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Hiding in Plain Sight: More Emergence Observations
As quarantines relax, many urban residents show behavior that belongs to a stage of reopening not yet formally announced by government. In short, flouters adopt “Phase 2” activities in “Phase 1.” Is this a mostly harmless and realistic “cutting edge,” or impatience in the form of reckless abandon? What does this conduct tell us about urban dwellers’ response to change?
Interpretation of public health regulation varies between different generations and cultural traditions. Yesterday showed a daytime version of the scene along Richmond Riverside noted on Wednesday evening: premature group gatherings and disregard of current social distancing guidelines, amid compliant meetings and family outings.
Absent rigorous policing — which has been notably absent in the UK except for the most egregious violations — this compliance inquiry is purely academic. It may only be truly relevant to high-risk populations. But abstraction does not equate with irrelevance, especially when conduct still poses a health risk, or reminds us of those years of immortality that we all lived for at least a little while.
