"The Earth is Healing/We are the Virus" - Covid-19 - Please, JAWM (Facebook-Related)

[Negin]

This is my first JAWM post!

On Facebook and on some other sites, I have been seeing posts and memes about how wonderful Covid-19 has been for the environment and climate change and all. These posts have irritated me to say the least. I thought that I would share what I posted the other day. 

When I told my daughter about it. she found me a bunch of memes making fun of all this. You can see them on Page 17 of the Covid-19 memes thread. 

Anyway, here's my post. I'm sharing for anyone who may be interested. 

--

My dear Facebook friends and family,

I have been seeing many posts about the supposed silver lining of Covid-19, specifically about the positive impact that this virus has had on the environment.

Many of the memes are untrue. No, Venice has not had a rise in dolphins! Those memes are hoaxes. These posts are laughable, and I will be sharing some of them soon.

Other posts are insensitive and quite frankly, stupid. I have seen posts stating things such as, “No rape cases, no murders!” and so on. Yes, rape cases and murders may be down, but has any one thought about:

• women going through domestic violence?

• children who are fearful in their own homes?

• children who go hungry and maybe their only meal of their day is at school? Yes, this is a thing in the country where we live, and I’m sure that it’s a problem in many places

People are worried about loss of income, paying their bills, how to pay rent, and so on. Small businesses have had to close down (our own business included). People have lost their jobs, and then I see this nonsense on Facebook, about how fabulous this is for the environment. I read this somewhere:

“There’s a darker — if unintended — side to claims that nature is better off without humans. It’s not only misanthropic to turn a blind eye to human suffering in the service of conservation; it also echoes some of the dark, racist strains of the environmentalist movement.”

I’m only pointing this out on my own timeline, since I believe that some people must either be living in their own bubble and suffering from sort of tunnel vision, or that they’re plain out insensitive. The irony is that some of them have small businesses also. One would think that they would be more considerate. If this nightmare drags on, I know that their own businesses will be heavily impacted.

I no longer wish to get into arguments on Facebook. Although I see these posts on my feed, I scroll down, but these posts bother me. As a good friend of mine once said, “I try to adopt a non-confrontational aspect when I comment or interpret comments on my posts.

I dislike arguments and carping on social media so here is my classification:

If I love or respect a post I will always try and say so.

If I dislike a post, I tend to say nothing, or no ‘like’.”

[Chris in VA]

That is really interesting. Thanks for posting. 

Quick question--what is the racist part of environmentalism? I have a college-age daughter and am learning all about....many things...but she hasn't covered that one yet. 

ETA I hadn't seen the We are the Virus memes so I checked out your link and omgoodness I laughed way too much for Good Friday. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by Chris in VA

[SKL]

I've seen some of this too.  Of course it occurred to me that pollution will be down with factories shut, but yeah, under the circumstances that isn't something to crow about.

The person who posted those has also started posting stuff about maybe it would be better if people didn't have children.  (Apparently she doesn't want any and thinks this should be a movement.)

(PS to the memes - OMG Cake By the Ocean ....)

Edited April 10, 2020 by SKL

[lulalu]

Yes, I have seen some of those memes. While it is great to give the earth a little bit of a "rest" this really has no bright side to it. 

[Guest]

Yes, I have seen some of those memes and I dislike every meme that is untrue, inaccurate, foolishly Polyanna-ish, or is too obtuse to realize that not everyone can ride this out safely at home watching Tiger King and getting delivered pizza. 

The few I have been really hating on recently go something like this:

”It’s fascinating how all the trades are running the country while the people with college degrees sit at home.” Ummm...what??? My husband is a tradesman and he isn’t “running the country”. He is on lockdown and can’t earn income except in some specific situations. My friends who are doctors, nurses, computer scientists, teachers, school administrators, etc., etc., etc., have degrees and are “running the country.” And when we solve the problems wrought by this damn virus, it will be largely very smart people with college degrees who do it. Do we need also truck drivers and farmers and cashiers who may not have degrees? Absolutely yes, thank god for them. But the country is not being “run” by tradespeople while degreed people sit on their duffs at home. That meme is the one that has torqued me the most. 

