Sometimes I feel like I'm in one of those cheesy teen movies where jocks mock the nerds until tragedy befalls the jocks due to their own ignorance.
People are skeptical and argumentative about my choices, until they realize my predictions were right. But instead of admitting I am capable of logical strategic thinking, they accuse me of witchcraft. (Is it because I'm a woman?)
Either most people can't predict highly predictable consequences, or those are just the types of people who cling to me. I live in a city with one of the highest levels of education in the US, but you wouldn't guess it by people's poor judgment.
A few recent examples:
- C has a big birthday indoors this november and I'm one of only 3 wearing a mask out of a hundred. Predictably, everyone (except us 3 nerds) comes down deathly ill with covid. The ill act extremely surprised and regretful. C can physically no longer work due to covid and is super upset. The whole community was wiped out, but I feel great, so I deliver soups to the sick like fucking Mother Teresa, because I'm tired of being invited to funerals yo.
- N's family goes on a cruise insisting "covid is over" and "omicron is mild." I shake my head. Their fun was cut short after only a couple days because they all got covid and spent the rest of the pre-paid cruise in quarantine. Now they suffer long term health issues as a result.
- Privately knowing M will end up homeless if he keeps quitting jobs and binge drinking, or end up in a hospital if stops taking insulin. Both happen, and he says, "I never expected this to happen to me."
- K says I'm wrong to be diplomatic and altruistic, claiming only aggression leads to success. She is later fired and sued by multiple coworkers for harassment. I guess making enemies didn't work for her after all. She went from a high paying corporate career to homelessness. I live comfortably in a penthouse which I own, because I achieved my goals by working diplomatically with others, instead of sabotaging my reputation by attacking allies like K did.
- R arguing with me that his drinking is not a problem, he's healthy, and covid is no big deal. Can't even tell him I told you so because he died this October.
- C's dad is brainwashed by QAnon and thinks covid isn't real. He died of covid this fall also.
- My cousin flies from out of state to visit his elderly mom. He doesn't mask. He gives her covid and she dies days later.
I can't figure out if the covid-is-mild folks don't learn from others' mistakes because they aren't socially connected to enough people, or if they're just in denial.
I initially assumed people accepted risks knowingly after weighing pros and cons, but after seeing everyone's shocked reactions after the crowded indoor party, I am rethinking my assumption. They seemed 100% oblivious of risk, even after the fact.
Maybe masks went out of style in 2022, but I'd rather be out of style than dead. I have ... priorities.
I am not entirely exempt from foolishness. There is one mistake I repeatedly make, and that's M. At least I know what to expect and I recognize the pattern. I just choose to deal with the consequences of his issues when there's no better alternative. So it's never really a surprise. I'm never like, "this time I'm sure he won't relapse." He will.
I guess it's like that cheap cruise N's family couldn't resist. The price tag is cheap and sometimes you want a vacation so bad that you choose to ignore the warnings and deal with the consequences later.
(They were adamant they wouldn't get covid on a cruise and foresaw no consequences, but let's just pretend they used their brains, because I'm trying as hard as I can to relate to stupid people, to the point where I have to put myself in denial, out of pity.)
8:53 a.m. - 2022-12-01