Today’s Photo Challenge might be a downer, compared to the other posts that I have been reading.  My apologies, but the examples of communication below are what I have been noticing around me since about February of this year.  The Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic has adversely affected pretty much everyone in the world.  Countries, especially in Africa and Asia, that were already in poverty have been reduced to even worse poverty, as the result of the widespread government shutdowns of their economies.  The United States, perhaps the world’s most successful country, coming off of three years of exploding economic growth and record-low unemployment, was knocked, in a very short time, into the depths of recession, when state governors basically shut down their economies, throwing millions of Americans out of work all at once.  What does this say about America?

And this:

Just two more small businesses, ruined not by the Wuhan Coronavirus, but by Government.  The Sweet Shoppe was one of my favorite places in LaConner.

What might be the actual meaning behind this ubiquitous sign, found on the door of every business in the state of Washington?

The real meaning of this sign, and all others like it is: Every single person walking through this door is assumed to be infected by the Wuhan Coronavirus.  It means that the employees and owners of this business must be protected from their customers, who are all assumed to be infected.

Yesterday, I went to our local supermarket.  This is what I saw.

These pictures all say to me: We are compliant with Government Edicts that everyone in the state shall wear a mask while inside any building (and even outside).  The pictures say to me that everyone in the State of Washington is afraid of being infected by every other person in the state.  Now, these pictures may not communicate those ideas to everyone.  Some may interpret the idea as “I am wearing a mask to protect those around me from the Deadly Wuhan Coronavirus, and they are wearing masks to protect ME from the Deadly Wuhan Coronavirus“, not thinking the one step further, that it means we assume everyone is infected.

Last evening, my husband and I went out for dinner, to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary.  We went to one of our favorite restaurants, Maggiano’s.  Normally, that restaurant is crowded, and the waiting area is full of diners waiting for tables.  This is what Maggiano’s looked like last night.

The waiting area was empty, too.  No people, just the two of us waiting for our table.

The bar at Maggiano’s is usually a hopping place, with locals having drinks with their friends, and tables and the bar full.  No more.

Half the tables in the main dining room were empty.  Social Distancing, meaning we are to be separated from all other people, to avoid being infected.  Assumption: all are infected.  One result: restaurant must raise prices on the diners they have, since they are prevented from filling all their tables with happy eaters.

Whenever you leave your table, you must cover your face.  No one can see you smile.

We humans communicate with each other by facial expressions; smiles, frowns, laughs.  That major method of communication has been cut off.  Now, there is no way for you to know whether your server appreciates the big tip you gave her, since you cannot see her face.  Now, you cannot hear much of what your server says to you, through the mask that muffles her voice.

Humans must communicate with all others in their environment. and wearing masks prevents this.  I hope and pray that we all come out of this horrific situation still thinking well of our neighbors and coworkers; and that the War of All Against All will end without all people losing trust in all other people.

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