[Hadley]

49 minutes ago, SKL said:

I've seen some of this too.  Of course it occurred to me that pollution will be down with factories shut, but yeah, under the circumstances that isn't something to crow about.

The person who posted those has also started posting stuff about maybe it would be better if people didn't have children.  (Apparently she doesn't want any and thinks this should be a movement.)

(PS to the memes - OMG Cake By the Ocean ....)

I’m hearing a lot of this sentiment also.  As the mom of an only child who I walked through fire to bring into the world, the thought of children as burden disgusts me.   Scary stuff.

I absolutely believe that we are to be good stewards of the Earth, but I do not think that ever should be interpreted as Earth would be better off without people.

[regentrude]

34 minutes ago, Quill said:

The few I have been really hating on recently go something like this:

”It’s fascinating how all the trades are running the country while the people with college degrees sit at home.” Ummm...what??? My husband is a tradesman and he isn’t “running the country”. He is on lockdown and can’t earn income except in some specific situations. My friends who are doctors, nurses, computer scientists, teachers, school administrators, etc., etc., etc., have degrees and are “running the country.” And when we solve the problems wrought by this damn virus, it will be largely very smart people with college degrees who do it. Do we need also truck drivers and farmers and cashiers who may not have degrees? Absolutely yes, thank god for them. But the country is not being “run” by tradespeople while degreed people sit on their duffs at home. That meme is the one that has torqued me the most. 

Amen. Yes, I hate those ones, too. "Think you need a college degree? Look around and see who is considered essential" . Dude, if it weren't for computer scientists, programmers, web developers, IT technicians at the much vilified big tech companies, you wouldn't have facebook or Netflix or google.  Or Zoom. Those folks must be working overtime to keep things running as smoothly as they are. It's a miracle stuff isn't crashing with this increased demand.

Yes, we need grocery workers and truck drivers and sanitation workers. We also need teachers, nurses, doctors. And lab technicians, biologists, virologists, epidemologists. And engineers to redesign production lines so they can make ventilators.

Edited April 10, 2020 by regentrude

[PrincessMommy]

I dislike those memes too - but i couldn't exactly figure out why.  It has kind of a "Okay Boomer" feel to it that I'm not a fan of.   Thank you for putting it into words. Obviously, from my contributions on the Meme thread, I don't have a problem with poking fun at our situation.

But, I wanted to speak about the ridiculous notion that rape and violence is down.  Do these people live under a rock?!   A friend of my sister-in-law was murdered by her estranged husband last week.  He also murdered a neighbor boy (18 and about the graduate) who came when he heard the noise.   He killed himself too and has left 2 orphans and an teenaged daughter without her mother.  

There was also a report in local news about domestic violence being up in our area and I'm sure we are not alone.  Volunteers were trying to get the word out that there is help available and shelters are still open.  

[PrincessMommy]

57 minutes ago, lulalu said:

Yes, I have seen some of those memes. While it is great to give the earth a little bit of a "rest" this really has no bright side to it. 

Exactly... I would like them to tell that to the families who have lost a loved one. 

[SKL]

1 hour ago, Quill said:

Yes, I have seen some of those memes and I dislike every meme that is untrue, inaccurate, foolishly Polyanna-ish, or is too obtuse to realize that not everyone can ride this out safely at home watching Tiger King and getting delivered pizza. 

The few I have been really hating on recently go something like this:

”It’s fascinating how all the trades are running the country while the people with college degrees sit at home.” Ummm...what??? My husband is a tradesman and he isn’t “running the country”. He is on lockdown and can’t earn income except in some specific situations. My friends who are doctors, nurses, computer scientists, teachers, school administrators, etc., etc., etc., have degrees and are “running the country.” And when we solve the problems wrought by this damn virus, it will be largely very smart people with college degrees who do it. Do we need also truck drivers and farmers and cashiers who may not have degrees? Absolutely yes, thank god for them. But the country is not being “run” by tradespeople while degreed people sit on their duffs at home. That meme is the one that has torqued me the most. 

Yes, the vast majority of professionals I know - or maybe all of them - are working full-time or even more than usual.  Some at home, some on the front lines.

