{"id":26318,"date":"2021-03-10T16:44:45","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T21:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/?p=26318"},"modified":"2021-03-10T16:44:45","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T21:44:45","slug":"the-new-york-times-finally-discovers-unintended-consequences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.megalextoria.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2021\/03\/10\/the-new-york-times-finally-discovers-unintended-consequences\/","title":{"rendered":"The New York Times Finally Discovers Unintended Consequences"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The New York Times<\/em> published an article on Friday under a simple headline: \u201cCovid Absolutism<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The article opens by noting that during public health emergencies, absolutism\u2014the idea that people should cease any and all behavior that creates additional risk\u2014is a tempting response. Times <\/em>writer David Leonhardt gives various examples of this \u201cabsolutism\u201d on display in America today.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople continue to scream at joggers, walkers and cyclists who are not wearing masks. The University of California, Berkeley, this week banned outdoor exercise, masked or not, saying, \u2018The risk is real,\u2019\u201d he writes. \u201cThe University of Massachusetts Amherst has banned outdoor walks. It encouraged students to get exercise by ‘accessing food and participating in twice-weekly Covid testing.'”<\/p>\n

Examples like these are virtually endless. They invite two key questions, Leonhardt notes: How effective are these behaviors in reducing the spread of the virus? And is there a downside?<\/em><\/p>\n