Maybe I’m the only one but it feels like I’m not in control of my life anymore.  It’s frustrating, angering and depressing.  Most days I want to scream from the top of my lungs, but instead just find myself shaking my fist at the person driving alone in their car wearing a mask. Is anyone having fun?  At what point do we say enough is enough?

On LinkedIn, someone decided that I violated their interpretation of a policy and they indefinitely restricted me, no appeal.  It’s a private platform, I’m told.  They can do what they want.

Most schools are closed to in person learning.  Kids stay home, learn poorly, snack too much, are too inactive, and play video games.  We know with certainty that in person learning is essential for the social and educational development of our kids.   We know for certain that 99.997% who get COVID and are under 19 will survive.  “But the teachers!!” they say. Stop complaining.

For those schools that are in person (typically high tuition, private schools), the administration arbitrarily and inconsistently writes and applies rules with no thought from “public health authorities”.  For instance, some define cohorts as an entire grade, which no child hangs out with the entire group.  And yet, if 1 out of 125 test positive, all students are put in quarantine.  Forget that they are wearing masks all day.  Forget that desks are 6′ apart.  Forget that it’s more like going to prison then to school.  But 1 kid tests positive and the whole cohort is sent home, just to be on the safe side. It will all be over soon, they say.  Do it for your neighbors!

The health authorities themselves proclaim rules that are vaguely written and mushy and many of which feel like incredible overreach 7 months into this, but here we are nonetheless.  These authorities do black box contact tracing and deem people into quarantine with no appeal, no reference of the data used to make the declaration and declare 14 days is the magic number for the duration of the prison sentence.  I’m a math guy, so I look at the statistics.  Why are we using the 99th percentile as the end date when perhaps the 90th will do?  There is a 37% chance that you can transmit the virus without symptoms, and most are wearing masks most of the time…. so what does that reduce it to?  5%?  10%?  Combine no symptoms with masks and the days to show symptoms, why is 7 days not more appropriate for quarantine?  Don’t ask these questions, David.

But what if you already had COVID?

What if you live with healthy people and no one will need to go to the hospital?

What if you stay home if symptoms develop?

What if I just want to get it and get it over with?

But no. None of that matters.  No exceptions, no discussion, and no soup for you! The light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice.

We have rules for airplanes.  Rules for restaurants.  Curfews.  Apps on phones.  No Thanksgiving.  No gatherings.  No.  No.  No.

Here’s a question: why has no one in “power” taken a step back and asked: what the F@&K are we trying to accomplish here?  Are all the rules we’ve implemented any way to live?  What are the real long term consequences if citizens stop caring?  Have actually we accomplished anything in 7 months other than delaying the inevitable?  Yay!  We have a vaccine.  That’s truly fantastic news.  But most won’t have it until the end of 2021.  At what if the virus morphs?  What if there is COVID-20?

The country was built on choice.  Choice to leave England.  Choice to rebel.  Choice to move West.  Choice to take risk to make your life better than your parents.  Choice.  The essence of being American.  The essence of our society.  What happens when choice is removed?