To enter the Nathan Wolfe Essay Contest, place your thoughts regrading the following questions below as a response to this post:
“What would you speculate to be the most significant societal impact(s) [e.g., economic, political, cultural, etc.] should a national epidemic arise from a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus?”
Best of Luck!!!
There are various societal impacts that would be significant should a national epidemic arise from a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus. The most significant societal impact would be cultural wise. Many cultures do not have the resources necessary to handle unknown viruses. Without the necessary resources, this unknown virus could have the potential to cause a worldwide epidemic. Cultures also practice medical sciences from different perspectives and do not necessarily know how to handle the vast unknown in the world of viruses. Economic status would also be a societal impact. The economies are not all efficient as we would like them to be and may not necessarily be equipped to handle the unknown, Ebola-like virus. The economy may not have the necessary skills to keep society safe and unharmed. Preparedness is one battle that can be fought in society should a national epidemic arise from a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus. This can also be a learning experience for how to better handle epidemics and how society can make a large impact culturally and economically.
ReplyDeleteAn epidemic arises in the United States. Transportation is impacted greatly. In large cities, the main methods of transportation are public (bus, taxi, subway), but now we must find alternative means of travel. Workers are forced to vacate their jobs, leaving businesses understaffed. Wages increase as companies become desperate to maintain production and service. With this salary increase, the working class rises in status because those who can work are those who have not been infected—survival of the fittest. The rich spend large amounts of money attempting to protect themselves, meaning a stimulation in the economy. Countries that have not been exposed to our epidemic are now refusing to trade with us for fear of contamination; this keeps our money here and forces us to support ourselves with local businesses. There is less distinction between the rich and the poor: we are now divided into healthy and infected. Life is thought of differently and less is taken for granted. People have learned that we must make difficult choices to survive so that we can be happy in the long run, after the sickness has been eradicated. Something so devastating can bring good in the end.
ReplyDeleteImagine waking up and scrolling through your Twitter timeline, only to see endless Tweets stating, "Officials Order Quarantine in New York City!". Your heart begins to pound uncontrollably, and panic erupts inside but you cannot speak. You check various sources, hoping it can only be a finely conducted hoax of Orson Welles'-like proportions. Endless Vines are retweeted which show citizens, from all over the country, falling to the illness in public as others gather around in complete shock. As they observe this situation, the virus creeps into the air. Eventually, it stealthily finds its way into those watching like the silence of a snowflake as it falls. The initial outbreak is what truly makes or breaks the situation though. What is unnerving is that with our current societal views on law enforcement officials, an outbreak may start chaos. Imagine an officer answering to a call in a lower-class, urban, neighborhood about a junkie who is convulsing in the middle of a gas station... But with social media, officials can get the warning out to the public faster than any other form of mass media, today. Oddly enough, it could be Twitter that saves us from the next Black Plague.
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ReplyDeleteThe culture and politics of a society would be greatly influenced if a new virus began to run rampant. When Ebola was found in the United States, mini-hysteria ensued. People wanted to stop virtually all travel in and out of the country and quarantine anyone who had the most minor encounter with an Ebola victim, paranoid that someone would slip through the cracks. Fear of catching the disease could cause people to lose trust in each other and lash out on those who have fallen victim to the virus. Politics could easily take over, with people picking sides on how to handle the virus. Groupthink could also occur, forcing moral accountability to fellow citizens to be completely disregarded. In the US, most citizens feel welcome in society regardless of what medical issues they may have. However, after catching a dangerous, poorly understood virus, individuals could be pushed to the outskirts of society and marginalized, drastically morphing US culture. This has happened before, most notably in regards to the discrimination endured by HIV victims during the outbreak that occurred in the US. With an even larger occurrence of a much deadlier virus, similar injustices could occur on a more intense scale.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe implications that a national epidemic catalyzed by the emergence of a new virus would have on the United States are theoretically immense, bearing economic, political, and cultural import. Depending on the reach of the virus and the mortality rate it imposes, economic activity reliant upon human interaction would, in all likelihood, plummet. As fear of the contagion rose, economic participation would accordingly drop, weakening the U.S. where it is currently strongest.
ReplyDeleteWith a weakened economy comes political consequence – politicians, desperate to develop containment policies, would be distracted from handling other matters. With weakened economic and political infrastructures, global competitors would seek to take advantage, assuming Hans Morgenthau’s theory of political realism holds true. I suspect that it does.
Finally, and most gravely, is cultural impact. If the CDC and other bureaucracies are unable to stop the virus’s spread, the loss of life could erode the rule of law, steering society towards a state of nature like that envisioned and admonished by Thomas Hobbes – though seemingly hyperbolic, such a consequence is not out of the question. I would bank on humanity’s inherent goodness in times of great scarcity only after banking on a vaccine became futile.
“Art reflects life” is an adage stating that artistic expression ebbs and flows with changes in culture and society. An epidemic of mammoth proportions would drastically alter society, yielding changes in artistic creation. An infectious, previously unknown disease would devastate the population. With limited treatment options the remaining populace would feel helpless and disillusioned. Art would descend into neo-modernism. Modernism of the 19th and 20th centuries was influenced by World War I and the 1918 influenza epidemic. Sharing many aspects with modernism, this new period would be typified with themes of hopelessness and chaos.
ReplyDeleteBy looking at examples of modernist art, a better artistic prediction for the future may be uncovered. Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is a revolutionary modernist ballet. The chaotic dance depicts a tribalistic ritual and innovative atonal composition. Of Mice and Men is a modernist statement by John Steinbeck on man’s failure to develop lasting relationships; as an epidemic ravages the population this theme is likely to reoccur.
Much as WWI left its mark on the arts community, a national epidemic would cause a paradigm shift from art today. While depressing in large doses, epidemic-induced neo-modernism could greatly increases the diversity of art in general.
