Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Sky TV reporter Annelise Nielsen’s cri de coueur about being single and alone in the time of coronavirus strucke a few chords and ruffled some feathers. Dinner for one? Bring it on said Andrew:
“I love living alone. Particularly during these heady times. With the internet and mobile phones I can reach out any time to nearest and dearest; meantime I play the music I love, watch the TV shows I enjoy most, read a book, stretch out on the yoga mat and while I’m well go for early morning walks in the park soaking in nature. Come home and wash my hands and not worry about disinfecting the house because no one else lives there! Btw Zoom is an awesome way to connect with lots of friends at once. Friday drinks?”
John shared:
“My daughter works for a large corporate entity and currently does so from home. She tells me all the senior managers like herself get together on Zoom and have a Friday glass of wine and unwind. It’s important to maintain the relationships through these trying times. I think that it’s important to understand that many women (in particular) choose to work for the social interaction it provides, rather than just the money and feeling of success. If we move to a model where more people are working from home, some form of social interaction must be built into the role to ensure work satisfaction (and productivity) is maintained.”
Jean was mean:
“Oh for goodness sake. People are being asked to stay inside their own homes, with their own families and their own children. Clean out your cupboards, the oven, the pantry, learn to knit or crochet, read a good novel, write a letter to a friend ... and cease with the whinging.”
Cassandra was copacetic:
“I am a single woman in my late 50s, with no children, who lives alone in a very small unit here in Sydney. The fact of being single for so many years has caused me considerable emotional anguish and depression. I had almost given up on the idea of meeting someone however last year I was lucky to meet a man and we started a relationship in October.
“He now spends two nights a week at my place and it is something I really look forward to every week ... even more so in these stressful times. I need both the companionship and friendship and I got very, very upset yesterday at the thought that this might be terminated due to a government decree. Thanks Annelise for your lovely story. You spoke to my heart.”
David H got judgy:
“Before the time, and it has only been a week or two, you have had to stay by yourself did you ever give a thought for old people or disabled people who have spent years in self isolation? People who have adult children who never visit, people who have never had the social skills to make friends.
“If you live in an apartment block how many of your neighbours go to work each and every day, come home have a take away meal and watch TV by themselves? Many people live on the dark side of the moon their entire lives and no one notices or cares. And now because the happy go lucky party people can’t go on with their happy shinning lives for a few weeks or a month or two, its a tragedy.”
Matt was measured:
“It is sad and people should be more compassionate about isolated people. That being said, the difference between your plight and the author’s is still stark. A sudden pandemic and the fear it has caused has meant legislation is now forcing young sociable people into this predicament. Whilst the outcomes may be similar the causes are a world apart.”
Acceptance from Albert C:
“It’s just how humans are: try talking to a non-parent about being a parent or try putting yourself in a woman’s shoes if you are a man, it is really hard. Rather than being all grumpy about this take the positive side that people who have never felt isolation will have in a few weeks and it will make them feel empathy to the people you describe.”
Ken was caremongering:
“I do Meals on Wheels and am regularly visiting folk on their own where we are one of the few people (if any) they would see in any given week. During the current crisis contact with the outside world is diminishing even further.
“My elderly neighbour recently had her husband pass away. She is a strong woman but you can see that she is struggling enormously at the moment with isolation which is only going to get worse. I can’t visit her anymore.
“Can I just ask that everyone have a little compassion for those who may not have the same support networks as themselves.”
Scant sympthay from Sue08:
“I’m an Introvert. This means I work better in a quiet environment so I can concentrate on my work without interruption. I spent my entire working life having to tolerate extroverts who verbalize every thought that goes through head, and expected me to be interested in what they had for dinner last night, what they’re planning on having tonight, what their friend, partner, mother or father said, what home project they’re planning, their last holiday, their next holiday, what colour they’re going to paint their nails, what they watched on TV, the latest celebrity rumour, their new car, their latest clothes purchase, their latest purchase of any kind, how lovely or rude the sales assistant was and on and on and on.
“There was no tolerance or sympathy of my needs. Even though I was completely willing and able to participate in work related discussions, even though I made a point of being interested in the personal lives of my colleagues, it was made clear to me that it wasn’t good enough. The the fact that I found it frustrating to be talked at ALL day about mundane matters meant I wasn’t a people person and I needed to change. So I really have no sympathy for the difficulties currently being experienced by extroverts. The solution is simple, they just need to change.”
