COVID: Conversations & Controversy

Words: Faith Thurnwald
Artwork: Valentino Koch

COVID conversations, we’ve all had then. The dialogue surrounding COVID has separated society, family and friends alike. It’s the most controversial topic I’ve encountered, with even tight friend groups having very varied opinions. Where debates get heated on vaccinations and mandates, where only a cool margarita can calm the controversy.

Is it not from a point of privilege that we (the middle-class Aussie) can afford to have COVID conversations and become anti-vax? Would our opinions change, if we’d been in India amongst mass graves and funeral pyres or felt like pure uncut death with the virus running through our veins?

Misinformation gets passed around more than your mate’s bong, with memes and tweets spreading quicker than the virus itself. A tweet that stood out to me compared mandates to a communist Australia, a notion I find completely ridiculous and a testament to internet ignorance: ‘If you support the restrictions being imposed on unvaccinated people – you are actively advocating for a communist Australia’ (@theprimod). This incomprehensibly stupid statement gained some traction, with re-shares on Instagram stories and the like. Evidently it highlights ignorance surrounding communism in general, but to see something so blatantly incorrect really gets me pissy. The term this gentleman was looking for is perhaps dictatorial or authoritarian. Of course this could happen under an authoritarian communist regime, but it isn’t in itself communism. Furthermore an oppressive regime, be it dictatorial or authoritarian can occur in any political system; be it capitalism or communism.

This is not to say that I believe in the mandate. I find it unethical and a breach of ones freedom of choice; this is not the same as being anti-vax. One can still contract and spread the virus, once fully vaccinated, however it does decrease the severity of symptoms. Therefore the mandate cannot claim to be issued with the intention to decrease the spread, and then cannot blame the unvaccinated for the continued spread, so why a mandate? This would be relevant if the goal was to eradicate the virus, but its acknowledge that the virus is going to stick around, just like that guy that keeps messaging you 5 years on, good morning beautiful…

Covid conversations discuss the mandate as though it is a new concept, an infringement on freedom not seen before. It was not so long ago men were drafted, to go to war and literally die. This still occurs in many countries all around the world, not under communism, rather capitalism. In essence then, people are forced to put their lives in danger for the greater good of protecting the country, so not a huge difference there. Of course these can both be seen as an infringement on basic rights to autonomy, but hey… I bet the bat was so fucking yum it was all worth it.

…Anyway Rant Over.

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