Should a national epidemic arise from some Ebola-like virus, what would be the most significant societal impact... If we just take the U.S into consideration, and what this event would mean on our soil, I believe the largest, and also most significant societal impact would be that on the urban, inner-city poor, the lower class, and probably a significant amount of the middle class as well. This is in exact correlation to the way our society is structured: the large wealth gap that exists in America, which then causes a large portion of its population to live with very basic means, and sometimes none. With such a number of people, specifically in Youngstown, 49.7% of its population living in concentrated poverty, the effects of an epidemic would be immediate and tragic. People living in conditions with poor institutional resources, little political representation, and inadequate resources to sustain themselves and their families, a large-scale, incurable virus would mean an entire portion of the population would be eliminated rather quickly. I believe that because the top 10% of the population owns 90% of the wealth, the U.S. would be incapable of protecting a majority of its citizens from such a crisis.
ReplyDeleteShould a pandemic occur because of an Ebola-like virus, societies downfall would be the media.
ReplyDeleteAfter Texas Ebola patient Thomas Duncan died, Nurse Amber Vinson, who had treated Duncan, flew to Ohio, causing panic and closing schools.
Mass media used the travel of one person, showing no symptoms, to spread fear that Ebola would quickly spread throughout the United States. There was little to no scientific evidence to back the theory. Those infected in the U.S. had been in long-term contact with patients, most treating the disease; such as doctors, nurses, and missionaries who returned to the U.S. from West Africa before symptoms appeared.
With social media becoming more accessible, misinformation in the 21st century spreads faster than ever. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit make it easy to pass information to other users. According to Time, a 2011 University of Michigan study of five rumors on Twitter showed 43% of users studied believed the false information they were posting.
The media have been inflating the severity of conditions for years; including Africanized bees, West Nile Virus, Swine Flu, and Anthrax.
Should an Ebola-like virus cause a true pandemic, the media may have exaggerated one too many times.
Laura McDonough
Journalism Major
If there were a large-scale incurable virus in America, I believe you would see an emergence of a powerful police state. One that would enforce harsh travel bans, border closure, quarantines, and strict curfews. The perceived danger would motivate the government to attempt these strategies to protect its citizens. Fearing widespread infection, it is only logical for them to implement these actions and prevent rapid infection among society. These policies would attempt to quell chaos that would have erupted from such a major disease outbreak. Widespread rioting and disorder from highly populated areas would also become increasingly prominent. Martial law and the integration of military would incorporate its way into standard security. The populous would encounter travel restrictions between both areas of infection and other nations, in an attempt to suppress tainted districts. Military curfews would be enacted to decrease the likelihood of people breaking the recently enforced laws. These are all plausible occurrences that would make its way into civilians’ life. Therefore, a social impact would affect the political structure of the United States as we know it.
ReplyDeleteSocial media is deeply embedded in our culture. On average, Americans who use social media spend about 3.2 hours per day doing so, according to new research released by Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange. As a result, news spreads at the blink of an eye. For example, TIME Magazine examined the number of mentions of the Ebola virus on Twitter on the day the virus was first confirmed to be in the United States on September 30, 2014. The mentions of the Ebola virus jumped from about 100 per minute to more than 6,000. Fear spread rapidly. Many schools were shut down and four weeks later, sales of hand sanitizer were up 9.4% from the previous year according to ABC News.
ReplyDeleteIn the event that an unknown virus outbreak occurred, chaos on social media would spread making waves economically and politically. People would rush to stock up on food, water, and cleaning materials. Quickly, law enforcement would lose control as looting and fights over necessities plagued cities. People would demand for politicians to find an answer quickly so they could sleep easier at night instead of refreshing their social media looking for answers.
Andrew Zajac
Graduate History student
The biggest societal problem of a major epidemic would be that many people are dead. That answer is likely to prompt a big “duh” from many of you, but the truth is a lot of the time the most important answer isn’t the most poetic (or the most likely to win you an essay contest). It’s also one people often gloss over in an attempt to find something more dramatic or interesting to talk about. The problem with that approach is that in an attempt to out-compete each other, we start attributing our problems to secondary issues rather than working together on the primary issue. It’s like how on The Walking Dead Rick’s group doesn’t attribute their problems to the 7 billion Walkers shambling about but rather to the rival human group of the season. This divides and makes us weaker. I’m willing to bet any other issue mentioned here could ultimately be fixed if a method is found to either stop or have far fewer people dying. When people are dead they don’t fill their essential societal functions, which causes everything else. Beyond that, the next biggest problem is people losing sight of that main problem.
ReplyDeleteHumans have been battling viruses before our species evolved into the modern form we currently live in. If a deadly virus such as Ebola hit America, and the outbreak killed millions of people, decreasing the population drastically, the epidemic would have devastating effects on the economy in a variety of essential sectors. The entire nation would be in a state of panic. There would be falling sales in markets, and stores, and lower activity for public transportation, hotels, restaurants and educational institutions. In addition to the enormous and tragic loss of human life, fewer people would mean less production of everything from food to plastics. That could mean fewer industrial emissions, agricultural and residential land reverting back to forest perhaps, less pollution, and less freshwater extractions. Humans are the major driver of emerging diseases, and man’s careless despoiling of the environment. Even with the advances in science and technology we currently have, we are still a long way from winning the fight against viruses.
ReplyDeleteIf we experienced a national epidemic of Ebola-like-virus the society and economics would be greatly effected. In a Ebola-like-virus, millions of people would die and millions of people would not know what to do. The most people effected would be the most populated places and less populated place would have a chance to not get the virus. People would have to live in isolation until they know the virus is taken care of. If people lived in isolation they wouldn't spend money and the economy would plummet. No one would be spending money and businesses would close because no one is producing materials and no one is buying it. The economy and society itself would be greatly altered by virus outbreak.
