We have met the enemy and he is us.
—Pogo (Walt Kelly), 1972

Joe Biden is not responsible for the current surge of COVID-19Δ, and will not be responsible for the coming surge of COVID-19Ο. Nor is COVID-19 in either its delta or omicron mutation responsible. Who is? Those who won’t do the very least they can do, all on their own, to prevent transmission of COVID-19 to themselves (by vaccination) or others (by wearing a mask). The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a longer-standing and more virulent pandemic: a pandemic of malignant individualism and selfishness masquerading as a defense of freedom.

The reactionary right waxes hysterical about mandates, has tantrums about masks, is sent into a frenzy by school policies that will protect their own children, and goes on and on (and on and on) about tyrannical assaults on their freedom. At this point we know that mandates may be counterproductive when directed at people who haven’t the faintest understanding of what freedom entails. That would be personal responsibility. Something else that the reactionary right goes on and on (and on and on and on) about when it concerns the responsibilities of other people.

So … if not mandates, then what?

How about incentives? Pro-market conservatives like incentives. They prefer them. They maintain that incentives are always superior to mandates and regulations as a tool of public policy. So, let’s think about how that would work. It would be fairly simple: if you aren’t vaccinated you have to pay for your own care when you contract COVID-19. All of your care: the testing, the emergency room care; the hospital care; the physician visits; the drugs you need; the follow-up care. And you will be put at the end of the queue for resources that are in short supply: ICU beds, ventilators, monoclonal anti-body treatment, the latest drugs. If you won’t do the very least to take care of yourself and others, then the rest of us shouldn’t have to foot the bill for your selfishness (not to mention your foolishness).

Should there be exceptions? Only if the physicians in the hospital where you are seeking care concur that vaccination was clinically contraindicated. No religious exception: you should appeal to your co-religionists to pay for your care or be a martyr to your sacred principles. No exception based on political principle: “Live Free or Die” implies “Live Free and Die”. No exception for financial hardship given the extraordinary actions that have been taken to make the vaccine freely available. And those efforts should and will and do continue.

The very least the unvaccinated can do is: get vaccinated. The next-to-least thing they can do is: wear a mask when around others. This also applies to the vaccinated—but many of us do continue to wear masks out of consideration for the health of others. It’s time for the unvaccinated to use the freedom with which they are endowed to take some personal responsibility. Which is what freedom is about.