Progressivism: It's Science!; Or: Do These People Ever Listen To Themselves?

One of the things that makes it hard to be objective about this sort of thing is...well...this sort of thing. 

Note that the two main options are: (a) I think COVID-19 is serious and (b) I'm sure it's a hoax. And although the essay is nominally about cognitive dissonance, the real topic is Orange Man Bad. Also note: 'freedom' in scare-quotes... Nice touch.

   These people are pathological.

   My acquaintances and colleagues aren't a representative sample...but I don't know anyone who thinks the BatFlu is a hoax. Nor do I know of anyone who thinks it can't kill you. But I know or know of lots of people who are borderline hysterical about the deadly, deadly bat-threat it poses to everyone, everywhere all the time. To summarize the main point one of one of my colleagues' questions to an administrator: why are we expected to do our job in order to receive our salary? Undoubtedly we'll end up facing more capitalism-related deaths...