ReplyDeleteColleen Maskarinec
ReplyDelete“What would you speculate to be the most significant societal impact(s) [e.g., economic, political, cultural, etc.] should a national epidemic arise from a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus?”.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or PEDv
Infectious agents, pathogens, these viral particles; whichever you decide to call these agents that replicate inside of a living host are capable of tearing down an economy or worse taking a person’s life. The building blocks for human life suffice on the need to devour food. It is simply our instinct to eat. In a fast pace world one must to rely on the U.S Food and Drug Administration. But what happens when there is no answers to an epidemic arising that destroys one of the major food groups? Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or PEDv is a virus that murders pigs and wipes out whole farms as a result of the virus. To be specific the virus has a strong impact on farrow litters. The virus spread rapidly, and was brought to immediate attention when inflation of meat prices increased in supermarkets.
Consumers soon questioned the safety of the food and as a result rapidly stopped buying pork. This caused many farms to shut down because of lack of funds and support of local and corporate the farms. This was not the only problem, farmers had litters of pigs dying and no answers to why or how to stop this issue. So far research has shown no evidence that the PEDv virus is transferable to humans or other animals. Immunities or vaccines today are still not successful in finding a cure or way to prevent the spreading to occur. This overall problem impacted large and small operation farms. As well as, 4-H projects. Children in 4-H are having a hard time finding projects to raise which leads to poor education from an agricultural standpoint.
Farmers took major precautions and spent extra money to sanitize the environments and keep farm areas extra clean; as well as to keep up common biosecurity standards. This is a tough virus to understand how it spreads, because even closed farm operations that are not bringing outsiders in, or pigs from different litters are still catching the virus. Statistics show onward up to 4,700 farms where or are infected and thousands died.
PEDv virus thrives in cold, wet or damp areas and spreads very quickly in the winter months. This is a downward hill spiral and as a result we will have a massive toll on our food and economy if we do not get a grasp of it quickly. We need to take the steps to find a solution before the virus can evolve and harm us as a human population. This is very possible because of how closely related a pig's body functions are to our own.
I don't know if you want to revise this and re-post, but we were told it was supposed to be less than 200 words. Just a heads up.
DeleteLook at the impact on the economy due to an infectious, most likely fatal virus. It is clearly the most significant impact created by a national epidemic. A contagious viral outbreak would impact the economy by affecting the people inside and out of the nation and the health care system.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the people inside obviously are panicked. Therefore they generally stay in one area, they stock survival needs, and they try to find a vaccine or safe place. Most of the time they are quarantined and cannot leave.
Furthermore, people outside also seek vaccines. They travel far away from the infected area. They stop buying imports from the region to remain healthy.
Lastly, the health care system needs money to readily prepare to care for the patients. Also needed is a cure and a vaccine.
This is all simply put, but it all complements the impact on the economy. The demand for survival needs correlates to the need for money. That in turn results in emanate financial depression. All together people and health care are the main reasons that the economy is influenced after a national epidemic of a fatal virus.
-Paige Prologo
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the most significant societal impact if a nationwide Ebola-like epidemic were to arise, would be the crime rates and loss of government effectiveness. When looking at past outbreaks similar to this type of hypothetical situation, we see a large variety of impacts from religion and culture to government and land prices (for example, the Black Plague which even had some positive impacts).
ReplyDeleteIn today’s American society, however, it is important to look at the patterns of high-panic situation reaction.
Social media caused a mini-panic amongst Americans during the recent Ebola scare: Imagining an actual epidemic IN the country would cause severe panic. In my mind, citizens would start quarantining themselves from others (which is a big cultural change). Once the epidemic hits a high point, afflicted families may begin looting and rioting (particularly in lower income areas) to get supplies that they may not have access to or be financially able to obtain. Robberies and assaults may also hit a high point as families try to financially care for those afflicted and afford medical care. All of this would potentially be too much for law enforcement to control and you would begin to see a degradation of an entire society.
~Jamielynn Doyle
~Biology
If a new,Ebola-like virus were to reach our nation’s soil, it would undoubtedly be accompanied by an equally infectious attitude of fear, paranoia, and hostility in the American people. Individuals with power and groups of influence would each “spin” the virus in a way that would allow them to capitalize on a public weakened by its terror; it is this exploitation of an American people during one of their most vulnerable times that I consider to be the most tragic societal impact that would result from a novel contagion or virus.
ReplyDeleteThe media would give the new virus a catchy nickname and immediately label it a “deadly epidemic of epic proportions” to increase ratings. The majority of the American public, unaware of where to turn for accurate and scientific information regarding the true lethality of the virus, would buy into every second of overly-dramatized coverage and panic would ensue. Politicians would use the virus as a catalyst to push their platforms on healthcare and border control, and big pharma companies would suddenly launch a full-blown effort to generate “the wonder drug.” In essence, it is quite possible that the societal changes and shifts in attitude that would occur alongside a new viral presence may be just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than the contagion itself.
Lauren Misik
Senior Biology Major
ReplyDeleteIf an Ebola-like virus created a national epidemic social and economical factors would be greatly affected. The economic status of the national would plummet. All available money would be used to find a fast acting cure for this virus. Since many people will be sick, they wouldn’t work a lot. Companies would be scraping by with the amount of people out of work due to the sickness. Trading with all other nations would stop, in fear of the spread of the virus. The nation would be in complete chaos, not knowing whom to turn to for answers.
All eyes would be on the government and what they would do; how would they get sufficient amounts of medicine to everyone. This would then cause tension between political parities and sides would be taken on who has the better method to control this virus. In conclusion, an Ebola-like virus would cause chaos and panic the nation. The economic status would plummet and the nation would go in dept. Politicians would be in a constant battle for power over the matter of the subject. The nation fighting on for it’s last life.
