I've developed a theory on how Americans are reacting to the Covid pandemic. I'm calling it *Coping with Loss: The 5 Stages of Covid Grief*, based on the famous 5 Stages of Grief by Elizabeth @KublerRoss (1969): 1. Denial 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance 1/8
During this pandemic, we are grieving & trying to cope with financial losses, lost educational opportunities, strained personal relationships, missed routines & so much more. But as we emerge from lockdown, we are now recovering by using the Kubler-Ross Model IN REVERSE. 2/8
Stage 1. Acceptance: We believed the doctors, scientists & politicians who convinced us to social distance, close non essential businesses & just #StayHome in order to #FlattenTheCurve & #SaveLives. We enthusiastically accepted the data and the science at face value. 3/8
Stage 2. Depression: Lockdown is lonely, stressful & depressing. Many have lost income & are relying on unemployment benefits, PPP loans & free food distributions from charities. Calls to suicide hotlines are up dramatically & liquor sales are skyrocketing. 4/8
Stage 3. Bargaining: Here we see a desperate attempt to convince the politicians to loosen the lockdown, permit low risk activities & restart the economy. The pleading by community leaders to open summer camps & unlock the playgrounds are some recent examples. 5/8
Stage 4. Anger: Our current stage of grief includes the defiance of the rules, in order to meet our needs for commerce, socialization, communal worship & participate in gatherings for social causes, as people emerge with pent up frustration, fueled by a 3 month lockdown. 6/8
Stage 5. Denial: I predict that many will soon ask if the shutdown was worth it. Though Covid was devastating for the elderly & sick, the overall population emerged unscathed from the illness, yet deeply hurt by the lockdown. Will masses ever agree to another lockdown again? 7/8
Many of the points in this *5 Stages of Covid Grief* thread have been raised by @benshapiro @SethAMandel @bethanyshondark @Cernovich @RonColeman @YossiGestetner @slowhoneybee @AGHamilton29 @redsteeze @DennisPrager @karol & more. May we all soon emerge from our national grief. 8/8
