Human Nature And Blame And Solutions (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bryant]

I hope this doesn't sound negative as I don't mean it to be.

I think most people that know me here know I've voted for the Democrat POTUS candidate since back to Bill Clinton. I voted for Hillary Clinton last time and expect I'll vote for Biden this time. 

Two sincere questions. 

1. What is the goal of a thread like the government response thread? It's basically 263 pages of blame looking backward in time.

2. Do we think there could be a net gain if we focused some of that energy towards something more positive?

My answers would be I guess the answer to #1 is it's human nature to cast blame. We feel better about ourselves if we can blame someone else. I do this too. For the second question, it's no surprise as I'm always on this side but I think the answer is yes.

But I also don't want to assume anything and wanted to ask you folks what you think. 

 

[Politician Spock]

Elected officials are held accountable by the voters. That's how our democratic republic works. 

 

[Joe Bryant]

Elected officials are held accountable by the voters. That's how our democratic republic works. 

Of course. I'm pretty sure everyone agrees with that.

Can you please elaborate on the questions?

1. What is the goal of a thread like the government response thread? It's basically 263 pages of blame looking backward in time.

2. Do we think there could be a net gain if we focused some of that energy towards something more positive?

Thanks.

 

[Politician Spock]

1) The goal is to hold elected officials accountable for what they've done in the past, or failed to do. Sometimes that takes discussion, which naturally has disagreement. 

2) It's a net gain and a positive when an elected official is not re-elected after failing to do their job well. 

 

[Joe Bryant]

1) The goal is to hold elected officials accountable for what they've done in the past, or failed to do. Sometimes that takes discussion, which naturally has disagreement. 

2) It's a net gain and a positive when an elected official is not re-elected after failing to do their job well. 

Thanks. 

That's helpful to hear how you've framed it about re-election. 

 

[sho nuff]

I agree with Spock for answer 1.

For 2.  I think there is room also for the positive.  Whether within the thread or as a separate thread.  As there os the positives thread in the FFA.

But the political positives at any level.

As an example our director of schools in Nashville is new...as in officially named director in March.  Now she has been serving as active director as the previous director’s contract ended last year and was not renewed.

Late Feb and early March the district was interviewing candidates.  Then the tornado hot and Dr Battle stepped up well.  Teachers were nearly all in favor of her being named director.  Since then with Covid she has again stepped up and been a positive leader.   Difficult with a county this big and diverse.  With many needs as the county just isnt equipped to have everyone do school at home.  Setting up meals, getting laptops to seniors, other school material out to those who cant access the internet....  She has done a great job.

 

[Thunderlips]

1. I think the goal of the thread (unlike the one in the FFA....which is an excellent source of info) is to interpret the reaction, plans and response of the various Governmental bodies in the United States to the Covid 19 epidemic.

2. Of course there could be.  But, that could be said about 90% of the info/threads on this site.  If we all stopped playing Fantasy Football....Id imagine we could find something more productive/positive to do. 

BTW, I think you guys have done a great job in having both the FFA and PSF "Covid 19" threads.  The FFA one I go to for good information and observations.  The PSF....I get about 50% good information and observations...and the rest just drivel.  

 

[JamieMurphy]

I’m getting a lot of information from the Government Response thread.

Look back through that thread. It is a living, breathing documentation of our perception of the seriousness of the virus. It is just as valid a piece of history on what Americans thoughts were as anything else. Look at the original poll and people give what their seriousness rank is with an explanation. It’s fascinating, really. Those threads could have a PhD base a dissertation off of them in the future.

Correction: the Government Response thread and Seriousness of Covid19 Poll are separate, but my point stands. Historians could use a forum from a fantasy football site as a source of gauging what people's thoughts were on the virus from early March on.

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

1) The goal is to hold elected officials accountable for what they've done in the past, or failed to do. Sometimes that takes discussion, which naturally has disagreement. 

2) It's a net gain and a positive when an elected official is not re-elected after failing to do their job well. 

I mostly agree with this, but add that it is important to pressure our elected officials to not repeat their mistakes. The main mistake has been underestimating the problem. The current discussion of reopening things would be a disaster. 

 

[Sinn Fein]

I enjoy both threads.

FFA - day-to-day human reactions to the virus

PSF - holding the government accountable 

I find the term "blame" carries with it too negative a connotation.  The single most important thing we can do for society - learn from the mistakes made in this episode.  Pretending that these mistakes did not happen, or do not exist, might be more dangerous than the virus itself - as it would lead to future episodes with potentially greater impacts.

It is important that we look back and identify flaws in the system.  Identify where things went wrong, and why.  And then implement changes.

It is also important to hold people to account in real-time when mis-information is being published, or when people in the government (or media) are making poor real-time decisions.  PSF may seem like a small place, but its part of the larger voice that shouts out when Trump declares he will open up the country by Easter - and that has an impact.

I do a reasonably good job of staying informed, and I try to pass on "news" bits that are relevant - and I also am informed by similar bits that are passed on by others.  I know some have scoffed at the notion - but PSF is a pretty good source of news aggregation - that save me time and energy.  That thread in particular has a wealth of information that should be required reading of everyone.