MERS had no significant impact on sub-Saharan Africa
Maslow's Hierarchy is an oft-cited and over-simplified "theory". Actually, it was never really proposed as a theory that could be tested. If you read his life's work, he only ever found two people that he considered to be self-actualized. Neither acted in the ways he thought they would. One was a fellow professor who never spoke to a colleague after that person presented a different viewpoint in a meeting.
The "hierarchy" rests on the notion of prepotency, which means that people will fulfill physiological needs, then security needs, and so on until self-actualization. There has never been any empirical support for this notion. In fact, we all know of the perfect example that disproves it. Consider the war hero who "gives his life for his country" by taking enemy fire or jumping on a hand grenade. Such a person rejects physiological and personal security needs in the interest of love and belonging and esteem. Maslow's theory was the basis for the VALS typology in marketing, which was discredited because it did not predict behavior well.
The notion that life means less on the African continent or in India is a Western colonial myth. I have spent considerable time on both continents working with the poor and the business community. I have never seen this. People everywhere love others and mourn their passing.
The reason why Africa and the Indian subcontinent are not centers of the pandemic, at least in part, is because (a) populations are younger, (b) obesity is much lower, (c) diets include far less processed food, and (d) populations remain far less urbanized (although urbanization proceeds at pace).
- Middle East is always hot, though.
- In my journeys, i find Maslow's Hierarchy holds true. If people are kept in a state where they're just struggling for basic needs day to day, they will not adapt Empathy or Compassion as a society... you dont find vegans arguing to not eat meat in the Sahel.
- I have spent significant time from Uganda across to the West. Not comfortable naming which countries beyond Uganda. But these are some of the lowest countries on gdp per capita.
French Imperialism has done, and continues to do, exactly what i mentioned in last point. Particularly through the XOF and XAF currencies.
Life is not valued in the same way. I have witnessed this. Trying to pull some Boer white shame card is not going to change what ive seen first hand.
Specifically because they are kept in a state where they have not the time nor energy to value it.
These countries have not the means, the time, ... the luxury of testing for COVID. Everyone there could have it and we would never know.
Maslow application is similar in China. I see, every year, these self important Animal Rights activists go there to protest meat markets and record animals in cages with their iphones.
But they have no appreciation for the fact that their iphone is effectively made by slave labor. Not even allowed to commit suicide.
If people are treated like that, why would they treat animals better?
But they dont care about humane treatment for the labor of their iphone. Only the animals.
As for your explanation...
A. Another way of stating low life expectancy
B. As populations go, nobody is healthier than East Asians
C. The virus literally came from raw food and has nothing to do with how it spreads... or is this doubling down on B?
D. True for parts of Africa. Blatantly false for India, which is the one im really interested in.
