Lets face it, besides Trump, the main problem with Americans in dealing with the virus is...

[DSandra]

that too many Americans are not used to thinking about anyone other than themselves and their circle. They think of themselves as the center of the universe. They are used to thinking like "Why should I give a damn?" "I don't care who it would help/hurt, what is in it for me?" "I've got mine" "Why should I have to pay taxes to help others?" "All I have to care about is my child, why should I care about other people's children?" "You should only care about yourself." This is all strange to them, caring about people that they don't know.

There's little sense of "we are all in this boat together" for the past several decades in this country. Rampant hyperindividualism, neoliberal economics, and cynicism (due to the Right Wing's wet dreams coming true) have made much of the American population cold and uncaring about anything other than themselves and their circle. Things like impressions that the media and government officials can't be trusted help justify it to them, but they don't care to err on the side of caution. They also have attitudes like: "If the world treats me like shit, why should I care about anything other than myself?", and "If I die, I die, I just want to enjoy life."

Also a diffusion of responsibility happens when people like Trump and crazy Republicans promote not caring about others. After all: "If everyone is not doing it, why should I?"


Americans were more thinking more collectively for awhile, but old habits die hard (with the help of Trump and the Republican party) and here we are.

[brush]

1. It's a lack of leadership. We have the worst pandemic in 100 years...

Last edited Thu Jul 2, 2020, 10:02 PM - Edit history (1)

and the worst president ever, who won't lead by the simple example of wearing a fucking mask. Not to mention not setting up a national virus testing, tracing, isolating and treatment apparatus/program to this date, six months after he was first warned about the virus.

And he still has no plans to do it. In fact, he's moved on and is bored with it. "It will just go away." He said that yesterday.

Again, the worst president ever at the worse time ever has got his idiot followers following him in not wearing masks.

[smirkymonkey]

6. +1000

It is so frustrating and infuriating. I just want this nightmare to end. Sometimes I wish I could just be sedated until it's all over. I'm so fed up with all of it.

[Nevilledog]

2. They don't care about anything until it affects them.

Or if they think it will make us liberals mad. That seems to even trump self-interest for some.

[DenverJared]

3. It has also become a hedonistic society

People are addicted to going out to bars, restaurants and movies. They need that fix or their life becomes miserable.

[ibegurpard]

4. "Don't tell me what to do!"

Overgrown toddlers. That's it in a nutshell.

[moondust]

5. K/R

The Republican Party has been the party of selfishness for decades, at least since Reagan/Thatcher neoliberalism. Trump is the logical result of that downward spiral. It has become so bad that it is now costing thousands of American lives. There apparently is no bottom.

I'll skip the story about how much I have come to dislike crowds in that environment even before the pandemic.

[area51]

7. This is a large part of why we don't have healthcare as a right here.

Too many people say, "I've got mine, f anyone else."

[wellst0nev0ter]

8. Just look at what sank M4A

Too many people were like "I want muh union healthcare plan!"
Then companies had to lay off union workers because of the virus. Who saw that coming?

[GulfCoast66]

9. While all democrats want healthcare for all you are simplifying it.

Some of the best healthcare systems in the world are not MFA. France keeps the employers on the hook. They are often rated the beat healthcare in the world.

And there are several insurance companies. All nonprofits of course. As it should be.

Of course at the end of the day our government should insure healthcare for everyone.

But there are lots of ways to get there.