Dear Editor,
I have always liked history. As a result I find history textbooks, classes and documentaries quite interesting. Throughout my years of study I have found that several pandemics have swept through vast populations leaving crippled societies in their wake. In former times, medical knowledge was limited, hygienic practices were ignored and superstitions ruled the day and many historians believe these were more dangerous than the diseases themselves. Many could have been saved if the general populace had even the simplest bits of accurate information about the disease and if the governing bodies had taken measures to enforce preventive methods. Therefore, I had always imagined that if today’s world faced a similar experience, due to our advanced knowledge of disease, the human body and wider access to education and information, we would fare much better. The past several weeks have been a horrific eye opener.
Moreover, my father who cultivated my love of history and who I had, in my very early years, believed to be one of the smartest men ever to have graced the planet, has been a faithful believer in nearly every bit of misinformation on our current situation. Based on stories from my friends and associates, their parents, some of whom are highly educated, have also been infected by this dangerous malady. While some of the older generation have taken extreme measures to remain healthy in terms of prevention and cures, some young people have been posting videos of themselves licking deodorants in stores, public toilets and everything else imaginable in order to show their lack of concern for themselves and others. Many governing bodies have also been slow to implement national prevention measures. It seems to me as though human beings, regardless of the enhancement of every sphere of life, remain essentially the same.
In addition, I have always been thought of, by myself and others, as unbelievably different and separate from most people my age. Nevertheless, I find that I am but a scared, very lonely child. The emotions I must endure are similar to nearly the entire populace. I possess the same cares and worries about becoming infected despite my preventive measures, the health of my loved ones and keeping up with my studies. I’d like to be able to choose to stay home again because I’m an introvert. I wish I could hug my best friends and have a sleep over. However, I realize that prancing about outdoors carefree at a time like this is foolish. These are not my thoughts alone, many have expressed similar hopes and desires. All members of the human race currently share the same worries so it would make sense for us to share the same purpose to help each other stay healthy, both physically and mentally.
Yours faithfully,
Shannon T Forsythe
University student
