Question on VITAS Options

[Pelaka]

OK, as best I can tell the first VITAS plague killed off 10-25% of the Earth's population (varies by region). Yeah, I know the awakening was a bit of a distraction... but it really seems to me that the impact of the plague is understated in the cannon material. Specific issues:

1. I would have thought the economic impact would have been much greater... the American Great Depression would have looked mild in comparison. Countries just lost a huge percentage of their consumers and producers. You would have had months on end with folks fearful to come to work. International trade and travel would have been tanked, and future customs controls woud have been hugely restrictive and anti-business, protectionism/self-sufficiency would have increased. Instead, it is presented as a minor blip, but not any better/worse in its impact then normal cyclical recessions.

2. As mentioned, I would have thought that international trade and travel would have virtually stopped as goverments tried to insulate themselves from the plague and future outbreaks by isolating themselves. As trade/travel openned up again a few years later the custom controls would have been vastly increased.

3. Culturely I would have expected a huge backlash against filth. Obsessive cleanliness, much like the obsessive frugality you saw in America in the 50s/60s by folks that lived through the Depression. Hospital chic. Personal bio-monitors common place. Run down sections of town would be seen as disease breeding grounds to be sanitized regardless of human cost.

4. The 2nd round of VITAS in the '20s, even though less devistating would have just enforced the idea that permenent changes had to be made to protect against future plagues.

5. I would have thought loosing one-in-ten to one-in-four of EVERYONE you knew would have led to a major religious revival.

Of all the things in the SR cannon, the VITAS plagues are the one thing I could never understand. If the plagues confined themselves to the 3rd world then I could see the low impact on government/corp/society... but if Germany (or any other country) lost 15% of their people they wouldn't have struggled with what to do about refugees for another 30 years... they would have started shooting them at the border no questions asked (especially if they were dirty and in poor health as refuges often are).

Pel