The World's Common Tater

I recently watched the show Ginny and Georgia on Netflix. There was a scene that was talked about a lot where two characters play what one called the “Oppression Olympics” That phrase popped in my head when I read another piece by an author that mentioned how he had not been to a grocery store since March 2020. Throughout the pandemic I feel like a lot of people are playing what I will call the Pandemic Olympics.

We have the people competing for the gold medal in Isolation. These are the people who post constantly about how they haven’t been to a grocery store in a year. The people who are on Twitter saying they feel like thy are the only people still isolating. They want everyone to know that they have isolated better and longer than everyone else and they want that acknowledged. Everyone else is an asshole who wants to kill grandma, but thy stand alone as the protector of society.

We have people competing for the gold medal in Isolation Avoidance. These are the opposite of the above they want everyone to know that they have not changed their habits at all. In fact, they go out more to show everyone they aren’t scared. They eat in restaurants every day. They go to the grocery store and don’t follow the arrows. They have parties. No one can tell them what to do.

The gold medal in masking – The wear two masks wherever they go. They wear a mask while driving alone in my car. They wear a mask when sitting on my front porch in case someone walks by. They never plan to stop wearing a mask even when everyone is vaccinated and masks are no longer required.

The gold medal in Unmasking – They will have a mask because it is required but they will wear it around their chin or below their nose to show their disdain for the masks. They will comment on multiple posts demanding the mask mandate end and that masks don’t actually work. Masks are an affront to their freedoms and they will post about it every day.

Some new events –

Gold medal in how nervous you will be to leave your house when it over

Gold medal in Anti-Vax – you don’t trust anything the government does and you will post all the conspiracy theories about the vaccines to back your view.

Gold medal in Vaccine Guilt – you got the vaccine and you posted a picture but you make sure to talk about how guilty you feel about getting the vaccine before people who need it more.

Gold medal in Vaccine Delay – you are eligible for the vaccine but you post about how you won’t get it right away because you don’t want to take a shot away from someone who needs it more.

Gold medal in Vaccine Judgment – you ask everyone who posts about getting vaccinated how they qualified to get it with the implication that you assume they jumped the line. You tweet constantly that Phase 2 people shouldn’t be eligible because you know someone in Phase 1 who has not been able to get an appointment. It’s not fair and you demand everyone follow your idea of fair.

I’m not necessarily judging the actions. If you feel more comfortable never leaving your house and have the ability to get everything delivered and to work from home do it.

If you feel comfortable going to the grocery store, do it but follow the rules.

If you want to wear a mask everywhere forever, do it.

Get the vaccine as soon as you are eligible It doesn’t matter who others may feel about it. You aren’t taking a shot away from someone else if you are eligible. It’s your shot. Don’t throw it away.

I’m just tired of the competing tweets and Facebook posts that are obvious attempts to feel superior to others because of the way you are dealing with the pandemic. I might even be guilty of some of this myself.