Let’s consider a hypothetical scenario. Experts warn that a big, dangerous disaster is coming. But a large segment of the population decides to disregard it because, people reason, it surely will not affect them. But the problem arrives and hits the community anyway, causing widespread calamity, fear and anxiety. The situation seems to have no end in sight. Due to the nature of the disaster, it also causes isolation, which only perpetuates the fear, anxiety and frustration.
There are helpers working tirelessly to aid the community. The workers are so tired, they’re not sure if they can keep working. Even high-ranking elected officials are affected by this adversity. There is no one person to blame and no single person who can solve the problem. The infrastructure in place is too overwhelmed with the numbers of people needing assistance. Fatigue and exhaustion set in. People begin to cast judgment on one another, questioning why their fellow citizens had voluntarily put themselves in such conditions.
Some readers might have assumed that I was speaking of the coronavirus pandemic. I was actually referring to the situation where drivers were stranded on Interstate 95 in Virginia for more than 24 hours in the freezing cold. As I read stories about the ordeal motorists experienced, I easily replaced the words in my head about the pandemic. Replace being stuck in a car and isolated with being stuck at home. In both those cases, a person may be stuck in a situation without the necessary supplies or with someone who could wind up carelessly inflicting harm on others.
