What Are You Reading?

[LittleTeacup]

I'm in the middle of From The Earth To The Moon by Jules Verne! It's really funny so far, which I didn't expect. The characters have just decided to shoot a cannon ball to the moon and are working out how to do it.

[lawran]

With the pandemic and staying indoors I feel safe, privileged and terribly lucky. When I imagine what it must be like to file unemployment, or rely on food shelters, or how the homeless are experiencing this crisis, I can only shudder. I am, like I said, terribly lucky.

 

I have been hearing much along the lines of "the lockdown is more dangerous than the disease because ultimately any decision we take affects the poor and vulnerable, and restricting mobility now affects them the most." I, for one, am not for or against the lockdown--so I definitely do not think that the alleged cure is more dangerous than the disease. My opinion is that those who can afford to practice social distancing really should, and if you're doing well financially, a donation to some helpline is doing some good.

 

But I do think a lively, engaging debate can only benefit us--public engagement is crucial now more than ever. So, I've been reading Microeconomics: Private and Public Choice to sort of educate myself. It has been interesting so far, but the choice of this text was, as you may have guessed, arbitrary. I just chose this thinking why not? The worst thing that can happen is I might learn something. I'm under no illusion that reading definitely makes me better equipped to deal with this, or help others deal with this. But it does help me cope in that it makes me worry less, if that makes sense.

 

Stay safe, guys!