The Virus is Not Invincible, But It’s Exposing Who’s Irreplaceable

American Greatness ^ | 3/22/2020 | Victor Davis Hanson

[RightGeek]

I think one of the strangest of all sequelae to the virus... might be the millions of high-paid Americans whose absences were hardly missed either by the public or count much in subsequent economic analyses of damage to the economy.

In a sophisticated society under lockdown, is it more existentially valuable to know how to fix a toilet, replace a circuit breaker, or change a tire, or to be a New York fashion designer, a Hollywood actor, or a corporate merger lawyer? At 9 p.m., when you go downtown in need of a critical prescription, are you really all that furious that a law-abiding citizen who has a gun and concealed permit is also in line—or would you be more relieved that gun control laws might ensure that his ilk never enters an all-night pharmacy?

...

We were often told globalized elites on the coast were the deserved 21st-century winners, while the suckers and rubes in-between had better learn coding ...

But who now is more important than the trucker who drives 12-hours straight to deliver toilet paper to Costco? Or the mid-level manager of Target who calibrates supply and demand and is on the phone all day juggling deliveries before his store opens? Or the checker at the local supermarket who knows that the hundreds of customers inches away from her pose risks of infection, and yet she ensures that people walk out with food in their carts? The farmworker who is on the tractor all night to ensure that millions of carrots and lettuce don’t rot? The muddy frackers in West Texas who make it possible that natural gas reaches the home of the quarantined broker in Houston? The ER nurse on her fifth coronavirus of the day who matter-of-factly saves lives?

[RightGeek]

I like the subtitle: When your refrigerator goes out under quarantine and your supplies begin to rot, do you really need another rant from Maxine Waters—or do you rather need a St. Michael Smith and St. Uriel Mendoza to appear out of nowhere as the archangels from Home Depot to wheel up and connect a new one?

[foreverfree]

Bump

[headstamp 2]

This guy can write.

[rockinqsranch]

Great stuff from VDH.

[organicchemist]

Song running through my mind is

Forty Hour Week (For A Livin’) by Alabama

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/alabama/fortyhourweekforalivin.html

[ModelBreaker]

People who have never worn a uniform at work, as an adult, have lived a far more sheltered life than the rest of us.

[Manuel OKelley]

Suit and tie for a good chunk of my life, company considers me indispensable

Yeah, I may do things different but a few dozen people’s jobs depend on my decisions

Not to put down the truckers, nurses, mechanics, etc that keep society functioning but without leadership their efficiency drops considerably

[smvoice]

Bkmk

[blackberry1]

Love it! The virus has killed the mystique of the LA/New York eletists!

Real people matter. Trump 2020

[foreverfree]

Article makes good points.

[Fiddlstix]

I posted this item a few days back and it was well received so I repost it.....


My Grandpaw Used To Say:
The Dirtier The Hands
The Cleaner The Money

[frog in a pot]

..but without leadership their efficiency drops considerably,

Bingo!

For example, IMO and I think the record supports this, our nation is fortunate to have Trump in the WH at this time. And, it appears Trump is lucky to have Pence as his VP.

Can anyone seriously imagine the likes of Hillary, Obama, Pelosi or Schumer sitting in the WH given the circumstances? And I am not just talking about the medical emergency, but the unavoidable hit to our economy as well.

[TChad]

This guy can write.

Yes: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=victor+davis+hanson

He can also teach, and he can grow raisin grapes.

[Pajamajan]

Great article!