The COVID-19 panic and fear in the world

Frederic remarks that he finds the current circus humorous, and the Wonders add that it is also tragic, pointing to people so afraid that they need someone to tell them to stop being afraid.

Frederic recalls an earlier analogy of a child craving sugar and eating more and more until sick of it, applied to humanity's appetite for fear, and asks whether the point of exhaustion is centuries away; the Wonders say that is how it looks, with much happening in between.

They describe the fear generated around COVID-19, called a pandemic by the WHO, as out of proportion to the reality of its existence, with no one saying so.

Governments, they say, are so afraid of the population's judgment through social media that they react to the social media population rather than the population itself, and social media is dominated by the fearful; hence leaders declaring they have or may have it, countries shutting down and multinational corporations closing, all from fear.

They pose the question of what better way there would be for one country to take over another than by propagating fear, calling the situation a perfect storm - the fear is real but unnecessary, though there will still be effects in the world.

They cite Canada's health minister stating that 30 to 70 percent of the population could contract COVID-19, which at a 2 percent death rate implies some 490,000 deaths, and ask whether such a statement does not itself fuel fear - the kind of statement politicians make because they too are fueled by fear.

Frederic notes one personal advantage: after months of failing to arrange remote work, he can now do it.

The Wonders advise him to stay on top of that and negotiate the arrangement after the COVID-19 fear expires, when he will be able to set his terms much better in a few months.

The exchange ends with jokes about fighting over toilet paper.