We Interviewed a 10-Year-Old About Coronavirus

The younger generation is the most important. While adults can be hard and cynical, the youth’s brains can be shaped for good while they’re still squishy. We often hear from a generation of teenage activists—the high school set that features Greta Thunberg and her ilk—but after talking to the brain trust at Countere, this correspondent decided to take things a few years down. We never really hear from 10-year-olds or middle schoolers—to see how they live, to hear how they think.

I decided to interview my 2 younger brothers, Charlie and James, who are both in fifth grade. Charlie and James are young residents of the suburb of Solon, Ohio, who’ve been spending all their time stuck at home now that school is cancelled. After wrangling them into a seated position, I asked them whether or not they’re scared of coronavirus, their thoughts on Donald Trump, and if they believe in the American Dream. 

Hi James and Charlie. How old are you guys? 

James: 10. 

Charlie: 11.

What’s your favorite food?

J: Watermelon.

C: Watermelon.

What do you guys like to do:

J: Play games.

C: Play games!

What kind of games?

J: Computer games! Minecraft and Pixel Worlds.

C: Battleship and Monopoly. Old school games.

Charlie and James.

What do you think of coronavirus?

J: I think it’s dumb. I think people are overreacting. It doesn’t seem that dangerous. A lot of people who have it don’t really die.

C: Ugh, I don’t know. It’s bad…It’s killing people.

Are you scared of getting coronavirus?

J: Not really. 

C: Not really.

What do your friends think of coronavirus?

J: They might be worried.

C: School got cancelled.

Have you been social distancing?

J: Not really. 

C: Well, I haven’t really gone out of the house...

Do you miss being in school? 

J: No! It’s hard. Yeah, I’m enjoying the coronavirus...

C: I miss being in school. Well, I miss my friends. Since we haven’t been in school for like a month now. I want to go back to school.

What do you think of adults and how they’re responding to coronavirus?

J: I don’t know! 

C: Mom and Dad won’t talk about it when we’re in the room. 

What do you think of Donald Trump?

J: How am I supposed to know all this! I don’t know what he does. I don’t listen to the news. How am I supposed to see what he does?

C: Um, I don’t know. No opinion. Why would I care?

Who’s your favorite President and why?

J: Abraham Lincoln. Cause he stopped slavery, I think.

C: I don’t know, I don’t pay attention to the Presidents! I guess Donald Trump. I don’t know any other Presidents.

Do you know what the American Dream is?

J: No.

C: No.

It’s the idea that in America, you can do and be whatever you want. Do you think that possible?

J: I don’t know. Not really. 

C: Uh, yeah. Why wouldn’t it be possible?

Are you happy to live in America?

J: Yeah. It’s fun!

C: Yeah, I guess. I’ve never gone anywhere else, so….

Okay, that’s good enough.

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