SO sick of hearing "I'd rather be stuck in..."

I won't rather be stuck in NZ,
or ANY where...
Even if it's Costa Rica.

A few friends have been writing me messages with similar sentiments:
"you're lucky you're in NZ",
"I'd rather be stuck in NZ"
"At least you're in NZ"
Come On...
What are you trying to express by saying things like this...

I'm in no way ungrateful for the life I have in NZ.
I'm beyond gratified for the beauty of NZ landscape as well.
It's a small country that is easy to travel.
We have had periods of former normality, 
that allowed us the freedom to roam.
So,
if you are actually jealous of me being stuck in NZ as an avid traveler,
Why don't you come do a 2-week MIQ,
pay for the whole thing,
and stay stuck here for 3 years here, 
experience what it feels like?
Then tell me whether you still rather be stuck here in NZ.

Those who say that to me are often ones that have the freedom to travel,
and live in countries that do not have strict restrictions as we do in NZ.

Now, everything has been up a level in NZ.
Whether it's the actual restriction level itself,
or the requirement for masks everywhere,
or the requirement for vacc. for most people.
"No jab, no job"
"Mandated"
"Scan"
"Mask on"
"Vaxx Pass"
The world in front of me is changing slowly but surely in front of my eyes.
People appear to be oblivious/totally okay with the gradual ramping up of control measures.
But if anyone still have any intuition left, they can just sense what more this is leading towards.
I certainly notice a big difference when out and about in the city:
it is hard to see more than a handful of people who don't have a mask over their faces.

Can you imagine the children of this generation growing up never seeing people's faces?
On the phone whenever they sit down,
back on the computer to play games when they get home?
What kind of human beings are they going to be?
To what extent will they still have any humanity left in them?
Will they help an old lady cross the street if she doesn't have any mask on?
Will we one day even be able to tell A.I. robots from people?
Because EVERY one every THING has a mask on.
& One has to get a booster jab every six months in order to keep the certificate renewed.
We are becoming like our vehicles...!
A WOF check every 6 months.

Don't people see how the measures are just being pushed up a little bit at a time?
How are people even OKAY with this?
​All the wrongs arei n plain sight,
but people go by their lives with their eyes blindfolded to the heart's true feelings.
It's World War Z as you realise it.
It's a Zombie-ing of the mind.

Can't we just sit on the lawn of an open field, go to the forest, and hang out?
How can traveling be so difficult?
- when traveling itself should be the epitome of freedom itself.

To not be able to travel for eager travelers
is like for a runner to not even be able to walk.
Like a paralysed vegetable on a hospital bed.
Good luck with all your dreams and aspirations of winning a medal.

I used to measure matters by whether it's a First World Problem or not.
These days, 
none of what's related to C-vid is even a First World Problem anymore.
It is a GLOBAL problem.

Yes, for those of us who have everything they need in NZ, we're so damn lucky.
But no, none of this is OKAY.
Not for me.