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Patti Mulhearn Lydon, 68, doesn’t have the fondest from her time at the rock festival Woodstock in 1969. She was a 17-year-old high school student who was spent that weekend covered in mud, surrounded by thousands of people who most likely didn't wash their hands for 20 seconds, and she was definitely not six feet part.
It was 1969, obviously there was no coronavirus then.
Why does this matter?
Well in 1969, there was another global pandemic that happening that left one million people dead. Except then, humans were allowed to live their lives.
H3N2 (or the “Hong Kong flu,” as it was more popularly known) was an influenza strain that the New York Times described as “one of the worst in the nation’s history.”
However, this flu didn't shut down schools, face masks weren't required, sports and concerts still happened.
Woodstock, one of the most popular festivals, was not held in the peak months of this flu, but later on in the year it did happen.
“Life continued as normal,” said Jeffrey Tucker, the editorial director for the American Institute for Economic Research. “But as with now, no one knew for certain how deadly [the pandemic] would turn out to be. Regardless, people went on with their lives.”
So why in 2020 are we taking away our simple liberties of life? What is wrong with this generation and how can we get to be like 1969.
“That generation approached viruses with calm, rationality and intelligence,” Tucker said. “We left disease mitigation to medical professionals, individuals and families, rather than politics, politicians and government.”
Pandemics are serious. We should take precaution, but when you compare the two pandemics. 1969 survived it. They didn't destroy their economy and leave Americans without jobs.
So why can't we have our normal life?
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