So…
The other day I was walking home.
It was after an exciting trip to the market to buy broccoli – almost what qualifies as travelling these days – and I found a protest on my street.
There were a bunch of kids standing around, and one was prominently displaying a large Soviet flag.
They were protesting for some dumbass thing.
And for a moment I was tempted to judge them harshly – “Get a job and a haircut! Why, in my day! Etc.”
But then I remembered…
I actually used to be that kid with the Soviet flag.
Of course, this was long ago. I was young and uninformed.
But also, life as a teenager is often stupid and unfair, and one is subject to many pointless rules made by adults who are – quite frankly – mostly idiots.
So, in the spirit of understanding the younger generations, I’ve transcribed this real-life conversation between a Boomer and a member of GenZ – hereafter referred to as “Zoomer” about the recent Covid lockdowns and all the accompanying stupidity.
It went exactly like this…
Boomer: Hey, kid. There’s a virus out there. We’re gonna need you to stay home. Just two weeks to flatten the curve.
Zoomer: Okay, sounds reasonable.
[TWO WEEKS LATER]
Boomer: Oh, sorry, did I say two weeks? Actually, it’s going to be a LOOOOOTTT longer than that.
Zoomer: How long?
Boomer: Not sure. You’d better just stay indoors until we tell you otherwise.
Zoomer: I don’t like this plan.
Boomer: Would it comfort you to know that this is entirely for the benefit of people much older than you?
Zoomer: Not really.
Boomer: Well, it is.
[EIGHT WEEKS LATER]
Boomer: Okay, we’ve decided you can go outside again, but… this is tricky… Remember everything that used to bring you joy?
Zoomer: Sure! I love joy!
Boomer: Yeah, that’s all illegal now.
Zoomer: All of it?
Boomer: Well, most of it.
Zoomer: LIKE WHAT?
Boomer: Well, remember those events young people used to go to where you’d get together in groups, listen to music, and possibly have sex?
Zoomer: Bars? Concerts? Music festivals? Nightclubs?
Boomer: All illegal.
Zoomer: This is bullshit!
Boomer: We had it much worse during World War II.
Zoomer: What? You weren’t even born during World War II!
Boomer: Yeah, but my dad was. He told me a little bit about it. We’re tougher, my generation.
Zoomer: You were born in the 50s! You spent the 60s getting high and dodging the draft! And having unprotected sex with strangers you met at music festivals!!!
Boomer: Different times. We didn’t have viruses back then.
Zoomer: And then, you went to college, which cost you all of $400 a year, and then you got a job the day after graduation, and…
Boomer: Oh yeah, speaking of jobs… The economy’s going to be in the tank for YEARS after this. You should probably abandon all hope for your future now, just to make it easier later.
Zoomer: What, you want me to abandon ALL hope?
Boomer: All hopes and dreams, yes.
Zoomer: This is hard.
Boomer: You know what was hard? The war!
Zoomer: YOU WEREN’T IN THE WAR!
[NINE MONTHS LATER]
Boomer: Okay, so we’ve got a vaccine.
Zoomer: That’s great news! Does this mean things can go back to normal now?
Boomer: Oh, no! Far from it. You see, the vaccine might not be 100% effective, so everything you enjoy is still illegal.
Zoomer: Bruh! Fuck this shit!
Boomer: It’s okay, we’re working on a plan to get you back into algebra class… but we’ve got a lot of new arbitrary new rules we’ll need you to follow. I hope that’s okay. Well, no, actually, I don’t care if you think it’s okay.
Zoomer: When can I at least take off this mask?
Boomer: Take OFF the mask? Oh, never. Actually, you’ll have to wear TWO masks from now on.
Zoomer: Two masks? Why not just go for 17 masks?
Boomer: Seventeen masks? Hm. That’s not a bad idea, actually. I’ll make a note to petition the government to implement a 17-mask policy. It should be ready by about the time you go on summer vacation.
Zoomer: So we get to go on vacation?
Boomer: Oh, sorry. It’s just a figure of speech from the beforetimes. Vay-cay-shun. Sounds sort of weird now, doesn’t it?
Zoomer: Not really.
Boomer: Well, I think it does. Anyway, you won’t be going anywhere.
Zoomer: (Sobbing)
Boomer: You seem upset.
Zoomer: How long is this going to last?
Boomer: Only until every form of danger has been eliminated. Sooo… probably forever.
Zoomer: …
Boomer: You know, during the war…
AAAANNNDDD SCENE!
As I said, I used to be one of those kids.
One of those angry teens.
And you know what? I regret nothing.
I went to some protests that turned to riots, and I did some black bloc shit. We’re talking way back in like 2001 or something, during the anti-globalization fad.
Now, as I write this, there are police helicopters outside my window here in Barcelona.
La Vanguardia is reporting that anticapitalist youngsters are throwing molotov cocktails at police vans… Right here, right now.
Theoretically, the reason for all of this is the detention of the rapper Pablo Hasél, who did some stuff I discussed in my last article.
But let’s be real.
At least half of everyone is absolutely getting the shaft this last year of Covid-lockdown nonsense.
And the younger generations are probably getting the worst of it.
All the stupid rules to follow, no resources to do anything else but protest. Nobody gives a shit what young people think. Nobody even asked.
I’d be angry too.
