The language of COVID-19 isn't especially opaque but it's worth taking a good look at it all in one place--in the "When They Say . . . They Mean . . . " Not clear? Let's do an example:
Text: "The Civil War Was About States' Rights."
Subtext: "I'm hot for the racist south."
The civil war was about states' to continue owning slaves when it looked like the Federal government might prohibit them from it. The person speaking wants to cloak the (traitorous) actions of the Confederacy in the "A'hm just standin' up for mah rights" cloak of American values.
Got it? Let's go.
Text: Using 'Filthy' to describe New York
Subtext: "Blue-State/City Got It Commin' "
The speaker wants to create moral distance between them and the filthy, liberal New York city (see the use of San Francisco Values to attack Nancy Pelosi). Generally this is done in the context of trying to argue that NYC should be shut down like Escape From New York while their small town or state should be wonderfully free . . . because they are virtuously red.
Text: "Wuhan Virus"
Subtext: "I want to blame China for all this shit"
From "ordinary people" using the orientalist term for the virus is putting blame on Asians. For political people, it's knowing their base will accept blame-on-asians (vs. blame on the admin). It's an easy sell.
Text: "Liberate [ Blue State ]"
Subtext: "I blame my governor for this job-killing Trump-one-terming lock-down!"
The speaker (in this case, literally Trump--but echoed from the various protestors) is very unhappy about the fact that with a cratering economy the prospect of a Trump re-election the person has decided to blame their Democrat governor for the economic pain. Thus, they need to "Liberate" their state from the state government to . . . rejoin the union (hence the Confederate flags: these people aren't very smart).
Text: "The virus isn't [ especially, all that, etc. ] dangerous to people under 60."
Subtext: IF claiming we should re-open because of that "The media hysteria to GET Donald Trump must be fought!"
People who "study the numbers" conclude through the magic of motivated reasoning that everything is okay! We can open up. The R0 is low! The CFR is low! The treatments are promising, etc. Because The Experts are saying "no, don't do this," they either conclude (or want you to believe) that Trump is being sabotaged by liberal-elite experts in cahoots with The Media. They believe that by telling you A Bunch Of Numbers they can penetrate the veil of lies.
Text: "Hydroxychloroquine works!" (or some other soon-to-be-miracle drug)
Subtext: "This is all gonna go away in a minute."
The push for a wonder-drug that works wonders on COVID-19 originated with Fox (The Omnivore thinks) because of some initial usage of it that appeared promising--but by the time it was ginned up into the Republican Messaging Machine it became a Great White (pilled) Hope to Save The USS Trump before it sank. The idea was that enough positive messaging about possible drugs would keep people believing everything was under control which would calm the markets (all Trump really cares about). It didn't--and the drug didn't pan out. So on to the next one, right?
Text: "We can't pay people more NOT to work . . ."
Subtext: "The poors are gettin' stuff! Oh-no!"
The theory here (as The Omnivore has seen it mansplained) is that all the super-hawt supply chain places (like, erm, Costco) need an influx of workers who are sitting home playing Xbox because of their fat gummit paychecks. Right. Obviously this is bullshit, though: yes--there are a few places where the extra money plus unemployment is above minimum wage--but not everywhere and this, being super temporary, isn't convincing anyone to retire early. It MAY allow them to stay home. This. Is. What. We. Want. Sparky.
Thank you for coming to The Omnivore's Ted Talk.
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