Wednesday, 29 April 2020
Why are the vulnerable vulnerable?
That the "vulnerable" are those most victimized by the latest infectious epidemic is no surprise and perhaps even less of a surprise that the most vulnerable of the vulnerable are those in long tem care establishments. The real questions are why are the vulnerable vulnerable, who are referenced so often now that they have become a kind of metereological human topic, as in like the weather vulnerability will always be with us. But, in fact, notwithstanding the fact of biological ageing extreme vulnerability is a consequence of socio-economic conditons. The poor sicken and die sooner than others. As for the extremely vulnerable in long term care they are extremely vulnerable because, simply put, they are, however fulsome current public expressions of sympathy, not a societal priority, primarily because, as in most cases no longer mearurably productive, they are unimportant for the economy and so esentiallly worthless, unlike those known as "elders" in first nations and other societies where age is respected. Responsible for the statistics then are: 1)inequality and 2)prejudice Get rid of the two and the current siutuation will not be repeated. A more equal, social, economy where all are responsible and respected for the contributions they make is the necessary basis for more effective reponses to the in fectious plagues that will, no doubt, continue to emerge as viral life forms identify ever new openings for their expansion.
# posted by Taodhg @ 9:08 am 
