This outcome would prolong the pandemic and its subsequent death and suffering.

As American adults faced economic hardships brought on by the pandemic this year, a real-time payment system—which many countries around the world have already instituted—could have saved money and prevented suffering, Klein says.

“The city is obligated, I think, to take some time to take stock of how much harm this caused – and then take measures to remedy or compensate people for that suffering,” he said.

Pleasure is good and suffering is bad because Reality is essentially directed toward the former and away from the latter.