Not long ago, before the Corona moon’s shadow eclipsed the sun of climate change theory, people all around the world used to be worried that we were all going to die from the rising sea level.
Back in year 1999, when the Prince was with us to party like 1999, there were obscure religious groups in South Korea who thought that the world would end, and a savior would come rescue them from this miserable world of pain and suffering. When it didn’t happen, they were disappointed. It isn’t just Korea. And it isn’t just occult religious groups. Today, here in America, in mainstream secular sectors, we see the pattern repeating itself: yes, the doomsday prophecy. They did it with climate change theory, and they’re doing it again with Corona virus theory. So, the question is, why do we repeat this?
There are several ways to analyze this. First, perhaps escapism. People watch horror flicks, they read crime novels, they go to amusement park to ride on a rollercoaster, or to a theme park to go up and high on a Ferris Wheel. Those are simulated dangers, virtual risk-talkings. Why do we do those? The thrill. The juxtaposition of perceived danger and the comfortable knowledge that we are safe under the shoulder harness and seatbelts.
Another way to look at this Corona phenomena is that, perhaps, people want some paid vacation at home. For weeks. For months even. While they are at home, perhaps they are enjoying all this, like, a reality TV show, a drama, a rollercoaster ride, unfolding with accelerating speed and sometimes slowly climbing toward the climax. The best part, we have cellphones now. The world of internet in one’s hand. Like a window in your house through which you can watch an apocalyptic movie where everything is tumbling down to an end.
Of course, the measures and policies that politicians and statesmen and stateswomen came up with for us, perchance they are doing the right thing. After all, numbers don’t lie. While 0.1% of people with common flu pass away, 2% of people with Corona virus pass away. The fatality rate is 20 times higher, and yes, that does scare us a little bit. But, having said that, if I were a politician, I would have done it differently. Let us fantasize a little. Well, let us fantasize a lot. We’re all at home, right? What’s wrong with some afternoon daydreaming?
Let’s say, you are the President of the United States. How would you have dealt with Corona virus differently? Or would you have done the same thing that they did, like, home sheltering, stop working, social distancing, hand washing, self-quarantining, etc., etc.? If you ask me kindly, here is what I would have done as a Mr. Potus.
I’d take the opportunity to share with the rest of the world, some lessons I learned and gleaned from schools in Korea and in America. How about biology? Like, how immune system responds to pathogens, how our bodies produce antibodies, how an antibody protein complex samples viral protein and molds itself around it, wraps it up and disposes of it, learns to recognize pathogenous particles. Then the antibody, by now having learned about the new viral surface proteins, multiplies exponentially so that the army of antibodies fights back and the disease is gone.
See, people fear the unknown. They once used to say, knowledge is power. A corollary is, lack of knowledge is fear. That is how homophobia started, xenophobia still ongoing, then fear of climate change, now the fear of Corona virus. This Corona thing, it’s more of a pandemic of germaphobia. But if you understand how our body works, if you have paid more attention in your high school biology classes, if not, if you go learn in your cellphone internet more about immune system mechanism, ladies and gentlemen, you will stop being afraid.
A human body works like a machine, like a house, like a society. We have arteries and veins, machines have wires and pipes, a house have ducts and cords, nations have roads and TV channels. It’s about flow of blood, fuel, electricity, money, information, and knowledge. We pave the roads with asphalt so that the roads have less resistance against the flow of traffic. We flush out pipes so that water can flow more efficiently without clogging or reverse-flooding in our toilets. Our bodies work the same way.
It is important that we wash our bodies at least five times a week, the working days, via bath or shower. But, washing inside of your body is equally important. The best way to do so is to do the cardio exercises like running, swimming, or biking. Then, blood will pump in nutrients and oxygens to your cells and wash away the wastes from your body.
So yes. The message is this. Heathy diet, regular exercise, personal hygiene. Then your body will be efficient, your immune system strong, and you will be healthy, pretty, and happy. God bless and be safe //:-)
