# Why hasn't the media rubbed our noses in COVID deaths? It might be the thing that saves us **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [November 27, 2020, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555 "2020-11-27T05:43:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/103 "2020-12-03T02:13:30Z")
> [@FigNorton](#): > > Yeah, the OP is wrong. The regular channels have shown lots of freezer trucks and body bags. No, they really have not. I have no doubt you can find me some pics or videos out there but these are not features on MSM channels or channels like FOX. They will talk about it but the visceral pictures and videos…barely. (I have seen a bit more of tired medical workers.) This was in comparison the how they treated the Vietnam War where you really could not avoid the pictures of horrors in Vietnam and caskets coming off planes on a regular basis. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/104 "2020-12-03T02:16:11Z")
Ok, I’m gonna go there: do you have anything other than 50 yr old memories to compare Vietnam War coverage with Covid coverage? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/105 "2020-12-03T02:21:15Z")
Have you seen anything like this for COVID coverage? [https://www.google.com/search?q=life+magazine+vietnam+war&rlz=1C1GCEA\_enUS868US868&sxsrf=ALeKk02tHrOdhbl9juB3JRBHfzFBcYm25Q:1606962040367&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDndWM4LDtAhWxRjABHVXqAv4Q\_AUoAXoECCIQAw&biw=2560&bih=1329](https://www.google.com/search?q=life+magazine+vietnam+war&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS868US868&sxsrf=ALeKk02tHrOdhbl9juB3JRBHfzFBcYm25Q:1606962040367&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDndWM4LDtAhWxRjABHVXqAv4Q_AUoAXoECCIQAw&biw=2560&bih=1329) ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/106 "2020-12-03T02:23:52Z")
Well, no. I’m sorry to tell you, Life magazine has been gone for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/107 "2020-12-03T02:24:46Z")
So? They were very mainstream at the time with a huge circulation. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/108 "2020-12-03T02:26:17Z")
Like this? [https://www.google.com/search?q=covid+new+york+times+cover&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjYwdKG4bDtAhWSHuwKHfreAPEQ2-cCegQIABAB&oq=vovudr%2Bnew%2Byork%2Btimes&gs\_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQARgAMgYIABANEB4yCAgAEAgQDRAeMggIABAIEA0QHjIICAAQCBANEB4yCAgAEAgQDRAeOgQIIxAnOgYIABAIEB46BAgeEApQ9TFYl15gy4UBaAFwAHgAgAHVCogBtiGSAQkwLjUuOS43LTGYAQCgAQHAAQE&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=eEzIX9ilCpK9sAf6vYOIDw&bih=1329&biw=2560&rlz=1C1GCEA\_enUS868US868](https://www.google.com/search?q=covid+new+york+times+cover&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjYwdKG4bDtAhWSHuwKHfreAPEQ2-cCegQIABAB&oq=vovudr%2Bnew%2Byork%2Btimes&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQARgAMgYIABANEB4yCAgAEAgQDRAeMggIABAIEA0QHjIICAAQCBANEB4yCAgAEAgQDRAeOgQIIxAnOgYIABAIEB46BAgeEApQ9TFYl15gy4UBaAFwAHgAgAHVCogBtiGSAQkwLjUuOS43LTGYAQCgAQHAAQE&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=eEzIX9ilCpK9sAf6vYOIDw&bih=1329&biw=2560&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS868US868) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/109 "2020-12-03T02:27:06Z")
Maybe your search looks different but I am not seeing the pictures of the horror like this: [https://www.google.com/search?q=vietnam+war+new+york+times&rlz=1C1GCEA\_enUS868US868&sxsrf=ALeKk01dyWlasTOf1kDP5Wcsg5oERALjDg:1606962208061&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFptDc4LDtAhXgSzABHX7YCgAQ\_AUoAnoECBIQBA&biw=2560&bih=1329](https://www.google.com/search?q=vietnam+war+new+york+times&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS868US868&sxsrf=ALeKk01dyWlasTOf1kDP5Wcsg5oERALjDg:1606962208061&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFptDc4LDtAhXgSzABHX7YCgAQ_AUoAnoECBIQBA&biw=2560&bih=1329) Also note headline sizes and prominence. Honestly, I only see one prominent headline in your search about this. Here is Time Magazine which is still around: [https://www.google.com/search?q=time+magazine+vietnam+war+protests&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjJ982h4rDtAhUDz6wKHa6YAbYQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=time+magazine+vietnam+war&gs\_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgYIABAFEB46BAgjECc6BQgAELEDOgQIABBDOggIABCxAxCDAToHCAAQsQMQQzoGCAAQCBAeOgQIABAYUNi8AVi4-AFghvwBaABwAHgAgAFmiAHOCJIBBDE2LjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=vU3IX4mlCYOeswWusYawCw&bih=1329&biw=2560&rlz=1C1GCEA\_enUS868US868](https://www.google.com/search?q=time+magazine+vietnam+war+protests&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjJ982h4rDtAhUDz6wKHa6YAbYQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=time+magazine+vietnam+war&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgYIABAFEB46BAgjECc6BQgAELEDOgQIABBDOggIABCxAxCDAToHCAAQsQMQQzoGCAAQCBAeOgQIABAYUNi8AVi4-AFghvwBaABwAHgAgAFmiAHOCJIBBDE2LjGYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ABAQ&sclient=img&ei=vU3IX4mlCYOeswWusYawCw&bih=1329&biw=2560&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS868US868) Vs