Cargo Cult Finds Beaches Empty

again

A story from the UK in two tweets, delivered by a member of the House of Commons:

Rachel Reeves @RachelReevesMP

I tested positive for Covid this morning. I've been for a PCR test and am self-isolating while I wait for the result - which means I sadly won't be able to vote on regulations today. If I could, I’d be voting in our country's best interest - in favour of new regulations.

Rachel Reeves @RachelReevesMP

I'm so grateful to have had the booster just three days ago. But this shows how much of a race against time it is to beat Omicron. Vaccines are our best weapon against Covid. Please get boosted as soon as you can to protect your friends, family and our NHS.

Triple-vaxxed, positive anyway, absolutely certain that vaccines are “our best weapon” against the thing she got despite having three doses. She’s a human houseplant, an empty skull perched on a neck.

Meanwhile at Cornell, a university with a vaccine mandate and a near-universal vaccination rate, 900 students (and counting) have tested positive for COVID-19, and the campus is shutting down. Compare these two paragraphs from that linked story:

"Virtually every case of the Omicron variant to date has been found in fully vaccinated students, a portion of whom had also received a booster shot," said Vice President for University Relations Joel Malina in a statement.

…and:

"Cornell is not requiring members of our community to receive a booster at this time; however, as breakthrough cases continue to occur, we encourage you to consider receiving a booster," officials said.

Everyone affected by X has done Y; therefore, you should also do Y, so you can avoid being affected by X.

It’s pure ritual chanting now, entirely mindless and automatic, the noise of wind blowing across the lip of an empty shell. I performed the ritual with the talisman to avoid the sickness; I got the sickness; you must also perform the ritual with the talisman, to avoid the sickness.

There’s no way this ends well.