Comment by zahlman
9 hours ago
> The public thinks lives are infinitely valuable.
In rhetoric, yes. (At least, except when people are given the opportunity to appear virtuous by claiming that they would sacrifice themselves for others.)
In actions and revealed preferences, not so much.
It would be rather difficult to be a functional human being if one took that principle completely seriously, to its logical conclusion.
I can't recall ever hearing any calls for compulsory public interaction, only calls to stop forbidding various forms of public interaction.
The SHOW UP act was congressional republicans forcing the end of telework for federal workers, not for any rational basis. Teachers in Texas and Florida, where Republicans run things, staff were faced with show up in person (no remote learning) or quit.