And now a Treatise on the Ontological Relevance
of Transgressive Literary Devices in Sixteenth
Century Chaucerian Imitation Literature and
the Postmodern Condition.
HA!
No.
This isn’t the time for highfalutin video
essays that provide insight into the nature
of our modern world through critical analysis
of cultural texts – We’re in the middle
of a literal feckin’ pandemic!!!
So no messing around, here are my TOP 5 points
I want to make today about COVID-19 and what
we need to be doing right now.
1.
First and foremost, and this isn’t possible
for many working people, but if it is at all
possible, stay the hell at home!!
Even if you don’t have symptoms.
Read.
Watch some TV.
Listen to Irish rebel music.
Eat a few shpuds.
Repeat until the crisis has passed.
People under 40 have a 0.2% mortality rate,
so there’s a 99.8% chance that you will
be fine if you’re in that group, and given
that most of my viewers are between the ages
of 18 and 35, you’re probably going to be
okay.
By the way, I don’t know that because I’m
watching you through the camera on your device,
I know that because of Google analytics.
But you look good today – I like that style,
it suits you.
You might be infected by COVID-19 but asymptomatic.
This might make you think it’s okay to go
about your business like normal.
IT’S NOT.
It’s really not.
If at all possible, stay at home.
People over 80 have a 14.8% mortality rate
and you could infect them.
Lads, this isn’t the time for arsin’ around.
If you live with vulnerable groups, such as
the elderly, or people with compromised immune
systems, you need to keep yourself safe in
order to protect THEM.
And, you know yourself, the human race more
generally.
If possible, only leave your home to get food,
or to go to the pharmacy.
Social distancing is essential.
The messed-up thing is that most people don’t
have the privilege of self-isolation, especially
those in working class, precarious jobs, and
I know this is the case especially for comrades
in the US where there’s virtually no support,
financial or otherwise, for workers to take
time off.
This is a clear demonstration of the incompetence
of capitalism to deal with crisis situations.
Solidarity especially with nurses and doctors,
as well as service sector workers, those working
in supermarkets, etc.; you’re warriors fighting
on the front lines here.
The good news is if you’re unemployed like
me *thumbs up* then you don’t need to worry
about going into work and dealing with all
that stressful global pandemic… stuff.
Unless you’re super unemployed and you become
homeless, like the 10,000 people in Ireland
who…
Hey!
Completely unrelated note: I have a Patreon
– that’s a thing I have.
Help.
Please help me.
2.
Look after your community.
Have a grandparent?
How about an elderly neighbour?
Give them a call, maybe even Skype/facetime
them and check up on them every couple of
days.
Go get them food and medicine if necessary
and if you’re able, but keep your distance
(leave food outside their door, disinfect
everything you can, don’t come into direct
contact with them, etc.).
The last thing you want to do is accidentally
spread this infection – again, remember
that while you might not be showing any symptoms
but you might be carrying COVID-19.
3.
It’s becoming abundantly clear to everyone
that Capitalism is demonstrably unable to
cope with crisis situations.
Socialism, on the other hand, is proving itself
supreme – truly the political and economic
system of shiny golden gods a nd goddesses.
(Is there a gender-neutral form of that…?)
As the West flounders and falls into chaos
with soaring death rates, countries with (at
very least nominally) Marxist governments
are thriving and coming out the other side
of this crisis.
China and Cuba are sending aid to devastated
countries like Italy.
Cuba is accepting a stranded British cruise
ship in the Caribbean with 5 confirmed COVID-19
cases when nowhere else would.
Vietnam is also doing a phenomenal job of
containing the virus.
Look at this team of Chinese medical workers
– they look like they don’t have shit
under control?
*picture of Chinese medical team on horseback*
So while these countries are offering actual
international support and solidarity, countries
like the US and UK are content to let the
most vulnerable parts of even their own populations
die.
Just, literally die.
The UK especially has dug its heels in with
its desire to bring about “Herd immunity”.
This approach amounts to effectively culling
the population.
What?!
The British government simply letting inconvenient
members of their “Kingdom” die?
Who could have seen that happening?
