Letter to the Editor: COVID and Fear

Posted

The ongoing (and thankfully diminishing) COVID-19 pandemic or epidemic and our responses to it have had significant, sometimes devastating, consequences to virtually everyone. From the obvious health effects that have even included death, to the loss of work, the loss of freedom of association and freedom of travel, and the loss of goods and services and supply chain issues. For our children, the loss of in-person learning, educational opportunities and social development have been serious. One way or another, we have all been impacted.

Perhaps the single most negative aspect of this pandemic or epidemic has been how it has implanted fear so deeply into our lives and our psyches. This fear has led to decisions, not only by our leaders, but decisions of our own, that may or may not be rational, may or may not be in our best interest, and, in hindsight, may have resulted in outcomes worse than the disease itself. But perhaps the most egregious aspect of this fear is that it all too often focuses our thoughts and energies on ourselves, leading to a much more self-centered mindset. Fear drives self-preservation. When self-centeredness is the driving force of a society, that society will naturally disintegrate.

Much of the fear that we experienced with COVID-19 was of our own making. It is only natural that we frequently imagine the worst. But it was also stoked, by whatever motivation, by the media and our own elected officials. All too often we were being bombarded by messages of increasing spread, increasing deaths, hospital closures, with only a single way offered out of this mess: mask up, isolate and vaccinate. To alleviate fear we need information. This we were not provided, partly because we truly did not know, but also, partly because it would seem some did not want us to know, either withholding valuable information or not pursuing answers that would offer helpful understanding. It would seem that there was a desire to maintain a high level of fear in order to coerce certain behaviors.

It would be far better if we were given all the truth. It would be far better if we knew our “experts” were indeed seeking all the truth, had our best interest at heart, and most importantly, trusted us with that information. It would be far better if we were all encouraged to seek as much information as we can find and apply that information to our individual lives using the God-given minds we possess.



It’s all about freedom. Freedom requires truth. And the truth will set you free.

 

Gordon Johns

Chehalis