Opportunity cost

Or how "post-exertional malaise" runs the show

There is a theory in economics called “opportunity cost.” When you are producing goods and services for one thing, you’re missing out on an opportunity to produce goods and services elsewhere. A choice is made. Due to limited resources, the value of the best alternative is given up. This can apply to a lot in life. And lately, I’ve been thinking about how Long Covid is one big opportunity cost.

Feeling more like a scrubby economist than a working journalist, my life currently deals only in matters of prices, costs and value judgements. One thing now to give up another thing later.

If I report out an in-depth feature, I’ll need to equate for a few weeks of being bedridden with pain, brain fog and fatigue.

If I push my physical threshold on a walk today, I’ll wake up with the world on a 90 degree tilt tomorrow.

If I talk on the phone with a friend for an hour, I’ll rack up enough cognitive impairment in the coming days I’ll barely be able to speak.

If I write this Substack, if I post thi…