The Death of Empathy?

Cover those orifices  [READER]( My next-door neighbor is an emergency room doctor. My sister and I were sitting in our yard the other day, just back from a walk, and complaining how we were playing dodge ball the whole time, trying to avoid people without masks on. We had on our masks, but more than 80 percent of the people we saw—but especially the joggers—did not have on masks. The doctor walked by to get her mail, and all we could do was apologize on behalf of all of her neighbors who did not take her life into consideration. Because ultimately, even if you’re healthy, you can be a spreader. And the more people who need medical care, the more our health-care and other essential workers will be exposed to COVID-19. I guess I don’t even understand the lack of empathy among masses of adults. I do understand why African Americans and other people of color might be wary of wearing masks because of potential over-response from police or store security people. But for everyone else, what’s up? Do people really not care? Certainly, there have always been people who are selfish, but this disease is like showing subtitles in front of everyone I encounter. I certainly don’t risk saying anything to them (people are being shot for that), but I am appalled. And sad. Meanwhile, our Reader team continues to work remotely. I go to the office for the mail, and for things that have to happen onsite, but everyone else can do their work from home, so we are grateful. And we are especially thankful to all of the readers who have stepped up to help the Reader raise funds as our ads have dried up almost entirely. See [www.chicagoreader.com/support]( for all of the creative ways to back our work, including best-of books by our writers, face masks, puzzles, and coloring books. The joint fundraiser we are doing as part of the [Chicago Independent Media Alliance]( raising funds for 43 local media outlets, is going well and ends June 5. We are at $23,000 of our $40,000 minimum goal—which is being matched by foundations. See [www.savechicagomedia.org]( for info on donating to one or all of these grassroots newspapers, podcasts, radio stations, websites, and other entities. Publisher [The Reader’s stay-at-home chronicles: days 57 and 58]( What we’re reading, watching, listening to, etc., to pass the time. By [Reader staff]( [Okkultokrati alchemize grimy punk and metal into a dark triumph on La Ilden Lyse]( By [Jamie Ludwig]( [@unlistenmusic]( [What are the greatest moments in Chicago music history?]( Starting today, #ChiMusic35 invites you to submit candidates and vote. By [Deanna Isaacs]( [@deannaisaacs]( [The Soft Pink Truth traffics in revelations on Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?]( By [Salem Collo-Julin]( [@hollo]( [TALsounds makes ambient music we can only dream of on Acquiesce]( By [Leor Galil]( [@imLeor]( [Chicago drill icon Lil Durk leans into his melancholy on]( Cause Y’all Waited 2]( By [Leor Galil]( [@imLeor]( [Issue of May 14-20, 2020 Vol. 49, No. 32]( [Download Issue]( (PDF) [DONATE]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2020 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Ste 102Chicago, IL 60616-3228 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](