Amanda Svenson
If a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus were to cause a national epidemic tomorrow, I would speculate that the most significant societal impact would be on the country’s population. If this virus is presumed to be just as harmful as Ebola was, then it’s safe to assume that those who become infected will probably die from the disease within 48 hours.
ReplyDeleteAssuming that this virus can exist in any part of the world, including the United States and would not be restricted to just third world countries, the virus would be capable of spreading even more quickly than normal, being that most Americans live in rather densely populated areas, where such viruses can spread blazingly fast.
Infection rates would sky rocket, and people would be dying faster than imagined. Entire villages and even cities could potentially be wiped out within days of the virus’s onset.
While an entire village in rural Uganda being wiped out by such a virus doesn’t seem to be a very important issue, such occurrences happening often will add up rather quickly, and create an aftershock so large that the world may never be able to recover from such a loss of people and their precious knowledge.
Ambika Singh
Senior BSMD Major
Imagine for a moment a world that has been considerably impacted by an Ebola-like virus. What effects could this potentially life-threatening virus impose on society? Personally, I venture to believe that the most significant impact such a virus could have is our societal relationships. There are many implications that lead me to believe an Ebola-like virus would result in grave concerns in regards to social relationships. Such a virus could lead to major psychological distress, including things like depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, etc. Although I think psychological issues are a major concern already, an Ebola-like virus could only result in more detrimental psychological distress. For one thing, health is all encompassing; one’s mental health can have significant impacts on his/her social health as well. Therefore, I believe that an Ebola-like virus resulting in a startling increase in psychological distress will have major impacts on social aspects of one’s health, i.e. relationships. This increase in psychological distress alone could bring about the avoidance of social interaction all together. For example, a person with depression is less likely to engage with people. Not only would an Ebola-like virus stop human interaction in this sense, but it could also be the case that people may fear interaction. This interaction could be based on the sheer fact that they do not know whom they will be in contact with and if they have even the slightest chance of catching this virus. These are just some of the instances in which an Ebola-like virus could lead to damaging effects, and therefore impact the relationships within the society.
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to speculate what the most sociological impact would be, mostly since the impact of such event can literally cripple a country and bring it to its knees. If I had to pick among these different categories, I would have to say economical. Assuming that much like our friend Ebola, it would manifest itself in some sort of major crop and/or farm animal, which we all depend on in one way or another. Like in the past, this would cause the population to not purchase that product, but also try to find some sort substitution for that product to avoid sickness. With only that being said, it may not sound so bad, people can just substitute that product for something else, less sick people, and money can still go to those who are sick and dying to be taken care of with modern medicine. But what would happen is that the general population would shift entirely to a different product, assuming that the virus has not spread to other livestock or crop, Producers would not be able to maintain supply and demand, of these products. The agricultural economy would now be in turmoil as other products and livestock are now being affected by this virus. Producers would also be out of jobs if they happen to be the ones that sold the contaminated product/s. Prices rise on other products that are now on high demand. Less and less people will be able to afford commodities or even food. As time passes, less and less jobs will be available. Hospitals packed, and medical supplies will steadily increase as demand rises. Debt would begin to accumulate as the country starts to recover supplies from other countries. FEMA camps overpopulated with the dead and dying, social and political impacts start to arise as the military is called in to assist in population control. Without a viable population being able to work, a government is just a mere head without a body, unable to maintain itself. This can and will spread given the opportunity. A virus knows no borders and everything is its target. without a cure, the virus may eliminate entire species of life on this planet, and we are in the cross-hairs with all the other living things.
ReplyDeleteThe most significant social impact from such a virus would be the rapid deconstruction of our society as a whole. With no previous plan in place the nation would instantaneously erupt in a fit of panic and chaos. Cities would be quarantined, communication cut off, and transportation out of the question. Depending on the duration and possible immunity to the virus part of our society may be able to continue on for a short period of time, but without the right skill sets and resources they would soon return to a world belonging to a time much earlier than ours. In the case that a cure was never found, the survivors would be left to rebuild both a civilization and a people to populate it. Materials that once held meaning would become obsolete, money would be good for little else than kindling a fire, cities would diminish into skeletons of resistance metals, homes crumbling to piles of ash and our nation would become nothing more than the final resting place of a once promising people. It would be mass destruction on the largest of scales and the blame would belong to a capsid smaller than a grain of sand.
ReplyDeleteTaylor Baith – Combined Sciences
tlbaith@student.ysu.edu
If an outbreak of such a disease hit the U.S., there would be an immediate proliferation of information whether this information was accurate or not. This would incite mass panic and actually benefit the disease. Instantly, the CDC and other government health agencies would act in an attempt to control the illness, but a mass panic would immediately occur. If there was a report of an infected person in an area, many people would quickly leave, despite the fact that they themselves may have been in contact with the infected person. Areas like airplanes or subways would become incubators of the disease, and by the time people avoided them, it would be too late. The nation would grind to a halt, and the amount of infections and deaths would be staggering. The closest event the deaths could be compared to would be the 1918 Spanish Flu, but it would be surpassed by this outbreak.
ReplyDeleteSome believe that due to our technology and our social interactions, that the nation would not have difficulty preventing spread of disease if such an outbreak were to occur. The opposite is the
case; our modern world makes us more vulnerable to epidemics than ever.
Gavin Kenney- Biology
grkenney@student.ysu.edu
I speculate the economy would be the most significant societal impact if a national epidemic arises from a previously unknown virus like Ebola. To treat this virus an institution would have to pull all its resources, mainly their physicians, clinical nurses, supply chain and infection control staff. They would be the key associates in keeping the virus contained to treat the patient and protect the community. Supplies to treat the patient that were not included in the financial budget would need to be obtained. Temporary modifications to areas of a hospital would need to be furnished to handle any additional patients that may have contracted the virus or is showing similar symptoms. Protocols and policies would need to be updated to safely transport and care for symptomatic patients which all takes time and time is money. Even after the virus is treated the aftermath will still have a financial impact because those associates who cared for the patient will be out on paid leave to ensure they did not contract the virus, other staff members will need to be called in to work to cover their shifts. All of this will be a significant economic impact to all involved institutions.
