Trust the Twitter mob to turn this crisis into an opportunity – to scorn and shame others.
Overall, Ireland has set a gold standard example of compliance with Covid-19 regulations.
The vast majority of Irish citizens adapted to the new abnormal swiftly and willingly.
We should be proud and encouraging of that – not mindlessly piling on people if and when they get it wrong.
But the modern-day Pharisees on social media need to put someone in pillory. They love pointing out other people’s sins.
They’re perfect themselves, of course – they never do a thing wrong.
So they’ve decided to whip up outrage at human beings who are – mostly – only doing their best.
Who made a mistake last weekend, when the sun came out and they desperately sought a break from the mental oppression after a week in the house.
The kids needed air or the dog needed a walk. They were told to go outdoors and so they did.
They went to the usual spots on autopilot and found everyone had the same idea. They will likely have learned from it now.
In other cases, when you actually looked closely, there was no issue.
One social media quasi-cop posted a video of Banna Strand in Kerry, calling everyone on it “muppets”.
Yes, it was dotted with people. But they were all apart – or in small groups, likely of families.
The queue for Beshoffs in Dublin’s Howth looked a bit stupid, in fairness.
But maybe it was exceptionally long, precisely because people were standing so unusually far apart.
Again: zooming in, it seemed mostly small groups of two or three that may have been partners, or parents with children.
Nobody wants to be close to others right now – and definitely not strangers. People are visibly steering clear.
Aside from the obvious health threat, there is an immense social and psychological impact to this, and it cannot be dismissed.
It’s easier to denounce than to understand. But it doesn’t lead to progress.
Praising efforts will work more than publicly shaming the many for the human errors of the few.
