Coronavirus Outbreak...

[Mountain Man]

True, life on earth will end in about 1 billion years and then there will be no more death or disease.

Yep... nihilism is the only thing atheists have to look forward to.

[JimL]

Yep... nihilism is the only thing atheists have to look forward to.

Well, I have no doubt that living in a fantasy world does have its benefits.

[Mountain Man]

Well, I have no doubt that living in a fantasy world does have its benefits.

Obviously not, given your fatalistic outlook.

[demi-conservative]

But to then declare that the early estimates are something like ten to one hundred times too high is both ridiculous and bizarre.

Perfectly reasonable given the lack of testing kits, and lots of infected not presenting as coronavirus.

[JonathanL]

Well, I have no doubt that living in a fantasy world does have its benefits.

Yeah, for one there's no need to worry about one's ultimate destiny and where you'll end up after your earthly life has ended if you don't believe in God and the afterlife. So yes, living in a fantasy world can indeed have it's benefits.

Too bad that benefit is ultimately an illusion though.

[Tassman]

Yep... nihilism is the only thing atheists have to look forward to.

Nihilism is the belief that life is meaningless. But life is not meaningless for atheists, it's just that it's based in reality rather than "pie in the sky when you die".

[seer]

Nihilism is the belief that life is meaningless. But life is not meaningless for atheists, it's just that it's based in reality rather than "pie in the sky when you die".

Atheism logically leads to existential nihilism:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existential_nihilism

Of course like a Stalin or a Jeffrey Dahmer you are free to make up your own meaning.

[Darfius]

faster than our predictions and than the data we got from China."

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...64997890154496

Is this virus really like the flu or are people like Mountain Man sinful idiots with no discernment who can't tell their elbow from a hole in the wall? I know which seems more likely to me.

[JimL]

faster than our predictions and than the data we got from China."

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...64997890154496

Is this virus really like the flu or are people like Mountain Man sinful idiots with no discernment who can't tell their elbow from a hole in the wall? I know which seems more likely to me.

Italy has just had to virtually quarantine a quarter of it's population.

[Mountain Man]

Is this virus really like the flu or are people like Mountain Man sinful idiots with no discernment who can't tell their elbow from a hole in the wall? I know which seems more likely to me.

So the guy who believes that demons are actively changing mankind's perception of history, and who believes that our own government is deliberately trying to infect its citizens, is telling me that being sober minded, carefully considering all information, and not rushing to press the panic button is sinful.

"Consider the source," as the saying goes.

[Mountain Man]

faster than our predictions and than the data we got from China."

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...64997890154496

Is this virus really like the flu or are people like Mountain Man sinful idiots with no discernment who can't tell their elbow from a hole in the wall? I know which seems more likely to me.

By the way, since you consider that Twitter post to be authoritative, you might want to read some other things he has to say in other tweets:

One problem specific to Italy is its aging population.

Another is that it's re-hiring retired doctors and nurses, a needed move which comes with its dangers, as being retired and being an health-care worker are both risk factors.

Another possible nonlinearity raising mortality.

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...29805097500672

He also seems to praise the US for quickly enacting travel bans which have not be comprehensively put into place in Italy:

I'm mostly worried for the Italian regions whose case count is still low, as it seems that too little is being done there to contain the spread.

I mean, the US is restricting travel from/to Lombardy but Abruzzo isn't? At least if not formally, by setting explicit warnings.

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...19371679326211

Other problems in Italy that are not necessarily common factors:

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...18057359097856

Again, it seems that the elderly are the most vulnerable, which is to be expected as they tend to be the ones most at risk from infectious diseases in general:

In Piedmont (my family's region):
- 108 cases
- 61 hospitalized
- 18 in ICU

Why so many in ICU?
- extremely old population
- undertesting
(anedoctally, my friend's coworker tested positive and she's simply in self-quarantine with no test unless she becomes symptomatic)

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...53308478156801

And another:

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...92328319672320

And then there's this:

https://twitter.com/DellAnnaLuca/sta...40178031394816

Yikes!

So the problem seems to be not necessarily the virus itself but Italy's response. As for the rest of the world, it's something which we certainly should be soberly concerned about, but I don't see any reason to start marching the streets while holding placards reading "The end is nigh!"

To put things into perspective:

https://www.thelocal.it/20180119/ita...on-in-14-years

Remember, only the most serious cases of COVID-19 are in the hospital. We still have no idea how many people might actually be infected but who suffer only mild symptoms and recover without treatment.

[JimL]

So the guy who believes that demons are actively changing mankind's perception of history.

I know, can you even imagine people believing in the existence of demons and that they act to effect mankinds thoughts and actions? Crazy isn't it?

[Mountain Man]

Representative Jackie Speier from California says that Trump should cancel his political rallies until the cornavirus is under control. Of course she didn't have a word of criticism for any of the Democrat candidates, including Crazy Bernie who recently drew a crowd of 15,000 to downtown Chicago (where statistically you have a significantly better chance of getting shot than getting sick).

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020...lling-rallies/

[JimL]

Representative Jackie Speier from California says that Trump should cancel his political rallies until the cornavirus is under control. Of course she didn't have a word of criticism for any of the Democrat candidates, including Crazy Bernie who recently drew a crowd of 15,000 to downtown Chicago (where statistically you have a significantly better chance of getting shot than getting sick).

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020...lling-rallies/

Perhaps, being the President, she's concerned about his health.

[simplicio]

Atheism logically leads to existential nihilism:



Of course like a Stalin or a Jeffrey Dahmer you are free to make up your own meaning.

As well as Franklin Grahem and Jeffress?