ReplyDeleteJames Nedrich
Computer Science
The most significant impact of a national epidemic would to the economy. During times of national crisis, the stock market experiences a drop. People rapidly cash out on investments in attempts to protect their personal finances. Shipping of products would also drastically decrease to prevent spread of disease, hurting small businesses and industries most. Unable to afford the quality control testing that larger companies can, the family-owned store and small fishing towns could not deliver or receive products as well vastly hurting the economy across the country. Tourism and travel would also decrease. People will avoid other people and situations that could possibly infect them, giving a large blow to air travel and busy tourist attractions. Air lines in America generate an average of $16 billion dollars annually. If an epidemic were to spread, especially an airborne virus, air travel would be drastically cut back. When companies are not generating enough money, workers will get laid off. An epidemic would lead to high levels of unemployment. When people do not have jobs, they do not make money to put back into the economy. The economy is one, large cycle; take off one part and the entire system will crash.
ReplyDeleteHarley Parker
Clinical Laboratory Science
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn March of 2014, a national epidemic struck many West African nations. No one would know the severity of this epidemic until the death toll steadily increased, having killed 11,000 individuals over the span of a year and a half. If a national epidemic, such as Ebola, were to strike the United States, the ramifications would be catastrophic.
ReplyDeleteThe most significant societal impact would be the loss of lives. Considering that the virus would be previously unknown, the population of those affected would continue to grow until a cure could be discovered. Such an epidemic would also entail societal and political chaos. Individuals would have to be quarantined, for the sake of protecting others and researchers would be put under immense pressure to quickly create a vaccination or medication to cure the disease. Citizens would live in terror of contracting the disease, especially with ambiguity surrounding symptoms and severity. Assuming there would be a situational lack of transparency, people would lose trust in the government. Overall, a national epidemic would severely debilitate the United States, if it were to occur.
Rayann Atway
ratway@student.ysu.edu
A previously unknown Ebola-like virus breaks out in the United States. The first thing I would do is run to the store and buy as much food and water as I can afford. That way I would be able to limit my time out of the house. I would assume that I wouldn't be the only one who has this idea. Knowing how people act on Black Friday, rushing for the products they want and occasionally getting physical, I could only imagine in a matter of saving ones life and their families lives that this would make matters worse. One of the most significant societal impacts would be the way we treat others around us. We would see unnecessary destructive riots in search of answers, people fighting for food in stores with emptying shelves, and people too afraid to help others in fear of getting the virus. However, not all behavior would change for the worse. I'm sure we would also see people stepping up and volunteering their time to help out when and where they can. People may grow closer helping neighbors who are unable to help themselves. How we look at others, how we treat others, and the choices we make daily will all change.
ReplyDeleteJulie Casey
Biology
Jacasey@student.ysu.edu
A human life is invaluable. If a national epidemic were to arise from another Ebola-like virus, a wide variety of issues would surface. Yes, there would be an economic disaster. Yes, there would be panic amongst the nation and diminished foreign relations. Yes, if enough people died, there would be a genetic bottleneck, so that when it was finally time to rebuild, genetic diversity would be diminished. However, none of those are as important as the death of a person. Children would lose their mothers and fathers. Parents would watch their babies suffer. Nothing supersedes the loss of a life. The other societal impacts, with enough brain-power, time, and effort, can be overcome. A loss of life is final. No second chances. No do-overs. Economies can be rebuilt. Cultures have a way of evolving and adapting to change. Genetic diversity can eventually be restored. I am not suggesting that those problems are easy to solve, just that they, eventually, are solvable. Some may criticize that, while yes, people are dying, there are bigger issues at hand. Not to me. To me, the most important problem is the death of innocent people – the death of someone’s loved one.
ReplyDeleteAlana Lesnansky
Biology
The Problem of Evil is the idea that a God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent would not allow evil to co-exist with His perfection. This argument is rooted in a logical implication that was first cited by the Greek Philosopher, Epicurus. If God exists (and is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent), then evil could not. Evil does exist. Since the antecedent is negated in this statement, then the rule of modus tollens does not allow the existence of God to be true.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am implying by noting the Problem of Evil is that one of the many, widespread and significant societal impacts of this virus would be a loss of faith. The possible religious implications could be compared to that of the Black Death during the medieval period. Due to the fact that much of the affected population began to accept the Problem of Evil as true, the church lost a large following. With this sudden decrease in faith, many of the prominent clergy and leaders of the time fell victim to increased greed because of the high price the wealthy were willing to pay for their presence. (The Black Death and Religious Impact) It is possible that a similar pattern would take precedence here.
“The Black Death and Religious Impact.” The Catholic University of America. CUA, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
Rachael Jenkins
Communication Studies/ Philosophy
A nation with the amount of influence and power over the rest of the globe, such as the United States, would suffer severely in the time of a national epidemic. If a national epidemic was to arise from a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus the most significant impact would be the destruction of the economy. A time of crisis brings catastrophe to the government infrastructure and in turn, the stock market collapses. It has been seen numerous times in the past and history often repeats itself. With the stock market crashing, panic sets in. Money is withdrawn from banks and investments. The shipping of products across the nation would cease in order to decrease the spread of the virus, therefore crippling businesses. That decease in shipping would lead to decrease in exports to other countries, causing a further loss of income for the nation. Losing money and the collapse of the businesses increase the number of unemployed workers. An economy with a vast number of unemployed workers leads to a sinking economy.
