‘We’re All in This Together’ Is the Dumbest Lie of the Coronavirus Pandemic
The expression is repeated over and over again, from politicians to Hollywood stars to earnest television anchors: “We’re all in this together.” But we are not. Glaringly, we are not. The phrase, said with a misty-eyed pride in all-leveling unity, is not reflected in reality.
First, look at those whom coronavirus has so far disproportionately affected: people of color and the poor. The world on the streets is visibly split between the masked and unmasked, those who are social distancing and those who are not, states that are open and states that are closed, people applauding nurses, and demonstrators shouting furiously at them. A survey released yesterday revealed a huge disparity between what Republican and Democrat voters think it is safe to do in lockdown.
We are far from all in this together, and telling us that we are is a feel-good rhetorical Band-Aid.