The Chinese Communist Party still adheres to its “zero COVID” policy, whereas countries in the free world have already transitioned to “coexisting with the virus.” The differences are cultural.
Chinese culture tends to apply rules across the board, with moralistic standards of perfection applied to all. According to this thinking, every problem should be completely resolved or removed. In the real world, things do not work that way, and in many cases there is no such thing as perfection.
Western scientists believe that SARS-CoV-2 cannot be exterminated. The only thing we can do is bolster our immune systems. The more resistant we are to the virus, the fewer people will be infected, and the sooner society and the economy can return to normal.
Countries that insist on pursuing a “zero COVID” strategy believe that the disease must be entirely eliminated to put an end to infection, and lockdowns should be imposed at all costs.
Sometimes the emergence of a small number of cases can lead to chaos. The approach is penny-wise and pound-foolish, leading to a shrinking economy that creates hard times for everyone. In addition, the number of deaths as a result of the lockdowns could be higher than those from COVID-19.
This goes beyond COVID-19 policies. There are many unresolved problems in the world, but we can only live with them. In a free democratic society, we confront a great number of issues that can only be regulated rather than terminated. If we insist that the gambling and sex industries be eradicated, they would simply go underground and become even more unregulated.
People living in a free society are required to discipline and protect themselves. For those who have grown up depending on saints and emperors in China, this is beyond their understanding.
Kao Chuan-yi
Taipei
Beware disinformation
A heartfelt thanks to the Taipei Times for your excellent editorial yesterday titled “Fighting disinformation with votes.” Your topic is exactly what I will be addressing in an upcoming presentation as chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s Board of Ethics and Professional Standards.
As a veteran communicator and educator, the topic of “fake news” is near and dear to my heart. I am constantly cautioning my professional colleagues and my students (future professionals) to beware of what they see and hear.
The world is, sadly, populated by a growing number of miscreants — private citizens and government representatives — whose sole purpose is to dissuade the unassuming public from taking a particular action that in most cases would be beneficial to society. Whether it be politics, religion or business, these individuals are determined to spread blatant lies in an effort to sway public opinion and public action.
It now lies on the shoulders of decent, well-meaning news media — and individual citizens — to ensure that the truth prevails. I encourage readers, listeners and viewers to not just take what you see or hear as “the truth.”
Check and double-check your information, especially if your source is an online platform such as Facebook or Twitter. Bear in mind that these sources have little to no “fact control.” The individual posting the information is pretty much free to say whatever he or she wishes.
My final thoughts for all: “Exercise your rights as a loyal citizen. Participate in your election, after having done the research to ensure that you know the facts.”
Kirk Hazlett
University of Tampa, Florida
Not ready to go maskless
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, masks have become a necessity for people around the globe. The ubiquity ushers in a new normal for everyone.
On Thursday last week, the Centers for Disease Control issued a new policy, that people are no longer required to wear masks outdoors, indicating that people are safe enough to breathe freely outside. Not so surprisingly, only a few people are going maskless in open spaces.
I have a feeling that we are so used to wearing masks that we do not want to take them off, even though the COVID-19 situation is not as dangerous.
When COVID-19 was still a fatal disease, we put on our masks in horror, to protect us from the deadly virus.
The pandemic has shrouded us in the mist of insecurity and tension. People cannot see each other through the heavy fog on our faces and this makes us feel distant. The misery the outbreak has brought is not yet finished.
The pandemic will leave eventually, but the mindset sticks with us, leaving a scar in our minds. The time when we are brave enough to reconnect and rejoice is the time when we fully recover from COVID-19.
Zeke Lin
Hsinchu City
Jan. 1 marks a decade since China repealed its one-child policy. Just 10 days before, Peng Peiyun (彭珮雲), who long oversaw the often-brutal enforcement of China’s family-planning rules, died at the age of 96, having never been held accountable for her actions. Obituaries praised Peng for being “reform-minded,” even though, in practice, she only perpetuated an utterly inhumane policy, whose consequences have barely begun to materialize. It was Vice Premier Chen Muhua (陳慕華) who first proposed the one-child policy in 1979, with the endorsement of China’s then-top leaders, Chen Yun (陳雲) and Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平), as a means of avoiding the
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