ReplyDeleteHillari Combs
Biology
While I believe that there would be significant impacts both economically and politically if there was to be a national epidemic from an Ebola-like virus, I think that the cultural impacts would be the most noticeable. After the virus was handled, the economy and normal politics would recover; however, I feel that there would be much more fear in the American people when it came to interactions with each other. Public forms of entertainment, such as going to the movies, seeing concerts and going to live sporting events, would be a thing of the past for fear of the spread of disease. I would venture to say that education would move toward being completely online, in order to prevent the interactions with others.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I think everyone would go out of their way to avoid being in physical contact with other people. Most jobs would be done from home, and those in the medical field would be ostracized, seen as potential disease-carriers. People wouldn’t go shopping in stores anymore, but order everything, from clothes to groceries, online. We would become a completely isolated society, even more so than we are already.
Amber Palmer
Professional and Technical Writing and Theater Studies
If an Ebola-like virus was to emerge, the most significant societal impacts would be cultural and political. With countries around the world not having the supplies to prevent or cure most viruses, it may cause harm to other countries throughout the world as they travel in or out of them. This, in turn, will cause the political spectrum of the situation to emerge and show the world that there is one more problem that we need to worry about. When the Ebola virus was going around, it was immediately blamed on certain cultures because people in America were starting to get sick. It was put on the news right away and America wanted to put an end to all travel in or out of the States. People also took it like everyone was going to get sick and die. They made immediate changes in the way that they lived to ensure the fact that no one was going to get the virus. If another virus was to arise, cultural and political societal impacts would be most significant. If it was to happen again, the same thing might happen with different cultures being the blame and politics taking over. Unfortunately, it might be worse next time.
ReplyDeleteLori Vanbeek
Journalism
Aside from the death toll, the biggest impacts of a national viral epidemic would be from the byproducts of fear. Deeply instilled fear would lead excessive supply stocking which would result in lack of life essentials nationwide. Political leaders would enforce strict regulations to prevent the spread of disease, such as prohibiting airline travel and immigration. Though this would aid in the containment of disease it would also make it more difficult to flee highly affected areas. Other countries would be fearful also, bringing imports to a halt. People will avoid recreational activities and anything else that subjects them to crowds, leading to a sharp decline in the economy. The affected would be sent to isolation inverting traditions, such as the nursing of loved ones.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to prevent this slippery slope is to educate the public and health professionals on proper disease management and recognition. If our health professionals are able to immediately respond to isolated incidences of disease we can then give the public a greater piece of mind. If we can ease the pandemic phobias it would allow scientists and doctors to continuing working in a thriving economy to strive towards eradication.
If a national epidemic were to occur due to some type of virus or wide spread disease, I believe that the most significant societal impacts would be both economic and political. Within the country of origin, the whole society would be effected economically. Whether that country was third world or a more developed nation, there would be financial crisis due to the spending of funds on medicine, vaccines, and treatment. The costs would also mount for the development of treatments, medical staff, and laboratories to mass produce cures. The country of origin would most likely reach out to surrounding countries for financial support as well as volunteers to help aid in the fight against the epidemic. The second issue of politics would occur, especially in the surrounding countries of the place of origin. There would be a major issue dealing with the spread of the disease. Other countries would most likely decide politically to refuse any native person from the country of origin and these people may be treated just like those we see today in the Syrian refugee crisis. The shutting down of boarders and refusal of immigrants, even temporary ones, would become wide spread.
ReplyDeleteKristin LaTessa
Biology Major
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”
ReplyDeleteThese words come from Sandy Dahl, wife of the Flight 93 pilot who, along with near three thousand others, perished on September 11, 2001. On that fateful day, the world saw a fine example of humanity. Hand in hand, we all provided some form of help and support as our world seemed to cave in around us. We forgot what color we were, we forgot about all of our prejudices and our labels and we came together as a single unified people.
In the event of a national epidemic, perhaps the most significant impact would be a cultural one. An epidemic would force the American people to realize the importance of unity; that we are much more than skin color, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. We would have to help one another and learn to look past our differences, for if we remain as segregated as we are, we will not come up with the solutions vital to our survival. Widespread disease is a tragedy, and maybe tragedy is what may finally bring us all together.
Elisabeth Winston
Psychology
I would speculate the most significant societal impact from an unknown virus would be the economic. An airborne virus would impact travel, shopping, and everyday movement causing fear within individuals. Individuals that are fearful may start pulling money from banks and stockpiling on goods on stores. But if travel is impacted this would cause delays in shipments of goods leading to additional fear. Additional, the local hospitals would be overwhelmed with individuals seeking treatment causing additional economic issues of they can not provide care. The cost of treatments for the population would cause great amount of debts for nation. Overall, an airborne virus would cause massive damage to the economy of nations. Without a flow of money, everyday life would start to breakdown. The breakdown of the population abilities to take care of themselves would cause the virus to spread like wildfire.
ReplyDeleteDesirea Johnson
Biology Major
A national Ebola-like epidemic would educe a number of ethical quandaries as it pertains to containing and ultimately quelling an outbreak, including the ethics of clinical drug trial protocols and forced quarantines. Unlike Ebola, the next virus may be communicable when an individual is asymptomatic. This elicits the potential of forcing at risk individuals that are ultimately unaffected by the virus into quarantine until they can be cleared of a diagnosis to protect the community. This would spark a fiery debate over individual versus collective rights and the role of government in keeping the public safe. The next ethical dilemma would arise as scientists moved closer to finding a cure, bringing the ethics of clinical drug trials to the forefront. There are legitimate ethical concerns of releasing a promising but untested product to a desperate public. However, given the choice between almost certain mortality or risking unknown side effects, there are those who would argue that these protocols should be suspended. Coupling the perceived draconian measures of forced quarantines with the delaying of potential cures for clinical testing would augment the already immense level of mistrust in government calling into question any further actions taken to quell the outbreak.
