Face up to fear
Donald Rumsfeld said: “There are ‘known knowns’ (things we know that we know). There are ‘known unknowns’ (things we know we don’ t know ). But there are also ‘unknown unknowns’ (things we don’t know we don’ t know )”. For reasons best known to themselves, the‘ bi en pens ant’ derided this observation, but it certainly helps explain our hysterical over-reaction to Covid-19.
Every decision taken in Bute House and No 10 which damaged our economy was based on dodgy data. After all the false medical statistics we now know C ovid hastened death for only two groups: the very old and the already very ill. As Churchill would have said :“Never in the history of human medicine has so much been sacrificed by so many to prolong the last days of so few.”
Sweden has shown lockdown is not a ‘given’. Our kids need to be back in school; our factories, shops, hotels, restaurants, gyms, etc reopened. We have to get back to normal or there will never be a normal again.
And we must stop trembling with fear because there might be a passing risk involved, because the problem with fear is simply this: either you beat it or it beats you.
(REV DR) JOHN CAMERON
Howard Place, St Andrews
Much has been made about the return of our children to their classrooms but Monday marked a similarly significant event for a group of men for whom the classroom is a distant memory–the varied ranks of five-a-side and sevena-side enthusiasts.
Our club, Reith Rovers FC (sic), is ten years older than the Scottish Premier League, established as a mixed age and mixed ability( very) activity, the players are split into
two sides who compete with... enthusiasm, for the all important bragging rights.
Three of us are in our sixties, one of whom is an old pro (who’s still got it, by the way, whereas I never had it.)
But where kids’ return to the classroom is seen as important to their mental health as well as their education, our return to 4G is just as important in clearing our heads. The
impact on our knees is less beneficial!
KIT FRASER Belhaven High Street, Dunbar