COVID: [https://www.google.com/search?q=time+magazine+covid&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwic2bqx4rDtAhUSyKwKHeQ0DRMQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=time+magazine+covid&gs\_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADoHCAAQsQMQQzoECAAQQzoFCAAQsQNQhtACWOnWAmCX4gJoAHAAeACAAXaIAdcCkgEDNC4xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=3k3IX5zyF5KQswXk6bSYAQ&bih=1329&biw=2560&rlz=1C1GCEA\_enUS868US868](https://www.google.com/search?q=time+magazine+covid&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwic2bqx4rDtAhUSyKwKHeQ0DRMQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=time+magazine+covid&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADoHCAAQsQMQQzoECAAQQzoFCAAQsQNQhtACWOnWAmCX4gJoAHAAeACAAXaIAdcCkgEDNC4xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=3k3IX5zyF5KQswXk6bSYAQ&bih=1329&biw=2560&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS868US868) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/110 "2020-12-03T02:40:15Z")
But we DID have the big _“look at this, this is terrible, the hospitalizations, the deaths, the mobile body storage, the overwhelmed medical workers!”_ coverage. Back in the First Wave. Then _some_ actions **were** taken, and there was a moderate flattening so total catastrophic collapse was avoided… and then the crisis simply stayed at medium simmer. And that continued medium simmer has had some effects that many here do not welcome: for some people, crisis fatigue has developed; for others, fatalism about there being nothing we can do; for yet others the long medium simmer has raised their threshold of sensitivity so they no longer see it as so bad after all. Hard to believe, I know. Sorry to say it, **Whack-a-Mole** , but I remain under the impression that nevermind if any reporting like that happens, _for today’s American public_, it will **not** have an effect to drive them to say _“YES! We will make any sacrifice, pay any cost!!”_ until as I wrote they see their neighbors’ and relatives’ bodies piling up. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/111 "2020-12-03T02:46:17Z")
But you realize, war is actually more horrible, right? You can’t make covid look as bad as firebombing cities? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/112 "2020-12-03T02:49:55Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Sorry to say it, **Whack-a-Mole** , but I remain under the impression that nevermind if any reporting like that happens, _for today’s American public_ , it will **not** have an effect to drive them to say _“YES! We will make any sacrifice, pay any cost!!”_ until as I wrote they see their neighbors’ and relatives’ bodies piling up. I think the first step to solving an issue is for everyone to agree on the same base facts. In this case that there is, indeed, a dangerous pandemic out there that can cause serious problems to society. After that everyone can argue about what an appropriate response is (which some may say is “do nothing, suck it up.”) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/113 "2020-12-03T02:50:25Z")
Now you are moving the goal posts. ---
**Author:** ![FigNorton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fignorton/32/5619_2.png) [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/114 "2020-12-03T02:52:05Z")
I most certainly am not. You want pictures of horror like Vietnam spread across the papers but about Covid. That’s completely impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/115 "2020-12-03T02:55:52Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > “Rubbed raw”? > > The whole point of the OP is that they are not having their noses rubbed in it and can more easily pretend that the whole thing is a hoax. > > Country once upset at 50,000 needless deaths now seems ok with 250,000. The people I referred to as having their nose rubbed raw are the 14 million unemployed and those they support. So while you’re waxing nostalgic looking at war pictures there’s a shit-ton of people in financial hell. And to that list you can add students struggling with school and the stress that puts on parents whether they’re unemployed or not. Your comparison with war misses the mark because it is the young people beginning their adult life who die and not people who are in the end-stage of life. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/116 "2020-12-03T02:55:54Z")