ReplyDeleteAs a political science major, even the concept of an ebola-esque epidemic sweeping the nation makes me cringe. Having seen the government response to the actual ebola “outbreak” not so long ago, I’d have to say politics would have the most significant impact on society.
ReplyDeleteIf some sort of disease managed to break out the people naturally would start to panic and this would force the government to respond quickly. We’ve seen in past instances that when unexpected disasters break out quick responses aren’t exactly something governments have been good with. This would solely lead to all kinds of disarray and unrest in society. If you were to base it on the current relations that the public has with its government currently, I can’t imagine this situation going well. A combination of a government rushing to try and contain a virus, an aggravated public frustrated with the time the government is taking and the inevitably rushed plan the government is forced to push out, all that is going to result is even more problems than would be at hand. When it comes down to it, I just don’t believe we could really handle an actual epidemic breaking out.
Ben Powell
Political Science
If the United States falls victim to a virus that no one knows how to control, should the citizens be refrained from knowing the truth, or should they be warned of the potential risks? Realistically, the people must be informed of potential dangers in the most effective way possible. In modern day, the most effective and efficient societal impact is the use of social media. Modern society has become more nationally and globally aware than previous generations through the power of the internet. In particular, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter serve as bridges between the individual and society. Information on social media is acquired quickly and conveniently. Thus, by informing people of an unknown virus and its causes through social media, the knowledge of potential danger is also acquired quickly and conveniently. Since not all sources linked to social media are credible, it is essential for reliable sources such as medical experts and professors to engage in passing on the information through social media. Passing information on to peers encourages more studies to find a cure rapidly. In the meantime, social media will spread awareness faster than the virus itself and prevent further risks to society.
ReplyDeleteJordan Unger
Journalism Major
When dealing with a serious epidemic, such as the Ebola virus, citizens everywhere were effected. Starting in March of 2014 in West Africa, at least 14,413 people became ill due to the Ebola virus. By November 14, 5,177 people that were sickened by this virus passed away. According to World Health Organization, Ebola was so widespread, it was “by far the worst outbreak of the virus in history.”
ReplyDeleteMany were not only terrified of the virus for the safety of their lives, but also for what it was going to do to the world socially. Economic impacts were a large struggle during this time of concern. Many business were effected and lost money because people became home bodies and did not want to be outside of their homes, in fear of catching it.
A bridal shop, located in Akron - Ohio, lost many of their customers during the scare. Amber Vinson, who caught the virus, shopped in their store days prior to her becoming sick. Many people were afraid to go into the store in fear they would also catch this deadly disease. The store owners, Donald and Anna Younker, were heartbroken to think, not only was someone ill, but also the store they have owned for 25 years was now in jeopardy. Losing customers took away money, just like any other business’s ill victims visited prior to catching Ebola.
Stephanie Stanavich
In the case of a society-crippling event such as an outbreak of Ebola, the most significant societal impact would almost definitely be in that society’s general level of education. Education has, throughout the world, been the most effective and multifaceted approach to rebuilding war-torn nations or industrializing areas that are primarily agrarian. So, in the case of a catastrophic event, education should be at the top of the priority list. The more immediate and overt results could be seen in an increase in availability of healthcare and medicine to treat illnesses such as (and associated with) that which caused aforementioned outbreak, as well as a system of order arising to maintain peace, reduce panic and disseminate information on how one could receive treatment for ailments. Higher levels of education have also been directly associated with one’s ability to approach such scenarios with civility and levelheadedness. Ergo, implementing an effective system of learning from a young age would, in the case of total societal collapse, most likely lead to an increased sense of unity amongst a community and foster the awareness of need for cooperation instead of resulting in riots, discrimination and the widespread fanaticism that often manifests in such situations.
ReplyDeleteI would speculate that the most significant societal impacts, should a national epidemic arise from a previous unknown, Ebola-like virus, would vary across the playing field in numerous industries. Any epidemic could cause social, political, health and economic disruption and devastation. All of the concerns overlap into each industry causing a massive disease Venn diagram. Several of the social issues that would develop would be strained personal relationships, modified food consumption, travel (either nonexistent or mass migrations of people), altered mental statuses, and adjusted daily routines. Some of the political factors that would result would be the government implementing limitations on important resources, controlling the release of valuable information updates to the public, infiltrating the military into the crucial areas, and govern the people through to emerge and recover from the desolation. The most obvious, would be the health concerns. Humans, as well as possibly animals could suffer and fall ill from an epidemic of any magnitude. Lastly, the economic matters that would be affected, which intersect with the other industries, would be financial restraints, education of the crisis and work force numbers would diminish due to illness. Overall, an Ebola-like virus could overwhelm humanity in a multitude of aspects.
ReplyDeleteAnn Hassey
Psychology major
Amhassey@student.ysu.edu
ReplyDelete“What would you speculate to be the most significant societal impact(s) [e.g., economic, political, cultural, etc.] should a national epidemic arise from a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus?”
The most significant societal impact during a national epidemic arising from and unknown virus would be the media. The media has controlled public opinion, and reaction, to national epidemics for decades. Today the media controls what events an every day citizen views and reads about. The Ebola virus came to America through United States missionaries coming home from Ebola affected countries, such as, Sierra-Lion and Guinea. The first Americans contracting the "mysterious" virus were helping patients in Monrovia, Liberia. This was the first time Ebola hit American media on a large scale. Everyday Ebola awareness grew, and because of the media awareness turned into panic as missionaries with the virus came home for treatment. Panic was driven even more when the largest media companies were reported that nurses who treated the patients were not wearing the medically correct gear to treat Ebola. Americans were driven into a frenzy as nurses left hospitals for Ebola patient neglect, and nurse neglect. Then when American views on the Ebola virus started to decline and public opinion started to calm down the big news corporations stopped reporting on the Ebola virus, and its campaign through America. Today, Ebola is barely reported on the news because of the lost public interest; however, the fight against Ebola is still very real in third world countries.. The media is the largest societal impact in any national epidemic because news corporations control how a story is portrayed and in turn controls how the public reacts to epidemics.
