Contagion – Moral Failure is a Global Pandemic

The world as a whole has always suffered from a “catastrophic moral failure”. What seems to baffle the coddled privileged masses has been clear to everyone else. I cite movies as evidence of public knowledge. It’s not necessary to go any further than that because some popular movies draw their inspiration from real events, current social norms, and actual human emotions. I draw your attention to the movie: Contagion. 

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone finally did what I had been telling people to do all along, watch the fucking movie. It is a pretty accurate depiction of how easy it is to spread illnesses, but more importantly, the reactions to a potential vaccine. 

The beginning does a pretty good job of explaining the spread of the virus, the initial panic, and the sudden knee-jerk (and often late) reaction of governments as they attempt to mitigate the spread of a situation not yet fully understood. There is a sense of dread as the general populace is underprepared to handle the rigors of a widespread lockdown.

Pretty much the start of 2020.

*Warning: there will be spoilers. I’m going to mention parts of the movie that if you plan to see it and don’t like plot points revealed in advance, you may want to stop reading now.

If you don’t have any such qualms, by all means, plunge ahead…*

In the movie, by the second act, we learn that the virus has wreaked havoc around the world, killed millions, and shut down governments and businesses with quarantines and enforced distancing. As the world works diligently to come up with a vaccine, the first people to get them are always the privileged few working in high positions and those with enough money and influence to buy their way to the top of the list.

After that, they can expect that the public living in developed nations will get theirs in due time. With those in developing and third world nations to be at the bottom of the heap, no hope or expectation to be on the list. 

One WHO (World Health Organization) official makes the comment that there have been similar kidnappings around the world from others looking to extort their way into getting their hands on the vaccine. 

There is no global view. There is only selfishness and greed. The article doesn’t touch on one fact. Even though these wealthy nations have pre-ordered a ridiculous amount of the vaccines for themselves, there is no intention of altruistically ensuring their own unprivileged masses have access to vaccination.

Hell no.

First on the list are going to be the overpaid legislators, the politicians responsible for every fucking bad decision that led to our current situation. 

Life imitates art as news leaked of exactly this situation. Basically, anyone who felt entitled to skip the line could get tested, and then the same happened when companies finally developed a vaccine.

Looks like we are in it for the COVID long haul. Watch this movie if you haven’t already. It will surprise you and prepare you for the inevitable conclusion that there is no going back to the way things were. See you at the back of the vaccine line.