A Confluence of COVID Characters: Misanthropes, Miscreants, Minstrels

       Seems to me that this pandemic has brought out both the best and worst characters, as well as 'character'. Despite not getting out and about as much, you've certainly encountered, read about, or viewed news segments portraying one or more of these types of characters, as well as these dimensions of personality in various individuals (perhaps including the 'man in the mirror')...

Moody, Morose Misanthropes: General dislike, distrust, or contempt, frequently accompanied by a sullen profile. You may have not actually encountered them as they tend to distance themselves from us but, on the other hand, we may have some under our own roof, in the form of...teenagers (LOL)--they frequently acquire contempt for us and, if allowed, would stay in their room with the door closed until?. But, who among us haven't had  a day where you were mad at the world, while no one in particular? You misanthrope! Timely to also remind ourselves that Scrooge did not turn out to be the mean spirited misanthrope that we originally believed him to be. Nor himself. 

Miscreants, Merchants Making Mounds of Money: Or taking mounds of stuff, stuff they don't really need. While the narrow definition refers to people or behavior that is lawbreaking and unethical (many times to the detriment of others in their proximity), I am choosing here a broader, more liberal application. Such as people who hoarded 50 rolls of TP early in the pandemic, while the rest of us had to go on a scavenger hunt.  Wonder what craft they're making with all the TP they haven't been able to unload since. A more dramatic version is the merchants (more the exception than the rule, thank goodness) who made a huge profit while jacking up the price of PPE products when they were scarce. Repugnant. Which brings to mind the admonishment my father used to issue to us in such situations in our own home: "Don't be such a dog in the manger!". Which I later found came from a Greek fable involving a dog in a literal manger, who prevented a horse from eating grain the dog itself did not either need or want. Which is in turn related to envy, a clever version of which I heard recently: "I don't really want the Corvette in my neighbor's driveway; I just don't think he deserves it!" Finally, who among us, when we were one of the first in the grocery store, in any given aisle, weren't at least tempted to stock up on some items we didn't really need?

Minstrels Making Merriment: On balconies, street corners, even in the grocery store (yep, I heard a few singing through their masks in the next aisle when Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " came on the store intercom). These are people we started seeing early in the pandemic in the last five minutes of major newscasts that warmed our hearts and brought a smile to our face, which also brought us back to the same station the next evening, only to see and hear the "Breaking (crappy) News!" of the day...Whether song, dance, or instrumentation, a happy or catchy tune definitely helps to pierce the pervasiveness of the pandemic. A side note: when 'road rage' arrived on the scene, different approaches were offered to mitigate the negative feelings and associated 'bad behavior'--one of the most effective and readily available strategies has included singing along with the radio (except, of course, if it was one of the earlier Taylor Swift's breakup lamentations). Try singing and being angry at the same time--you can do it but it ain't easy. Let's all sing along together...