Hypothetical coronavirus in the 2T

[beechnut79]

(03-17-2020, 01:17 AM)Eric the Green Wrote:

(03-15-2020, 07:21 PM)Warren Dew Wrote:

(03-15-2020, 09:12 AM)sbarrera Wrote: What if COVID-19 had happened 40 years ago, in 1980? It was the tail end of the 2T/Awakening. What would have been different?

I'm guessing there would not have been as much of a government response in the United States. None of this proactive shutting down of schools and businesses. If would have felt less fearful and more zany.

I think essentially nothing would have happened.  We would have taken no steps in response, and any additional deaths would have been attributed to the flu.

In fact, I'm certain that would have happened, because at the time we didn't have the genetic testing technology to identify specific strains of the flu and coronavirus.  But even with the technology, there would not have been the panic and economy crippling overreaction of today.

Today, the arguments on how to respond are largely red versus blue political arguments.  In the second turning, they would have been generational political arguments.  Boomers would have refused to participate in any measures that wouldn't help them, and would only save a few elderly Lost.

It seems like destiny that this new virus for which no-one has immunity until they recover from it has happened in a 4T and not a 2T. It's true we didn't have the specific testing for it in 1980. I think society could have mobilized almost as fully as it has today though, for quarantines and social distancing and some national-sponsored research, because the Reagan counter-revolution hadn't happened yet, and the idea that government is the problem was not yet instituted. We did have malaise, and did not have much of the can-do 1T collective spirit of JFK anymore, regardless of generation; but today we have still not recovered this yet either. So, the level of collective commitment in 1980 was about the same as today, or even less because we are divided between red and blue now, as we were not quite so much then, and the red side under McConnell does not want to do what is necessary because it would require accepting blue ideology.

The boomers in 1980 were the most idealistic generation, and they would have been the most willing to speak out in favor of protective measures for all. The GI gen might have also. The boomers' selfishness largely began under Reagan, and intensified under Trump, as many of (us) now consider the Reagan koolaid or the Biden bland normality what is needed to protect boomers' comfort and to secure such wealth as they have, or think they are entitled to.

Regarding your final paragraph, Boomer selfishness had to have begun during the 1970s, as it was then that they were branded as the “Me Generation “. What did begin under Reagan was the trend toward cutbacks in social programs and workplace benefits which now seem very well entrenched, having led toward increases in outsourcing and contingent or gig work, which now has become the new normal. Yet acceptance of these policies was quite universal and so many considered Reagan to be the best thing to come along since sliced bread.