"It is what it is." It's one of those phrases that sounds vaguely intellectual or philosophical. It is in fact, a gross oversimplification of Immanuel Kant's concept of "das Ding an sich," a "thing-in-itself" that exists outside human perception and knowing. The similarity is no doubt coincidental.
"It is what it is." People use it as a throwaway phrase to close conversations about something they either don't like or don't want to talk about.
"It is what it is" was the Jerk-in-Chief's throwaway line when he was recently reminded of the COVID-19 death toll by Jonathan Swan on AXIOS news. He first claimed that the pandemic was under control, then said, “They are dying. That’s true. And you – it is what it is.”
"It is what it is." People die, and when they do it is customary to offer condolences and perhaps a bright note about something in their life. We all have an aversion to death, but it is, after all, the price of living. The Denier-in-Chief must have a special hatred of it because he won't deal with it. Perhaps he fears it because he knows it is the one thing that he absolutely cannot control. Or perhaps he thinks if he ignores it, it will go away.
"It is what it is." On May 28, nearly six months into the pandemic and the day the U.S. COVID death toll reached 100,000, the Great Twit tweeted his one and only message acknowledging the great loss of life: “To all of the families & friends of those who have passed, I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy & love for everything that these great people stood for & represent. God be with you!”
"It is what it is." A mass message is better than nothing, I suppose. But what about some opportunities to join personally in the celebrations of other lives? It is traditional for presidents to attend the funerals of important Americans, but with one exception, the Avoider-in-Chief has chosen not to honor the fallen with his presence (the honor would proceed from the office of POTUS, not the individual holding the office).
"It is what it is." During his time in office, DJTrump has attended exactly one state funeral: that of former President George H. W. Bush--and he was not welcome. He could have but chose not to attend services for former First Lady Barbara Bush, Rep. Elijah Cummings, Rep. John Dingell, Rep. John Lewis, and Sen. John McCain.
“They are dying. That’s true. And you – it is what it is.” The Great Pretender has only disdain for the American people, living or dead. He may be able to relate to 100,000 (now more than 165,000) as a big number but that is all it is to him--a number. He has no sympathy for the actual people or their families. Mostly he wishes they would just go away.
How to visualize that many people? This is a satellite photo of Salinas, California, population approximately 155,000.
Salinas is about five miles square. Imagine it as a ghost town. Imagine walking through streets with thousands of vacant homes, stores, and industrial buildings. No traffic, no sounds, no life, nothing moving that's not blown by the wind. No smells of food, smoke, sewage, or diesel. No sensory input at all.
That's what 155,000 missing souls feels like.
COVID-19 is beginning its second wave, and is starting to have a significant impact on the population of our country. Cities similar in size to Salinas are Springfield, MA, Bellevue, WA, and Alexandria, VA. If you're close to any of them, visit. Take a drive around and imagine it as a ghost town. Think of the economic impact of losing hundreds of thousands of people.
The Denier-in-Chief will not look at this, will not acknowledge it, will not mourn the dead nor comfort the surviving. It has nothing to do with him because he feels nothing outside the bounds of his imaginary world.
Yet COVID-19, hand in hand with Death, marches on.
It is what it is.
---Diogenes, 8/5/2020
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