Covid-19 and the Political Economy of Mass Hysteria...
The following are excerpts from a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (ncbi), the National Library of Medicine (nlm), and the National Institute of Health (nih).
As with all my writing, caps are used as emphasis not yelling.
It is generally taken for granted that one main purpose of the modern welfare state is to improve public health.
We analyze how the modern state influences the development and extension of mass hysteria, arguing that THE STATE EXACERBATES THIS PHENOMENON WITH ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.
Biased media coverage, incomplete information, personal experience, fears, inability to understand and interpret statistics and other congnitive biases lead to DISTORTED RISK JUDGEMENTS. Risk perceptions may be particularly biased when risks are viewed as unfair, uncontrollable, unknown, frightening, potententially catastrophic, and impacting future generations.
We examine the extent to which the STATE INFLUENCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF MASS HYSTERIA and the irrational or biased behavior typical of it.
LOCKDOWNS ESPECIALLY HAVE CONTRIBUTED to a surge in anxiety and stress which are important ingredients for the development of mass hysteria.
People have been scared by SARS-CoV-2 to an extent NOT EASILY EXPLAINABLE BY THEIR OWN MINISCULE RISK OF DEATH FROM IT. It seems that many people believed in the existence of a KILLER VIRUS FAR MORE MORTAL than SARS-CoV-2 actually is.
Other diseases are EQUALLY OR EVEN FAR MORE DEADLY and do not trigger panic or UNPRECIDENTED GOVT INTERVENTION.
Focusing on negative news and feeling a loss of control causes pshychological stress that can develop a hysteria and propagate to a larger group.
PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THE STATE'S APROACH TO THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT SUCCUMBED TO THE HYSTERIA, ARE SUPPRESSED (silenced).
They cannot demonstrate alternative ways to solve the crisis as these alternative ways are PROHIBITED by the state. When alternatives are ruled out, GROUPTHINK INCREASES. The human inclination towards conformity aids hysteria spread.
The MEDIA MAY BE POLITICIZED. (😀ya think?) News outlets and social media platforms may develop CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STATE.
Negative news SELLS. The media have the INCENTIVE TO PORTRAY DANGER. The story of the govt as a hero who provides a resolution is very MARKETABLE. $$$$$ (uh oh)
Mass media spread panic by presenting Covid as an unpredicented threat. Being reminded of one's own moratality constantly produces anxiety.😀 Emotional pictures of coffins, mass graves, and patients on ventilators CONTRIBUTED TO THE COLLECTIVE FEAR.
News agencies INTENTIONALLY SCARE PEOPLE and SUPPRESS (censor) ALTERNATIVE INFORMATION.
MASS HYSTERIA SPONSORED BY BIASED MEDIA MAY RUN OUT OF CONTROL in a modern welfare state. Negative news from an authoritative source produces anxiety and is PARTICULARLY HARMFUL FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. (duhhh) Experts that endorse the credibility of a threat increases the spread of mass hysteria.
DR. FAUCI EXAGERRATED THE DANGER OF COVID, DELIVERING A MESSAGE OF PANIC TO THE PUBLIC (which is his ACTUAL job). The mortality rate of the virus was exagerrated to be 10 times more deadly than the flu. This FALSE statement coming out of Congress GREATLY CONTRIBUTED to anxiety and panic.
The state may ACTIVELY WANT TO INSTILL FEAR IN THE POPULATION.
In Germany, a leaked document revealed that state experts RECOMMENDED THE GOVT INSTILL FEAR WITH THREE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES-
Stress breathing difficulties of covid because people have PRIMORDIAL FEAR OF DEATH BY SUFFOCATION.
INSTILL FEAR IN CHILDREN, telling them they could be responsible for killing their family members.
State the possibility of UNKNOWN, LONG TERM, IRREVERSABLE HEALTH DAMAGE AND OF SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DEATH. yikes!
"The whole aim of practical politics is to KEEP THE POPULACE ALARMED by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them IMAGINARY". H. Mencken
It lies in the INTEREST OF GOVERNMENT TO EMPHASIZE CITIZEN'S VULNERABILITY to external and internal threats because the state's LEGITIMACY AND POWER rest on the narrative that it protects it's citizens.
While threat strategy is generally beneficial to the governmemt, FEAR IS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD. Fear can also turn against the state. Panic and mass hysteria can even lead to the TOTAL DESTABALIZATION OF A REGIME, as French Revolution with rumors of plan to starve the population.
"Constant reference to a War on Terror accomplished one major objective It stimulated the emergence of a CULTURE OF FEAR. FEAR OBSCURES REASON, INTENSIFIES EMOTIONS AND MAKES IT EASIER FOR DEMAGOGIC POLITICIANS TO MOBILIZE THE PUBLIC ON BEHALF OF THE POLICIES THEY WANT TO PERSUE". BRZEZENSKI
The combination of a state willing to use the fear strategy with supportive mass media provides FERTILE GROUND FOR MASS HYSTERIA TO DEVELOP WITH NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH.
Politicians have incentive to overshoot the mark in their response to threats because they are LARGELY EXEMPT FROM THE RISK OF POSSIBLE WRONG DECISIONS AND THEIR COSTS.
The larger and more centralized state there is, the better and more extensively the COSTS CAN BE PASSED ON TO OTHERS.
The size and power of the state contributes to the likelyhood and extentions of mass hysteria. The more centralized, more power a state has, the higher the probablility and extention of mass hysteria.
