turns up the heat
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The threat posed by bonds to the global financial system
Under The Radar The worst bear market in a century is unleashing huge strain on parts of the financial system
By The Week Staff Published
-
China: a superpower’s slump
The Explainer After 40 years of explosive growth, China’s economy is now in deep distress — with no turnaround in sight
By The Week Staff Published
-
Are Western sanctions working on Russia’s growing economy?
Today's Big Question IMF forecasts Russian growth but one expert says the West must be patient in bid to deter Putin
By Arion McNicoll Published
-
South Africa’s energy crisis explained
feature Electricity blackouts lead to rising crime and economic hardship and add to pressure on ANC
By The Week Staff Published
-
India’s geopolitical aspirations in 2023
feature The emerging Asian superpower is showing ‘growing confidence’ on the world stage
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published