Sep 26·edited Sep 26Liked by Beatrice Adler-Bolton
Thank you so much for this powerful and inspiring article. 🖤🖤❤️❤️
I did notice one aspect you did not mention. How this virus creates (or in some cases can create) substantial health problems in everyone, meaning even in people who do not die from it or get Long COVID. There are so many studies proving this by now, which in my opinion makes the normalization of COVID-19 even more insidious.
I am sure you had your reasons why you left this aspect out.
If you care to share them, i would love to hear them.
Thanks! I am confused by your comment about what I “left out” though. I do mention that aspect two or three separate times in the post especially in the section on incarceration. One of the mentions is around repeat infections, there are several mentions of the economic consequences, and there’s repeated emphasis on the point that everyone is vulnerable to Covid not just those already in the category of vulnerable. And the whole section on biopolitical control and incarceration is all about that. Are you asking more why I don’t spend time talking about what Covid does in the body biologically? Or citing studies about the various etiologies of Covid? If so that’s because this is an essay about political economy not about the biology or physiology of Covid as a disease, and I state pretty clearly in the first paragraph why that is not mentioned (e.g. it expands and updates the first short essay from Jan 2022 where I am staying quite firm in my own lane of expertise as a point of argument). There are many ways to make an argument about Covid and why it matters and I think too often people treat the biology of Covid as automatically persuasive and I don’t think that is universally as true as people take it to be. Also, this is about Covid and the state and the state has never really responded to discussion Covid from a biological or physiological perspective, instead it has been through the lens of political economy with a focus and priority on the economy first and foremost even though there is ample evidence from a physiological standpoint that Covid is a threat to the whole population. If this doesn’t answer your question, please let me know! 🖤
You are right, you do mention it several time, if somewhat as an aside. And i also hear what you are saying in regards to the many ways of making the argument. I stand corrected.
I guess the aspect that to me is so mind-boggling about this entire normalization process, lead by the state and by those in power, and about the you do you approach, is that it needs to base itself in scientific theory, that is no longer accurate. Many of the studies we now have access to have to actively be excluded in that process (on how this virus can affect everyone and not only result in death or long covid, but also change people's immunity responses, their stroke risks, cognitive faculties etc etc. even if their infections were so-called mild or asymptomatic).
Looking at Switzerland, the state has completely failed to inform people about these risks, which is why it is almost impossible to discuss covid-safety say with my mother or sister or friends. Even when speaking to my doctors i tend to be much better informed than they are.
Since as an anarchist i think this is the state working as intended, i also see this as an opportunity for a pre-figurative practice to spread the accurate, up to date information as a part of our mutual aid and communal care effort. Personally i tend to think that it can't be said enough. But probably you are right, that this line of argument is not all that persuasive, especially when addressing our anarchist and socialist comrades. They should and probably already do know better.
First and foremost let me thank you again for this powerful article, that i will try to spread as much as i can. You rock.
Love you Bea 💙
Thank you so much for this powerful and inspiring article. 🖤🖤❤️❤️
I did notice one aspect you did not mention. How this virus creates (or in some cases can create) substantial health problems in everyone, meaning even in people who do not die from it or get Long COVID. There are so many studies proving this by now, which in my opinion makes the normalization of COVID-19 even more insidious.
I am sure you had your reasons why you left this aspect out.
If you care to share them, i would love to hear them.
Thanks! I am confused by your comment about what I “left out” though. I do mention that aspect two or three separate times in the post especially in the section on incarceration. One of the mentions is around repeat infections, there are several mentions of the economic consequences, and there’s repeated emphasis on the point that everyone is vulnerable to Covid not just those already in the category of vulnerable. And the whole section on biopolitical control and incarceration is all about that. Are you asking more why I don’t spend time talking about what Covid does in the body biologically? Or citing studies about the various etiologies of Covid? If so that’s because this is an essay about political economy not about the biology or physiology of Covid as a disease, and I state pretty clearly in the first paragraph why that is not mentioned (e.g. it expands and updates the first short essay from Jan 2022 where I am staying quite firm in my own lane of expertise as a point of argument). There are many ways to make an argument about Covid and why it matters and I think too often people treat the biology of Covid as automatically persuasive and I don’t think that is universally as true as people take it to be. Also, this is about Covid and the state and the state has never really responded to discussion Covid from a biological or physiological perspective, instead it has been through the lens of political economy with a focus and priority on the economy first and foremost even though there is ample evidence from a physiological standpoint that Covid is a threat to the whole population. If this doesn’t answer your question, please let me know! 🖤
You are right, you do mention it several time, if somewhat as an aside. And i also hear what you are saying in regards to the many ways of making the argument. I stand corrected.
I guess the aspect that to me is so mind-boggling about this entire normalization process, lead by the state and by those in power, and about the you do you approach, is that it needs to base itself in scientific theory, that is no longer accurate. Many of the studies we now have access to have to actively be excluded in that process (on how this virus can affect everyone and not only result in death or long covid, but also change people's immunity responses, their stroke risks, cognitive faculties etc etc. even if their infections were so-called mild or asymptomatic).
Looking at Switzerland, the state has completely failed to inform people about these risks, which is why it is almost impossible to discuss covid-safety say with my mother or sister or friends. Even when speaking to my doctors i tend to be much better informed than they are.
Since as an anarchist i think this is the state working as intended, i also see this as an opportunity for a pre-figurative practice to spread the accurate, up to date information as a part of our mutual aid and communal care effort. Personally i tend to think that it can't be said enough. But probably you are right, that this line of argument is not all that persuasive, especially when addressing our anarchist and socialist comrades. They should and probably already do know better.
First and foremost let me thank you again for this powerful article, that i will try to spread as much as i can. You rock.