Two sides to every story? Or just one?

Vending machine selling face masks and hand sanitiser

This will probably please nobody...

It seems to me that at the moment in the UK there are two camps. 

There are the Covid19 deniers. I'm sorry, but at the moment it is as if even the conspiracy theorists have gone nasty. You used to be so sweet, so free in thought. Now it is all so cruel in debate. That's not free thought is it? But, you are getting demonised and are not in power, so you have an excuse.

The second camp are the freedom deniers. All is peachy with them. Some are thriving. To them, the BBC tell the truth. The Government are only trying their very best. The NHS are nothing less than angels. The Queen is surely in 24/7 prayer for us all.

In this camp, it is 'socially illegal' to question. You would have thought that the greatest argument for this camp would be that not taking the vaccine is a kind of ignorance. Nope. It's largely just about shutting down any discussion or debate. Not clever.

Clearly, neither side will work together. Which is a bit of a shame, because the 'coronavirus deniers' do have some rather good points at times, concerning the way in which the vaccine has been rolled out so quickly and about the way in which discussions are going on in Government. And concerning granting greater access or travel rights to those who take the vaccine and restricting those who do not. And yes, concerning the precedents which are being set for the future.

It seems to me that both sides in this polarised debate are in denial. The alternative thinkers say that when you look into it, the entire pandemic is not actually so bad. And the majority seem to be entirely in denial about the unprecedented restrictions in freedoms and the knock-on economic and social aspects of the Government edicts.

It is not unusual to hear people, out and about, complaining about other people out and about. Put a post on Facebook showing how everyone is not obeying the rules (whilst outside, taking the photo or video). We basically have zero self awareness. Of course, I am only speaking for myself.

The most worrying thing is that both freedom of thought and freedom of expression have been so oppressed during this. It is, as they say, life and death

This is not a prison camp. There should be no thought crime. We are allowed to think freely and express thoughts freely. That is kind of important. Both camps should attempt to work together. But the established media has basically polarised all remaining debate and, in my opinion is currently at its worst since the death of Princess Diana. Specifically because Government rules are effectively repeated to us rather than questioned (on the whole). 

It is not unusual to wake and reasonably ask 'So what can't we do today?' But careful, even questions like this may not be allowed tomorrow.

What I think may be most worrying is that this blog comment post is coming from a moderate voice. In a way it is anodyne. And yet, even so, it appears entirely outrageous. That is a problem really isn't it? Something is not right. 

Clearly all is being done for the greater good - whatever other way of thinking could there be?

Of course I have generalised and simplified the situation in both society and media. And perhaps it is only people like myself who are in denial. But at least I know it. 

And THAT is the only difference.