Must be the first time in history that’s
ever happened…
*Come Out Ye Black and Tans*
4.
Which brings me to my next point.
It’s time to renew and reinvigorate our
fight for a 32-County SOCIALIST Republic of
Ireland.
Our unfinished revolution.
While the Irish Free State government hasn’t
exactly done a stellar job in dealing with
this crisis, I’ll concede to Leo and the
lads that it’s been head and shoulders above
the approach taken by the UK.
For example, pubs and schools have been closed
in the Southern 26 counties, while they remain
open in the 6 counties of the North.
Of course, COVID-19 won't respect the British-imposed
border on this island, and we in the 26 counties
will be forced to suffer the devastating fatal
consequences of Britain’s reckless laissez-faire
policies once again.
And, as we can see now clearer than ever,
socialist countries (and yes, I’m using
that term loosely) socialist countries are
the only ones capable of effectively dealing
with crises such as this.
Don’t believe me?
Then where’s our Horseback Socialist Super
Squad??
Yeah, exactly.
In Ireland we’re pretty excited about the
rise of Sinn Féin this year, but it’s not
going to be enough to just have a 32-county
bourgeois capitalist plutocracy.
We need a renewed fight, using any means necessary,
for a 32-County Socialist Republic now.
One where we collectively own everything from
the plough to the stars.
And, despite my respect and critical support
for Sinn Féin, this won’t happen through
the ballot box.
5.
Time to End All Imperial Rule In other news,
the European Union has announced that it’s
going to temporarily suspend state aid rules
to allow governments to invest in people and
economies.
Well that’s lovely.
Thanks very much, master EU, for finally letting
us decide what to do with our own country.
But here’s what this highlights: the “independent”
Republic of Ireland is not a sovereign nation
free to do as it pleases, we must always bow
down to the undemocratic institutionalised
neoliberal policies of the European Union.
Once, the British were our masters, and they
still are in the 6 counties, then we gained
FREEDOM for the Catholic church to be our
masters.
Then we finally threw off those shackles,
so that now the European Union can be our
masters.
Because apparently there’s no end to our
servility, and we’re determined to remain
in a state of constant subjugation.
But at least we can go on cheap visa-free
holidays to colonised archipelagos like the
Canary Islands and enjoy all the perks of
historical and modern European imperialistic
exploitation of the global south.
Social Europe, you know?
Participation in neo-colonialism and imperialism
is soooo progressive.
If we truly want economic liberty and national
sovereignty – if we want our 32-county Socialist
Republic of Ireland and this isn’t just
talk – it’ll be necessary for us to part
ways with the European Union.
Even the most modest of socialist policies
will never be possible within the regulatory
straitjacket of EU law, which is why the EU
has had to temporarily suspend these rules
to allow states to deal with this health crisis.
Anyway, I’ll conclude this video with some
wise words by the CPI, “What the Covid-19
pandemic has clearly shown is that under a
socialist system crisis can be contained,
controlled and avoided when the people of
a country have the ability to employ all the
resources available to them, for the benefit
of all the people.
It has also shown how barbaric a system can
be that is based on private ownership and
the necessity to seek profits.
[…]
Looking at you USA, and UK, and… well, basically
the rest of the capitalist world.
Fundamentally, what is needed is a democratic
all-Ireland economic strategy for the people.
An all-Ireland economic strategy in which
investment is democratically accountable to
and prioritised by the people.
An all-Ireland state investment bank to control
and target capital investment in environmentally
sustainable job creation, with universal public
housing, health services, and infrastructure.
A Bill of Rights for Workers and the repeal
of all anti-worker laws, north and south.
An economic and social strategy for challenging
and breaking the malaise and the stifling
grip of the euro and the EU.”
My deepest sympathies are with all of those
suffering directly and indirectly from this
health crisis, and my deepest respect to the
workers on the frontlines in hospitals, in
supermarkets, in pharmacies, those truckdrivers
transporting vital goods, keeping us all going.
You’re the real heroes of this crisis.
Thank you to William Leetch, Michaela Schmid,
Rare Hero, and the rest of my Patrons.
Stay safe out there everyone.
This too will pass.
Solidarity agus Slán go Fóill.
