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My First Impressions of "Social Distancing"

Most people aren't doing it as it should be done. Myself included, so no judgment. We all need to eat, to pay bills. Those of us who rent are in a much more serious situation, because our deal may not be salvaged by some government leniency or bailout. Those of us who rent and aren't salaried employees have a feeling of impending doom, that no matter how hard we try to put on a happy face, we are in fact, Joker.

Social media has shown us that people have stayed the same, simply magnified. The "Kindness Krewe" has amped up their reminder to do things most of us do every day sans themselves of course. The fake agoraphobics have pretended to be burdened by this seclusion because it's not their choice. The introverts are claiming antsiness, while the extroverts are complaining about missed social lives which are much more exaggerated than they claim publicly. Parents are speaking of homeschooling as if they shouldn't have been teaching their kids, every day, all along. Teachers who complain about their jobs and now overcome with sadness from this two-day departure from normalcy. Kids are fucking ecstatic. College and high schoolers are partying like the end is nigh. 

So what has really changed? 

Remember all those people who would post on social media about the dangers of Syrian refugees. sanctuary cities, and the imaginary threat of terrorism? They couldn't comprehend the need to flee bombings and oppression, but are now worried if they'll be able to wipe their own asses and demanding their government assist them (and only them). Those who welcomed everyone with open arms, seem to feel entitled to the inside track on hand-sanitizer. There are those who care and those who care less. The reality is, we've not changed one bit, we've just had our personalities magnified and each positive and negative have multiplied, not necessarily in our own reality, but in how we're perceived. 

Depending on how long this goes on, we'll see the same thing we always see during times of duress. The good and giving will continue their compassionate and altruistic ways, the bad and selfish will continue to be angry and narcissistic, and the majority of us will simply go through life, slightly bothered, going about our mundane lives with a little less, or more, sunlight, and a little less frivolity, a little more angst, and maybe, we learn to take less for granted. In reality, not on social media. 

Nah, we're Americans, This will pass and we'll not go back to who we always were, we'll prove we never changed. 

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