Attention Surplus Disorder
I’ve been following, covering, and sharing the news for most of my adult life. I’ve never seen a story develop more momentum than the virus story did in the course of one hour on Wednesday night. During a brief, misleading, error filled, market-chilling, ‘presidential’ address, we learned that NBA was suspending its season after a player tested positive (at least one of his teammates also has the virus, and the NHL has followed suit) and that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have coronavirus. In short, the virus story has gone viral. And today’s headline aside, that’s entirely appropriate, and sadly, too late for some containment efforts.
+ You thought that was cancel culture? I’ll show you friggin’ cancel culture. The idea of hunkering down, sheltering in place, and dousing yourself with sanitizer seemed extreme a day ago. Now it seems long overdue. We’ll all have important choices to make in the coming days. Here’s how I made one of mine: Why I’m Pulling My Kids From School.
+ We’ve got to stop covering this the way we always cover political stories. The pace of the story is breathtaking. What seems critical now will seem laughable in 48 hours (see headlines from 48 hours ago for evidence). Let’s just take one example. Here’s a headline that may have seemed dramatic a day ago, and today seems ridiculously obvious. Princess Cruises Suspending Global Operations for 60 Days Due to Coronavirus Pandemic.
+ One way the media needs to change is to stop amplifying the lies, only to correct them three paragraphs into the story. Here’s a list of 28 ways Trump and his team have been dishonest about the coronavirus. Each lie can and will cost lives.
+ Here’s a little something for those self-diagnosing at home who want to ensure their jaws can still drop properly. NBC News: Pence says there’s been ‘irresponsible rhetoric’ from people downplaying coronavirus. (The Onion should sue over this headline.)
+ Again, this isn’t about electoral politics or culture wars or political preferences. It’s a health story now. The misinformed are a danger to society and themselves. The excellent McCay Coppins in The Atlantic: Trump’s Dangerously Effective Coronavirus Propaganda. (Advisory: Seniors should avoid traveling, large crowds, and Fox News.)
+ Europe condemns Trump’s travel ban, a senior Brazilian government official who was rubbing elbows with team Trump at Mar-a-Lago has tested positive, California bans large gatherings, and more of the latest from NYT, WaPo, CNN (Note: Many paywalls have been removed.)