You asked for proof of my fallible 50 year old memory. I did that. Now your contention is that COVID just isn’t as photogenic as a firebombing. A perfect example of moving the goal posts. The pics don’t exist to your pics aren’t interesting enough. You changed the standard. I think there is plenty of drama to be seen in photos of people overloading ICUs and corpse trucks and whatnot. Maybe not as dramatic as a firebombing but plenty of drama to be had. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/117 "2020-12-03T02:59:15Z")
Countries that bit the bullet and took the initial hit are faring much better than the US where people are still happy to gather and continue the shit-show. If many people took this seriously we may have mitigated the hell you speak of. But nearly half the country has been willful in flouting restrictions then bitch that the consequences are coming home to roost. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/118 "2020-12-03T03:23:11Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > f many people took this seriously we may have mitigated the hell you speak of. But nearly half the country has been willful in flouting restrictions then bitch that the consequences are coming home to roost. Half the country had very low numbers for months on end. It’s not economically feasible to hide under a rock for 8 months. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/120 "2020-12-03T05:10:13Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > And that weirdly assumes it isn’t so bad if grandma and grandpa shuffle off this mortal coil. If you (general “you”) are a bit lucky you will be in your 70s-80s someday. I invite you to consider how ok you would be with society deciding you dying is kinda ok. I invite you to consider that dying of old age has been “kinda ok” throughout recorded history. Nobody wants to die, but we all do eventually, and so far there’s nothing to prevent that, certainly not all the hand-wringing that’s done. BTW, I am 70, and I wear a mask. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/121 "2020-12-03T11:35:48Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I think the first step to solving an issue is for everyone to agree on the same base facts. (nostalgic sigh) ---
**Author:** ![SayTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@SayTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SayTwo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/122 "2020-12-03T12:36:44Z")
I don’t think the issue is at all about agreeing on base facts. (Or at least, in as much as there will ever be ‘base facts’, about some things that are hard to measure or determine.) The issue is, and has always been, about what to do with those facts. It has been evident, for example, from fairly early on that kids seem relatively safe. I don’t think the established knowledge about that has changed in a significant way for quite a long time now. But we still can’t seem to decide if that means we can get them back in school or not. There is huge disagreement about that, despite more or less universal agreement about the ‘base facts’ about risk to the child. And when it comes to dining, there still isn’t a whole lot in the way of ‘base facts’ that demonstrates spread has happened more there than it has in other common places. In fact, there seem to be a number of contact tracing studies that demonstrate it doesn’t. But I guess to many people it _seems_ like it does, or should, and that’s the base they are starting from. That might be a base of logic, or reasoning, yes. But it’s not a fact. What would really, really help in all this is for both sides to agree that neither has a monopoly on truth. That there is much still unknown. That even if it all _were_ known, different approaches might work in different places, or that optimal action on a societal level will probably, by necessity, still entail suffering on an individual level. There’s no clear win here that serves every single interest. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555/123 "2020-12-03T23:38:46Z")
That we are all mortal is not in question. It’s other people deciding that I am expendable that I take issue with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-media-rubbed-our-noses-in-covid-deaths-it-might-be-the-thing-that-saves-us/926555.md?page=7)