Why Affirming Liberty will slow the spread more than Lockdowns

The Issue

Despite lockdown orders and forced shutdowns of “non-essential” businesses, millions of Americans are moving about freely and doing as they see best. These “Liberty-or-Death” people see government threats as tyranny, scolding as bullying, “education” (like Wash your hands, Stay Home, Wear a mask) as insulting – as if people don’t know these things after ten months – and due to their perception of American Liberty as being under attack, they also simply no longer care about admonitions regarding deaths rates and surges (they are, after all, the Liberty-or-Death crowd). Many of them know people who have committed suicide in despair because of the government imposed shutdowns. Indeed, when you say things like this, know that anti-lockdowners only hear this:

In a somewhat predictable reaction against these tactics of control and demand, many of these Liberty-or-Death Americans are now purposefully doing the opposite of lockdowns. As they watch State governments in New York, Michigan, and California crush small businesses owners (by, for instance, forbidding indoor and outdoor dining and threatening to permanently shut down owners who are trying to save their business and keep their employees paid), these Americans are showing their support by resisting and having dinner parties on their own – sometimes in public in front of the restaurant but more often in private – and have lost all respect for the government’s often-arbitrary and hypocritical business shutdowns.

Shutdowns themselves are questionable mitigation strategies, especially in high-density urban areas where there are often multiple generation living in a small two bedroom apartment. When you have several “essential workers” going in and out of the house, grandma and grandpa can’t really shelter there effectively – instead, they are cooped up with the very people who are exposing them. In such cases, stay-at-home orders may well do more harm than good and actually create spikes that overwhelm the health care system.

It seems that even within tightly controlled “islands” (such as skilled nursing homes), lockdowns and shutdowns cannot be effectively used.

Since so many people are convinced that lockdowns don’t work, and they are not locking down and will never lock down again, lockdowns are therefore completely shattered.

You might be tempted to respond by doubling down on threats, government control, and trying to convince them how serious the death toll is. But these approaches no longer work – in fact, they make it worse. If this does not make sense to you, read the paragraphs above once more. But you probably have noticed that this is simply a fact. People are out and about, and there are too many of them to control.

Therefore, an approach which completely lets go of control must be used, and effective influence should be used instead. The most effective influence technique in this kind of resistance scenario is to explicitly let go of control and ask others to simply make their own best decision as an individual. Call it reverse psychology, if you like.

The application of this idea is explored in detail below.

The solution

The fact is that the lockdowns are already completely shattered, due to the issues mentioned above. Further regulation is and will only produce increased revolt. New policies must be pursued. This harsh reality must be digested and accepted as a brute fact, and a new approach must be used.

1. DEFUSE BY SUPPORTING INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY. People and governments need to begin winning over anti-lockdowners by starting with a genuine affirmation that you recognize people’s Liberty to choose their own actions and you will respect it. This seems counter-intuitive, but because the actions of millions of people simply cannot be controlled anymore, the lockdowners must defuse the anger and over-reactions by removing the threats of criminal and civil penalties for “breaking” lockdown orders. Any other starting point than this will only result in blowback and resistance.
   
2. DEFUSE BY AFFIRMING THAT YOU SUPPORT THAT EVERYONE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT TO WORK. One of the most animating forces making the “Liberty-or-Death” group so passionate is that the owners and employees of small businesses are being crushed due to arbitrary shutdowns and being told they are “non-essential.” By affirming this, you further defuse the anger of the anti-lockdowners. (You might point out that it would probably be better for restaurants to be allowed to host outdoor dining, than to ban them and then have the unintended effect of people having large private parties at home with households intermingling).
   
3. INSPIRE TO SELF-DIRECTED RESPONSIBILITY AND VALUES. Without being condescending, offer the point that with liberty, each person ought to live their life by carefully considering what their own values and priorities are, and to use their liberty in the way that each person believes is right. Note: Do not tell them what their values should be – this will backfire. Instead, trust that almost everyone does place their own safety and the safety of others at a relatively high priority when they consciously consider it and are not in a combative state. By defusing their anger with step 1 and step 2, and then simply making the connection between Liberty and Responsibility+Values, almost every “Liberty-or-Death” anti-lockdowner will be softened and then also act in a more responsible manner.
   
   DEFUSE – DEFUSE – INSPIRE. The method above has good feel to it. And it will connect with the Conservative, “Liberty-or-Death” mind in an effective way.
   
   Of course, one of the keys to this working fully is for state and local governments to use the same strategy. Helping guide elected representatives to embrace such an approach will be the most effective method moving forward, and will help defuse what is a growing and already massive movement of resentment and revolt.
   
   Pro tip: In your communication, reduce partisan polarization by saying “each person” rather than we, you, or I. Consider saying “people who” instead of “you” or “me.” Instead of stating your position directly, start by saying, “It seems to me…” These verbal shifts can help avoid the impression of bitter personal attack or arrogance, when used properly.