[gardenmom5]

the one for the "environment" that I see, is while pollution is down because traffic/factories/etc are down - the cow population is the same.  - so it's not the cows. . . . .

[kbutton]

2 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

the one for the "environment" that I see, is while pollution is down because traffic/factories/etc are down - the cow population is the same.  - so it's not the cows. . . . .

That is the only one that I've seen that makes any sense, lol! 

[Shoeless]

6 hours ago, regentrude said:

Amen. Yes, I hate those ones, too. "Think you need a college degree? Look around and see who is considered essential" . Dude, if it weren't for computer scientists, programmers, web developers, IT technicians at the much vilified big tech companies, you wouldn't have facebook or Netflix or google.  Or Zoom. Those folks must be working overtime to keep things running as smoothly as they are. It's a miracle stuff isn't crashing with this increased demand.

Yes, we need grocery workers and truck drivers and sanitation workers. We also need teachers, nurses, doctors. And lab technicians, biologists, virologists, epidemologists. And engineers to redesign production lines so they can make ventilators.

Yes, they are. My husband has been working 10-12 hour days, every day since March 13, to help other businesses scale up to meet increased online demand. He had his first day off yesterday and slept until 3pm.

Edited April 10, 2020 by MissLemon

[Clemsondana]

I see these and think that I'm sure it's cool to see the canals of Venice clear because they're not being stirred up.  But, stirring silt is not 'destroying the planet' .  And, where exactly do folks think that these millions of facemasks and other PPE are going?  If we're having to 'ramp up production' it means that a ton of disposable items that weren't needed now are...and they have to be disposed of.  

[gardenmom5]

6 hours ago, regentrude said:

Amen. Yes, I hate those ones, too. "Think you need a college degree? Look around and see who is considered essential" . Dude, if it weren't for computer scientists, programmers, web developers, IT technicians at the much vilified big tech companies, you wouldn't have facebook or Netflix or google.  Or Zoom. Those folks must be working overtime to keep things running as smoothly as they are. It's a miracle stuff isn't crashing with this increased demand.

Yes, we need grocery workers and truck drivers and sanitation workers. We also need teachers, nurses, doctors. And lab technicians, biologists, virologists, epidemologists. And engineers to redesign production lines so they can make ventilators.

yeah -they're also hiring for permanent jobs.  dd is doing her third (and final) round for an IT job on Monday.   

2dd is also happy that her hospital hired more pharm. techs.  she just told me they're paying the ER staff 50% *more* for coming in.

2ds is still working - (from home.)

(1ds is in school - so he doesn't count.  ;p)

[Negin]

On 4/10/2020 at 8:09 AM, Chris in VA said:

Quick question--what is the racist part of environmentalism? I have a college-age daughter and am learning all about....many things...but she hasn't covered that one yet. 

Chris, it's not necessarily racism per se, but oftentimes there's an elitist/class-type mentality to be found among some environmentalists. Having lived in an undeveloped small island for almost four decades, I can honestly say that the environmental problem is more of a, for lack of a better term, first-world problem. The average person here who lives paycheck to paycheck, is not thinking of rising sea levels and so forth. They're thinking how to make money to feed their five kids. They don't the luxury or time to even think about the environmental problems. This article may be of interest. 

On 4/10/2020 at 8:36 AM, SKL said:

I've seen some of this too.  Of course it occurred to me that pollution will be down with factories shut, but yeah, under the circumstances that isn't something to crow about.

The person who posted those has also started posting stuff about maybe it would be better if people didn't have children.  (Apparently she doesn't want any and thinks this should be a movement.)

Yes, most of the extreme environmentalists that I know are against having children. Ironically, they're also the ones who travel a lot more than anyone I know, a heck of a lot more. When I was pregnant with our second child, one of these friends asked me why am I overpopulating the earth and that I should be concerned about all that. 

As far as factories and all that go, I read that "just 100 companies across the globe are responsible for 71% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Without any significant changes in the way these companies operate, there will be no noticeable change or 'cure' to the current state of the environment."

Edited April 12, 2020 by Negin