THREAD.
As a society we have more than ever begun to quantify the value of people's lives through age and level of health. We are seeing more and more of a narrative that centres on irritation and even anger at the old and the sick for spoiling the lives of the young. 1/7

It is evident in rhetoric about how vaccinating the oldest first is 'immoral' because they are going to die soon anyway, despite the fact that this model is based in hard cold practicality: halting the virus from making the oldest/sickest most ill - relieves burden on NHS. 2/7

Daily I see people talking about how giving up their rights is leading to a worrying kind of dystopia. I think that the dystopian narrative here is a creeping, insidious anger and even hatred at the old and sick for causing the young and the healthy to have a lesser life... 3/7

You see it in the citing of the 377 under 60s who have died 'w/o underlying conditions'. Asthma, learning difficulties, psoriasis inc. Those who care so about missed cancer treatment then do not see people with cancer as worthy of counting in the deaths of 'those who matter.' 4/7

You see it in the insistence that we should 'just shield', without researching the many, many medical papers and models which completely debunk any viability to that idea. You see it in the 'why are they getting vaccinated first?' scramble of places. 5/7

You see it in the 'they're going to die anyway' rhetoric. In the 'my nan says she'd prefer to die than allow young people to suffer.' in the 'if I was vulnerable I wouldn't want to get in the way of the young and healthy getting on with their lives'. 6/7

Step aside, disabled people. Lock yourself away, chronically ill people. Get out of my way, people with cancer. And most of all, just die anyway, people who are old.

My blood is running cold.
END

Expanded thoughts here. http://www.greatadventure.carterclan.me.uk/?p=1069