Drew Millard: Time for some completely unhelpful game theory (The Outline)
Historical precedents and doomsday projections serve their purpose, but focusing on the worst-case scenario is a great way to make yourself sick with anxiety right now.
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Reading about the worst-case scenarios at a time like this is about as helpful as licking the handle of a shopping cart.
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I’m not saying that we should not be concerned about coronavirus. We most undoubtedly should be. But at a time like this, worst-case scenarios are not your friend, unless you like being friends with things that give you nightmares. It can be easy to catastrophize, to let your mind wander into doom and gloom, to feel like you have no control over events shaping your life, when you’re stuck inside seemingly watching the world crumble around you. It’s important to remember, though, that just as the coronavirus has enjoyed such a rapid spread because we live in such a physically connected world, our digitally connected world may just mitigate it.
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Just stay inside, stay safe, and stay away from that really scary coronavirus story, and the next one, and the one after that.