An Addendum to the Last Post

Matt's list of things the pandemic should force us to re-think is excellent -- but allow me to make a few additions:

1.) Matt noted that telework is a much better option for many white collar jobs -- and as someone who's currently teleworking, I'd have to agree. What I'd add, though, is that a lot of teaching and learning can be done this way too. I don't think we should get rid of physical schools entirely - the online option isn't going to work for every student - but teleschooling has many similar advantages. As Glenn Reynolds always says over at Instapundit, you're less likely to be bullied at an online school. Additionally, you can schedule classes for times when our teenagers will actually be awake and functional. And yes: parents can more easily monitor what's really being taught. (This prospect scares those teachers who wish to indoctrinate instead of teach. To that, I say: Good.)

2.) We should also be scrapping many regulations that got in the way of our emergency response. The TSA's ban on bottles of liquid larger than a few ounces., for example, is pure security theater -- as revealed by the fact that the rules were recently relaxed for hand-sanitizer. We should also be allowed to continue talking to doctors remotely if we so choose.

3.) We should strenuously resist all future attempts by environmentalists to push us into dense urban cores. As the Kung Flu has revealed, there's a fantastic reason why we all sprawled out into the suburbs and exurbs to begin with. Luckily, increased telework will allow us to reduce emissions without living cheek-by-jowl in germy high rises. 

4.) While we're on the subject of environmentalist hobby-horses: we should figure out a way to address the plastic pollution issue that does not involve getting rid of (more hygienic) disposables -- because clearly, plastic shopping bags exist for a good reason too.

And lastly...

5.) We should remember which authorities took advantage of this situation to impose ridiculous, over-the-top rules on their fellow citizens -- and we should never, EVER trust them again. Recall them, vote against them, sue them, demand they be fired (in the case of the police) -- use whatever legal means are at our disposal to drum these Karens out of their positions of power and replace them with people who will follow the actual science and treat us like sensible adults.

Give us liberty!