- James Hayes
Computer Science Major
jdhayes01@student.ysu.edu
In the event of an American outbreak of a previously unknown, Ebola-like virus, the most significant societal effects would be economic. Our economy relies heavily upon the purchase of retail goods and services. When Americans have discretionary income, they purchase more. This results in increased profits for manufacturers, retailers, and service providers. When we are unable to spend, corporate profits decrease, resulting in a downward spiral of layoffs, unemployment, further decreased purchasing power, and even lower corporate profits. Infected or quarantined individuals would not be consuming goods and services at the usual rate. Healthy individuals would spend less time, and money, in public spaces, such as retail stores and restaurants.
ReplyDeleteAmericans employed in retail and food service industries are among the lowest paid, members of society. Their access to healthcare services is limited. They often find it financially impossible to take time off from work when ill. In the event of a viral outbreak, service sector employees would be unlikely to seek early medical treatment, and would be more vulnerable to infection due to daily contact with the public. Infected individuals who continued to go to work would likely infect others, assisting the virus in spreading more rapidly.
Leah Ifft
Graduate Student, Department of History
A virus has no way to discern the wealth, intelligence, or skin color of its host. Ironically like most people, all it “seeks” is to reproduce, invading any cell unfortunate enough to carry its target receptor. The homeless person on the street can just as easily infect a CEO he or she coughs on as the doctor giving his patients their annual physical. America has seen its fair share of viral epidemics, including measles outbreaks and cases of Ebola within the last year. Despite the past century of medical advancements, parents worried whether their children would come home just as healthy as they left in the morning. National magazines showed HAZMAT suits on their covers rather than candidates for midterm elections. Unseen foreign agents had suddenly leveled a society that takes pride in its independence and ability to protect itself. An epidemic of a highly infectious virus with a fatality rate akin to Ebola would likely deconstruct the American self-image of a superpower at the forefront of biomedical innovation. People would revert to the sense of health insecurity and paranoia that characterized times before the advent of modern medicine. Thus, such a national epidemic would most significantly affect American culture.
ReplyDeleteAbhijit Das
Biological Sciences Major
There are many factors that could impact the USA if some crazy catastrophe were to happen. No one knows for sure when, what or how some epidemic can happen. The impacts of an Ebola-like virus would be more than people can really understand. For instance, society as a whole would become smaller because a virus can kill millions of people before it is through. The last time an epidemic was so notably horrible was during the Bubonic Plaque era. They lost money, but more importantly lost hundreds and thousands of people. The part that would hit America the hardest would be the economic issues. Money is what makes the world go around. The problem with political and cultural issues with an epidemic is that politics will go on as planned, unless it affects people in politics. Then, politicians will begin to notice problems as such. The cultural problem would be like no other problem, or plaque, we have seen before. These generations will not know the answer to the question. We may very well shut down and hope it doesn’t affect us. These factors are numerously but deadly. Hopefully we are prepared for any upcoming issue.
ReplyDeleteMarc Weems
Journalism Major
Though an unknown Ebola-like virus would have various traumatic effects on our society, from our nation’s economic system to the way our politics work, I believe the most detrimental of these would be the toll it would take on our culture. What makes us as people so unique from all the other species sharing this planet is that fact that we take part in a certain lifestyle with our fellow human beings filled with traditions and beliefs. Unfortunately, the behaviors and values amongst different cultural heritages would likely fade away as the virus spread; people would be too concerned with their well-being and the health of their loved ones to carry on with typical daily life. Our communication with others would surely vanish with time because survival would become the top priority. Though our system of politics would suffer and most of our money would go to finding a cure for the virus, which are also truly harrowing effects, nothing can compare to the devastating ways it would alter who we are as individuals and what makes life worth living in the first place.
ReplyDeleteShelby McCauley
Biology Major
To determine one single impact that would be most important during an Ebola-like epidemic, would be extremely difficult. There are numerous impacts that would greatly hurt our nation. One of the impacts I think would be detrimental would be on our economy. With an epidemic outbreak often times people are afraid to leave their house, so they won't go to work. Plus the people who become infected will not be able to work. On top of that, the infected people will be accumulating medical bills from all of their treatments. When the country finally regains control of the epidemic, our country will be in terrible financial position. It could take years and years for the infected people to regain financial stability of they even can. An epidemic could send our nation into another Great Depression and could ultimately destroy our country. This is why I think the economy would suffer greatly during an epidemic.
ReplyDeleteI think another outbreak like the one seen in West Africa would have huge economic impacts globally. The money needed for research, supplies, and support would be astronomical. However, as seen in the West African countries of this last outbreak the economic effects were crippling to the people of those countries. They were unable to sell their goods because people were too afraid to have contact of any kind with them. If we could educate people as to how the illness is spread and how to limit its spread from person to person, they could then adjust any behavior that may be increasing the cases seen. Again, in my opinion it all comes back to funding. Very few labs are equipped and capable of studying viruses like Ebola. Another outbreak of a poorly understood pathogen or even a new pathogen would leave the world scrambling to find a vaccine or a way to fight it. I think an important lesson learned from this last Ebola outbreak is that the world needs to have in place, everywhere, an early warning system to try and recognize a potential epidemic before it takes root and advances through the public. We can travel all over the world in a matter of hours or days and that means dangerous pathogens can as well.
ReplyDelete