Natural Selection: Alive and Doing Well in a COVID-19 World!

In my previous career as an evolutionary biologist, I studied how natural selection works and had many opportunities to observe it in action from the molecular to the ecosystem levels. In today’s COVID-19 world, it is alive and doing well–I am sorry to say.

The insanity of the ‘kids’ on spring breaks at the beaches, having COVID parties, etc., and all the irresponsible adults doing equally stupid things. Not to mention a President and his administration, minimizing, discounting and ignoring the science, and urging others to follow suit. It is like a bunch of lemmings running off a cliff, mindlessly following the person in front of them over the abyss to their deaths. The pandemic is raging out of control! Enters Natural Selection…

The infection rate is soaring, as are the related deaths. I know, let’s have a convention! Shove a lot of people in a big auditorium, and see how many people get infected. Cool. And the list goes on and on.

Natural selection rubs its hands together. It is drooling, salivating, at all the carnage. Yummy. Lunch is served. Be you one of the lemmings following their leader over the cliff edge and into the abyss of death? If so, more power to you. Enjoy the ride.

The CDC has put some very simple and straightforward guide lines: wash your hands a lot, practice social distancing, and, for god sake, wear a mask. The mask doesn’t protect you, it is for the protection of others. Take responsibility. Don’t share the “love,” that is, your COVID virus.

I have little concern for all the idiots out there doing stupid things, but I have great concern for all the innocent victims they infect: children, elderly, others that may be practicing the safety precautions, acting responsibly, and are trying to be careful.