Actually, I am fucking angry. I’m the angriest I’ve ever been at the incompetence of “adults”. And I haven’t even had my hopes and dreams crushed by these idiots who claim to be running the country.
I’ve got a lot going on, and I’ll be just fine.
In Spain or in a better country. I promise, I’ll be fine.
And – pardon the aside – lemme tell you about my experience with being an anticapitalist youngster who was at one point was (allegedly) involved with people who might have broken some stuff during protests…
That shit is pretty fun.
If we lived in a more civilized society, in which kids could do things like go out with their friends and get drunk and have sex on a Saturday night, maybe they wouldn’t be burning police vans.
But guess what?
EVERYTHING IS STILL ILLEGAL.
We’re a year into this shit.
And here in Barcelona, if you want to get a drink and stand around outdoors, possibly with friends, police will come and disperse you, using violence if necessary.
I see it basically every evening in my neighborhood: young, healthy people trying to enjoy their lives outdoors, being pushed around by police.
It’s bullshit.
People gotta live their fucking lives, and if you try to prohibit everything, remove all hope, and make once-beautiful cities into wastelands as bleak and useless as your dismal grey maskhole soul…
Well, someone who’s actually still got some spirit might just get angry about it. Some people don’t want to take these things lying down.
And I can’t judge them much at all. They’re just living. Fuck y’all cowards who wanna spend the rest of your lives in your jammy-jams watching Netflix because you’re terrified of breathing. It’s your life. Live it the best you can.
Or don’t. I don’t care anymore.
Either way, don’t try to impose your personal bullshit on others.
Because there’s more to life than avoiding danger.
“Be safe” is a philosophy for idiots.
We’re all gonna die eventually.
Let’s live while we can.
Pissed-offedly yours,
Mr Chorizo.
P.S. I’m not sure what my P.S. is today, but I guess I could link to my article about how I got the coronavirus. Or, uh… Nah, nothing. Just go live your damn life. Carpe the shit outta this diem. And don’t let the maskholes get you down. Life is out there. Peace!
Here’s another act my friend!
Boomer/govt: you gotta stay inside it’s for your safety
Zoomer: Really? All the data points to this virus statistically not being a problem for people my age.
Boomer/govt: STFU and obey! Are you smarter than the experts? You COULD have side effects that last for who knows how long.
Zoomer: Anything is possible, but if I stay inside and you shut down everything I’ll be depressed and not be able to work and that sucks too. Am I supposed to never get in a car again because I MIGHT get in an accident? Besides I already got the virus and recovered so my immune system knows how to deal with this and I’m good to go. Let me be free!
Boomer/govt: This is somehow some kind of different virus (although we also at the same time guarantee it was not engineered in a lab) that you can get reinfected 15 billion times and after 14 billion times you DIE! Even if you don’t have the virus you can somehow pass it to us old people and KILL us, so put on 17 masks and stay the fuck at home because you’re reckless and irresponsible and KILLING old people. Oh and BTW somehow even though you can get reinfected a billion times we’re working on vaccine that shows your immune system the virus so you don’t get infected.
Zoomer: Why don’t people who are likely to have severe reactions to this virus (i.e. old people and people who have failed to take care of themselves) stay home and let the rest of us continue life as we see fit.
Boomer/govt: You’re a “negacionista”
Zoomer: Not really. I know the virus exists, I just think you guys are being slightly insane about how to deal with this. It’s a reality we have to live with, no?
Boomer/govt: Stay at home from 8PM – 8AM. It’s for your safety.
Zoomer: WTF? That doesn’t even make sense, it’s not like the virus deactivates in the day and activates at night. This is just control and nothing else.
Boomer/govt: Hey negacionista: Stay at home or we’ll send the police to give you fines and to hit you with sticks.
Zoomer: Okay, now I’m pissed.
Boomer/govt: That’s violence. Your not allowed to go out and say anything against us. We made a law against protesting in Spain back in 2015 and although we said we’d overturn it, it’s a really convenient law for us so we’ll just use it more now than anyone ever has.
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1366879139341492226?s=20
Yes, this all makes me angry, too! Thank you for the humor. It is the only way we can criticize it now. Being in Canada, the people around me are ok with whatever the government mandates. Recently, in Ontario, they outlawed pretty much any unnecessary travel as well as outdoor activities. Imagine living in such a cold place with crappy weather and not being able to enjoy hockey or skiing. I was in a fb group for Ontario (though I live in SK) and a person asked about nice scenic places they could drive to (and not get out of their car mind you). The backlash this person received was shocking. This makes me miss my redneck family in the South! I don’t think I can let my American redneck be silenced anymore though. I’m just going to be honest about how I feel. I am pregnant now and everyone is asking me when I’ll get the vaccine. I’m like…I’ll hold off as long as I can because:
A. They haven’t tested this on pregnant moms.
B. I might want to have more kids and no one really knows if this will affect fertility.
Of course, I will be judged for this decision. My friend the other day made the comment, “But since you’re going to be a mom don’t you want to make sure you’re alive for your children?”
It is our body though, our livelihoods…grrr…I do think this is ending a lot of friendships.
I’m with you on every point of this… And it’s already ended a few of my friendships. Move forward! There are a lot of people out there who are still not assholes 🙂
LOL. Generations nowadays.