I think you're on to something.
There is a crisis unfolding in retail. Recent history tells us that all incentives are to paper it over, to mask it.
The predictable result?
Zombies.
The undead.
The JC Penney's, Macys, neiman-marcus and Nordstrom's,unburied corpses pretending to be alive, still shuffling along in a ghost world.

Maybe.

The people are united ---81%, Rep & Dem--- in not going out to die for the "economy" (aka rich people):
https://kottke.org/20/05/polling-indicates-americans-overwhelmingly-agree-on-covid-19-countermeasures

How long can "papering over" an economy work? One that relies on Americans buying piles of cheap plastic stuff and/or cars? TIME WILL TELL!

EndOfEmpire