When the virus first hit, most of us weren’t that worried. Media hype never quite matched reality once science went to work; at least that had been our experience in the past. It took a while, but eventually we realized that the “shit had hit the fan” and for once everyone was sprayed. Not just the dummies that made bad decisions or even those that skated close to edge; no, all of us were in a leaky boat with no bucket for bailing.
As more and more people died, there were attempts to stop the spread of the contagion. Federal and state quarantines. People headed to isolated areas hoping to avoid others. Local militias formed to limit contact inside and outside of communities. That most basic instinct of survival of the species buried deep in our DNA became the dominant value driving behavior as things kept getting worse. The social values of equality, self-determination, civic responsibility, fairness, equal justice, honesty and others died a slow death, but death all the same. The “rule of law” took on a whole new meaning to fit the new struggle for survival. The “rules” favored the fittest, those with the most useful skills. The “law” was swift and increasingly harsh and judgmental. No gray areas. No allowances for justification and mercy.
Social Values are the shared guidelines for social conduct. They help define general concepts of what is good or desirable in a culture. They provide stability and help define how the people govern themselves. Values such as individualism, equality, productivity, creativity are some of the values that are seen as American. Equality, honesty, impartial justice, responsibility, freedom of speech are other values frequently listed.