And the media ignored the pain and suffering of those who had spent years or decades sacrificing, saving, and working 80-hour weeks to build those small businesses, only to see them destroyed through shutdowns, or the pain of the employees of those businesses, who in many cases didn't just lose a paycheck, but a job in which co-workers were like family. The media pretty much ignored the pain and suffering of anyone whose story didn't support their narrative. It was disgusting.

Yes, big retailers profited from the closure of small businesses, and big government benefited as well. The totalitarians want us all corralled into bigger entities, big corporations that are in bed with the government or government programs, where we can be more easily controlled.