"Those who believe without reason cannot be convinced by reason." James Randi
Gallup surveys taken in April showed that just 40% of Republicans believe that COVID-19 has a greater death rate than the seasonal flu.
The seasonal flu has a roughly .1% fatality rate. That is 1 in 1000. The absolute most conservative estimate I have seen for COVID-19 is five times that. The majority of epidemiologists have estimated it's closer to 10 times that. In some areas, such as the United States, it superficially appears to be much worse. So how or why would anyone decide that they, as civilians, are more expert than physicians and infectious disease specialists? What mechanisms allow Americans to blithely go through day-to-day life presuming to know more than experienced credentialed professionals?
My first thought is that Republican survey respondents were simply giving "cheerleading" answers to such questions. The questions themselves have been yoked to political commitments, so some U.S. citizens decided they'd make statements about what they prefer to believe whether they actually believe it or not.
My second idea is that Americans really do think the individual is omniscient via some sort of direct gnosis. I find this an incredible development for the world's technological leader, but perhaps it's the inevitable destination for a population bloated with an unrelenting national narcissism. When the president points to his temple as the source of his expertise on subjects in which he has not been trained and has no expertise, it's a flashing guidepost for cultish supporters.
My third theory is that maybe Americans are so rocked by an actual threat to their existence that they revert to very childlike magical thinking. Believing something, so the idea goes, makes it so. Retreating to an inner psychological sanctum that rejects evidence provides both stress reduction and the solace of routine, where one year's flu is like any other.
All of these paths combined have helped lead to 100,000 deaths. If 100,000 deaths haven't cleansed political vanity, narcissism, and magical thinking from the American psyche, nothing will.
Bob Dietz
May 28, 2020
