Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/05/25/two-late-stage-ebola-patients.html
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I feel like I have seen this Zombie movie. Only it was set in Europe.
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When late-stage ebola encounters late-stage capitalism, which survives? Or do they make each other stronger?
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We’re about due for a return; as I’ve stated recently, the Black Plague was never cured.
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Well, we know how it was transmitted now, and have structured our societies around the spread of such diseases. It’s unlikely to gain a foot hold again, barring some massive urban rat infestation.
ETA: Jokingly disagreeing with you… Make sure to click link…
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You assume that it has not mutated repeatedly in all the years since, which is surely not the case.
But putting that aside, I’m not actually worried about the return of the Black Plague; my reference is more metaphorical than literal.
I’m more concerned that the two natural ‘equalizers’ for hierarchical society have long been ‘plague’ and widespread war. Neither option is desirable, yet both are probable, especially as things stand now.
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“Equalizers” as in it kills people of all classes equally, or puts human population growth into equilibrium?
For the latter, we have dropping birth rates all across the industrialized world. Although part of that is to do with income inequality (how much I’m not sure).
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Patients Without Borders
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The latter mainly, though historically speaking, the redistribution of available resources does come about more readily after a massive loss of life and and an upset of ‘order’ as we know it.
I’m hip that birth rates 'round the industrialized world are already dropping; I’d suspect that quite a lot of it has to do with income inequality.
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The idea that income inequality plays a role is pretty new, seems like. I’ve been reading since the early 2000’s that it was a middle/upper-middle class phenomena having fewer kids to enjoy a higher standard of living. First I read about the income inequality angle was polling done in Japan trying to figure out why nobody is getting married.
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I didn’t say it wasn’t.
It’s only recently that many workers have even begun to realize that they may never be able to afford to retire. And raising kids costs more and more money as time goes by, full stop.
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I’m trying to get at the idea that the newness of the conclusion seems like it may inform either a shifting demographic behind the low birthrate trend, or by extension suggest that the bulk of the driver is a middle class phenomenon. More study needed regardless.
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It is well known that such lethal organisms can exchange DNA.
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Are you suggesting a breeding program to eliminate capitalists?
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Yeah, not pissing on their graves here, but let us not accidentally describe that as a pro-social act on anyones part. Deeply irresponsible and likely to lead to at least the agonizing deaths of their loved ones.
but golly yes, sure was nice
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No one ever said humans aren’t extremely stupid / uninformed.
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I remember about 10? years ago, someone contracted it in Ojai, California. Fortunately it was one of the milder forms and was treatable.
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Also some cases in New Mexico and Arizona, I believe.
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Same category as raping having sex with a virgin will cure AIDS.
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