John’s advice to Annelise:
“Sounds like you have great social networks and an ability to enjoy a drink. Add to that some good books, quality tea/coffee and Netflix. Enjoy the peace and quiet because later in life quietness and solitude are rare, in my opinion.”
-
While rejecting the persistent rumour that COVID-19 came from a Chinese germ warfare lab in Wuhan, Greg Sheridan warned that the virus might be just a warm-up for a biological warfare-ravaged future. Kenneth wasn’t convinced:
“I accept China did not deliberately release this virus: However, there has reportedly been scientific concern over the Wuhan labs ability to contain their research into coronavirus taken from bats and mice ever since 2015.”
Steve H took a great leap forward:
“One biological weapon the Chinese Communists definitely did use was the ‘Smash the Sparrows Campaign’, 1958-62. Of course once the sparrows were eliminated there was a corresponding rise in the number of insect pests which in turn substantially reduced crop yields, leading to innumerable human fatalities through starvation.”
Grim, said GeoffB:
“If there is one benefit from COVID-19, it is that the world is waking up to the real China as the character of its leadership is being revealed.
“Many see China as a source of cheap labour and therefore low cost product and increased profit. But COVID-19 has shown that the Chinese leadership has little regard for the rest of the world — either in the commercial or humanitarian senses. They only regard maintaining face and moving towards becoming the world’s greatest economy as quickly as possible.
“Their actions in concealing COVID-19 in the early stages to save face and to gain as much advantage as possible — including giving themselves the opportunity to raid medical supplies from Australia, Canada and Turkey, lying about the details of the virus and the numbers of cases, the savage suppression in Wuhan, and the propaganda and denial around the world clearly demonstrates the Chinese leadership’s management approach — China first, no one else matters.
“What they have achieved is to break trust with the rest of the world. As the pandemic settles down, and it will, international relations with China will change, as will commercial arrangements as other nations move to rebuild their local supply chains rather than rely on an untrustworthy China. Education for Chinese students internationally will probably be affected too. Investment and ownership rules will tighten to China’s detriment. And reparations may well be sought for their behaviour through this global emergency clearly emanating from China.”
Get prepping, said William:
“I do not think that China manufactured this virus and deliberately released it. Not that a terrorist group is not likely to. But, as we head to 10 billion people on our beautiful planet this, relatively mild, virus is a reminder that a much more destructive one that effects all age groups, will not take as long to spread as the black death did 700 years ago.
“Lets look upon C19 as a timely warning to make extreme prepartions for the sake of all humanity, it will cost a tiny fraction of what has been spent on climate change mitigation.
C19 confirms my long held view that anyone who thinks climate change is humanity’s greatest threat simply lacks imagination.”
Thank you from John:
“A timely article. I am not given to fawning, but am thankful that The Australian and Greg Sheridan are not afraid to articulate ideas and arguments that most of the media runs away from.”
Geoff agreed:
“I’m surprised it has taken so long for a senior mainstream journalist anywhere to address this critical and very obvious issue. The response of much of the western world to this pandemic has sent some very strong signals to those who may wish to do us harm. Our vulnerabilities have not only been exposed but magnified.
“As serious as biological warfare is, biological terrorism which may or may not be state sponsored is probably an even bigger concern. Mr Sheridan doesn’t address this in his article.
“While I don’t believe that this episode was a deliberate act, it is surely premature to be ruling out the possibility of accidental leakage from the Wahun Institute of Virology which is known for its military links.
“Sadly, the Chinese state cannot be trusted as demonstrated by the utter unreliability of Chinese data and the irrefutable actions of the Chinese authorities to hide the virus for as long as possible — which has proved enormously costly to much of the world. It is also utterly incredulous and a demonstration of the West’s impotency that the wet markets of Wuhan and elsewhere in China are back in business. Bat broth and pangolin is still on the menu.”
-
Each Friday the cream of your views on the news rises and we honour the voices that made the debate great. To boost your chances of being featured, please be pertinent, pithy and preferably make a point. Solid arguments, original ideas, sparkling prose, rapier wit and rhetorical flourishes may count in your favour. Civility is essential. Comments may be edited for length.
Post the pandemic, how’s your Covid?
The pandemic has faded, but let’s not forget about Covid.
First Nations’ right to wealth over welfare
For too long, Indigenous economic policy has been built on the false premise that our people must choose between our rights to traditional lands and culture and our right to participate in and contribute to the nation’s economy.