[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by Kelt

I do think that this will be an event like 9/11 or the 2008 recession.

Going forward we will speak of things as either “Before the virus“ or “After the virus“.

I definitely agree with you, Kelt. Thank you for supplying that gem of an article. It is loaded with lots of perspective that enables a person to readily see exactly what has been on their minds, all along -- at least, that is how I feel about the article you posted. I'm still reading it, lol.

Here is another gem by film maker and author, Astra Taylor. And I quote:

The rules we’ve lived by won’t all apply.

Astra Taylor is a filmmaker and author of Democracy May Not Exist, but We’ll Miss It When It’s Gone.


America’s response to coronavirus pandemic has revealed a simple truth: So many policies that our elected officials have long told us were impossible and impractical were eminently possible and practical all along. In 2011, when Occupy Wall Street activists demanded debt cancellation for student loans and medical debt, they were laughed at by many in the mainstream media. In the intervening years, we have continued to push the issue and have consistently been told our demands were unrealistic. Now, we know that the “rules” we have lived under were unnecessary, and simply made society more brittle and unequal.


All along, evictions were avoidable; the homeless could’ve been housed and sheltered in government buildings; water and electricity didn’t need to be turned off for people behind on their bills; paid sick leave could‘ve been a right for all workers; paying your mortgage late didn’t need to lead to foreclosure; and debtors could’ve been granted relief. President Donald Trump has already put a freeze on interest for federal student loans, while New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has paused all medical and student debt owed to New York State. Democrats and Republicans are discussing suspending collection on—or outright canceling—student loans as part of a larger economic stimulus package.


It’s clear that in a crisis, the rules don’t apply—which makes you wonder why they are rules in the first place. This is an unprecedented opportunity to not just hit the pause button and temporarily ease the pain, but to permanently change the rules so that untold millions of people aren’t so vulnerable to begin with.

Ms. Taylor is spot on. I totally agree with her line of thought.

Thanks so much for providing a link to that article. So much to appreciate and the message is timely too.