1\ On March 24, I asked why we can't just let those who fear COVID-19 self isolate, leaving the rest of us to generate herd immunity (a public good, btw)
People offered three types of objections
Enough time has now passed that we can revisit those objections and refute them...
People offered three types of objections
Enough time has now passed that we can revisit those objections and refute them...
2\ The most common response was simply to misunderstand the concept of "choice", arguing that we must strip people of their rights in order to protect them
I call this "Naked Paternalism" and it is abhorrent enough to pass over without comment
I call this "Naked Paternalism" and it is abhorrent enough to pass over without comment
3\ Another popular objection was that the idea might be sound, but that there aren't enough masks.
This was not true then (a bandana is nearly as good), and is definitely not true now. I suspect this objection was just a fig leaf for paternalism.
This was not true then (a bandana is nearly as good), and is definitely not true now. I suspect this objection was just a fig leaf for paternalism.
4\ The most sophisticated objection was that an infected person imposes negative externalities on his neighbor; he consumes hospital capacity that his neighbor might need
This argument contains all sorts of contradictions, but we can now reject it on its own terms...
This argument contains all sorts of contradictions, but we can now reject it on its own terms...
5\ With the exception of a few hospitals in NYC and NJ, the nation's hospitals are empty. They are reducing hours for ER staff. Overflow facilities are being dismantled. Even in NY, ICU use is falling FAR short of expectations: 
6\ To sum up: if ER capacity were the real justification for lockdowns, we would lift them the second it was clear that hospitals wouldn't be overrun (95% of the US)
That we are not lifting them tells you that "flatten the curve" was never more than a fig leaf for paternalism
That we are not lifting them tells you that "flatten the curve" was never more than a fig leaf for paternalism
7\ So, I ask again: why can't we let those who fear infection self isolate, while letting the rest of us generate herd immunity?
My suspicion is that this plan is disliked because it does not allow elites to play the role of savior to the benighted.
My suspicion is that this plan is disliked because it does not allow elites to play the role of savior to the benighted.
