I am not saying our reaction to this is definitely over the top. I'm saying that the self-justifying argument of "if governments are doing it, it must be correct" is bogus. That's the same logic used by global warming alarmists. "if we're all saying it, it must be true."
Alarmism can take on a life of its own. Whether that ends up being the case here is something we don't yet know.
“I am not saying our reaction to this is definitely over the top. I’m saying that the self-justifying argument of “if governments are doing it, it must be correct” is bogus. That’s the same logic used by global warming alarmists. “if we’re all saying it, it must be true.””
That’s a poor analogy.
One particular government went to an extreme that they never would have if the things they were saying were true. One particular government, with a well known behavior pattern, did something extraordinarily out of character and blatantly lied about it.
That’s what got people’s attention. Then the numbers started coming in. Trump saved thousands of lives by stopping incoming travelers from China as early as he did. It gave us more time to prepare. I wish he had been as prescient regarding the second wave from Europe. And then there was the guy that ignored the Iran travel ban. Started the fire in NYC.
177 countries report confirmed cases of the virus, most with deaths. The other 18 are lying.
It’s real.