HEROES AND VILLAINS

This banner is high on a wall of the enormous Barnes-Jewish Hospital / Washington University Medical Center complex. I've been repaired there a time or two. The American Heritage Dictionary defines hero as:

• n. In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods.
• n. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

Words are inadequate to express our appreciation for front-line medical workers. Courage, nobility and risk like no other. Then, on the other hand, we have the anti-public health, anti-vaccine people. I respect their right to speak but I don't respect their judgment. There was an interesting piece in The Conversation yesterday about what may happen with these people when a vaccine is developed. Could it be that the tables are turned and they become the object of rage by the rest of the country for prolonging danger and unemployment? And then we get into the questions about what society - all of us together, the national government if you want to call it that - must do to keep us fed and housed. John Maynard Keynes, where are you, now that we need you?

There are times I think a lot of us could use an intro course in epistemology but, as the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Or was the last word "think"? 

This probably qualifies as the occasional rant.