Compliance – Friday Rambling Week 13

Compliance is a tricky, misleading word. Even the definition is a bit contradictory when attempting to define all the nuances of the locution.

Compliance:

1a: The act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion. 1b: Conformity in fulfilling official requirements.

2: a disposition to yield to others

3: the ability of an object to yield elastically when a force is applied aka flexibility.

Did you catch the turn of phrase? Coercion. The definition starts off implying that you have a choice to take action yourself and then adds that being forced can also be considered “compliance.”

One of my current choices is an unpopular one. I’m not lining up to get my vaccine. I may feel the desire to get it at some point in the future, but I’m not anxious to receive it right now. I answer honestly when asked and have to hear all about it. From co-workers to friends…family to “perfect” strangers.

I wear a mask and social distance. I’ve been told for over a year that’s how to avoid the virus. Technically, if I’m in a room with someone riddled with the illness and we’re wearing masks and maintaining a distance, everything should be fine. Right? Either we believe what the ever-changing precautions from the CDC say or we don’t.

I’m happy for you if you’ve made a choice to be vaccinated. Congratulations! I see all the pictures- like you just voted or received an Oscar for the first time. You’re safe now, right? Protected from Covid? You can stop spouting off about how everyone needs to get it, but I know you won’t. You’ll whine, cry or throw the occasional tantrum. You’ll say really awful things like- you deserve to die if you don’t get vaccinated. You’ll talk about deaths of friends and family, practically accusing a differing opinion as some far-fetched collusion with the virus. (Sweet, caring sentiments).

I’ve heard for decades the feminist cry of: “My body, my choice.” Whether I agree or disagree with that statement is not the issue- the point being that if someone has held that as a belief and now argues vaccinations should be a mandatory requirement: You’re a hypocrite…only wanting someone to have the choice to do with their body what you think is right. And I know those that do this couldn’t possibly consider themselves a hypocrite…everything you say is for the greater good. You’re better, smarter, more dialed in or woke. Blah, blah, blah.

So, as the human race continually seems to acquire softer and softer underbellies, we decide to live and die on hills that will erode over time and barely make a blip on the annals of history.

There are a diverse number of deeper concerns that infest my thinking: Mental health issues, the child sex trade industry, slavery of any kind, food insecurity, racism, etc.

There are even trivial issues that occupy too much of my brain, like why was country music suddenly playing at my neighborhood Walgreen’s yesterday? How long is that car going to have its blinker on before it actually makes a turn? Who was the first person to crack an oyster and think, “Mmm, that looks edible, maybe I’ll even try it raw.”

Besides this little blog post, the vaccine really hasn’t been too visible on my radar but, like I said, I may very well roll up my sleeve for it one day. It will be because I make a choice to be compliant- not because I was coerced.

Have a great weekend, friends! Love you!! ❤

“If we wish to preserve a free society, it is essential that we recognize that the desirability of a particular object is not sufficient justification for the use of coercion.” – Friedrich August von Hayek

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” – 1 Peter 3:8