1/ Quick thread on how I spent my Shabbat: I fully rested. I learned Torah again, went through the parsha like I was able to do pre-COVID. I read football analysis (esp. from the heilige @MikeTanier). It was amazing
From COVID's start until now, I was under intense pressure
From COVID's start until now, I was under intense pressure
2/ I read over 300 pages every Shabbat on all the emergency topics: the virus, the polling, the political science, the social science. Why?
First, b/c it's real-time data of social change & cultural assault. I'm a sociologist & anthropologist & philosopher. The data! (Mmm hoy)
First, b/c it's real-time data of social change & cultural assault. I'm a sociologist & anthropologist & philosopher. The data! (Mmm hoy)
3/ I wanted to study what was happening, adjust or add to my theories, keep records for the future. That's in my role as a scientist.
2nd was my role as a communal leader. As opposed to what the oafs tell you, the real world is like school: you can get a pop quiz at any time
2nd was my role as a communal leader. As opposed to what the oafs tell you, the real world is like school: you can get a pop quiz at any time
4/ I was blessed with the ability to view the world dynamically: as a shifting array of future possibilities based on current data. I needed to know how to protect my family, my neighbors, my community.
When COVID hit, this was my tactic & I think I helped a lot of people
When COVID hit, this was my tactic & I think I helped a lot of people
5/ Through my rabbinic/Jewish leadership network, I tried to educate about best practices given my sociology of health expertise.
Dynamic thinking was key: I "saw" the virus in the community because of data-extrapolation even before the testing was available.
Dynamic thinking was key: I "saw" the virus in the community because of data-extrapolation even before the testing was available.
6/ Later, through the incredible combination of my wife & myself, we used these abilities to help lead our community through the pandemic. How to have a safe set of camps, how to open our day school. It has worked so far.
By helping our school, we helped our shuls & our town
By helping our school, we helped our shuls & our town
7/ The 'pop quiz' came at any time, so I needed to be ready. But that level of high-alert comes at a cost. The price is in preparation & study, but also being "on-call"
When I lived in Israel, I remember this feeling. I was on guard duty and more.
When I lived in Israel, I remember this feeling. I was on guard duty and more.
8/ For this election, there were so many things to keep track of! Street protesting to plan, the politics & the polls etc. And then one of the biggest pop quiz: reminding people about the Red Mirage, which I thought was well advertised, but turned out not to be!
9/ I won't go through all of the scenarios I gamed out (emigration or stay & fight? how to best arm myself in case things went Mad-Max?) but my research determined these were low percentage events.
Ultimately, I was able to use my preparation to help others, & that's all I need.
Ultimately, I was able to use my preparation to help others, & that's all I need.
10/ Lastly, in full disclosure, we all needed a way to handle the immense anxiety of this period. For me, that always means knowledge. I'm an existentialist, so the knowledge I have, the more secure I feel.
11/ Note, I won't fully relax & stop researching, because lord knows the battle continues. Reconstruction was incomplete in 1865, that is job one. Trump (ym'sh) and his toxic RedHats just added more to do, but it's actually an increase in degree, not kind.
12/ This will be it, for now.
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