[LINK] What if Covid-19 isn't our biggest threat?

Bernard Robertson-Dunn brd at iimetro.com.au
Mon Apr 27 10:51:06 AEST 2020


Those who studied, and remember what they learned, might know about a
phenomenon called stiction. From Wikipedia:

"Stiction is the static friction that needs to be overcome to enable
relative motion of stationary objects in contact. The term is a
portmanteau of the term "static friction", perhaps also influenced by
the verb "stick"."

Politicians are prone to stiction. It takes a huge and undeniable event
to make them do anything other than look after their own interests, even
if their interests are altruistic and noble.

Climate change has been deniable, COVID-19 isn't.

The danger is that the biggest threat is our politicians trying to
return us to some form of normality, when the reality is we need to
invent a new normal. Which is when the politicians will probably revert
to form and ignore informed advice by selecting the advisers who tell
them what they want to hear.

It could be argued that it would be better to not find a vaccine because
it would require governments to deal with a clear and present danger -
which is harder to deny.

Getting them to deal with climate change will be harder - it happens
more slowly and they will be distracted by the virus, although some
consequences of the virus are having a beneficial impact on the environment.


On 27/04/2020 9:31 am, Kim Holburn wrote:
> https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/apr/26/what-if-covid-19-isnt-our-biggest-threat
>
>> Experts who assess global peril saw a pandemic coming, but they have
> worse worries for humanity
>

-- 

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
email: brd at iimetro.com.au




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