LIVING IN THE “NOW”
The human mind is hardwired in inexplicable ways. Our primitive thought process which is highly predisposed to stress and fear is often triggered to care and react only to the “now” rather than looking ahead at the big picture and solving any future outcome of any threat or problem.
Something that radically affects our judgment for the worse, and is most likely the main reason why we failed so miserably to act against climate change, global warming and the systematic destruction of eco-systems and their inhabitants.
Human beings often cannot comprehend the direct correlation between the present and the future and the fact that time is linear, so while we obsessively count the Coronavirus death toll, only a few worry about possible secondary effects.
SAVING LIVES AT ANY COST
It seems that world governments’ strong measures often focus exclusively on saving lives in the “now” by any means necessary while not taking into account enough the socio-economic consequences of even the nearest of futures.
Who decides what drastic measures to place and why? Are governments in the grand scheme of things, factoring in that these measures might help save 10 elderly lives today and potentially destroy 100 young ones tomorrow? Probably not.
As far as they’re concerned, not to impose a lockdown risks accusations of mass killing, so their instincts for political survival will most likely drive them to do so. No one is likely to lose support for being too tough on Coronavirus.
Yes, people expect the government to provide security and protect lives, but should it be done at any cost?
THEN THERE ARE THE SILENT BOMBS
In huge economically challenged cities such as Mumbai or Manila, forcing people to stay at home is to confine millions to small sheds, cramming about 10 persons in a room, with no easy access to water, or even soap.
If economies crash, silent killers such as measles, malnutrition and infant mortality may sweep in. All these invisible consequences of fighting one disease may lead to neglecting others currently lying dormant.
BEGINNING TO GRASP THE IMPACT OF EXTENDED LOCKDOWNS
The U.S, the world’s largest economy is starting to struggle and China, the world’s second largest economy and biggest manufacturer effectively shut down last month. That alone is enough to tip the world into recession.
Planes, trains, and ships are virtually empty. Things are at their worst for the airline industry. Tourism, which comprises more than 10% of global GDP, has almost completely collapsed.
The Olympics, Wimbledon, concerts, world trade fairs, and climate summits are being cancelled … all of which will clearly have a very nasty economic impact.
BREAKDOWN OF MODERN SOCIETY’S LIFELINES
While we’re strolling along our self-centered busy lives, mind-boggling complexities and forces working behind the scenes keep the fabric of our modern society together…
Things like supply chains for example, if they breakdown, the result will be catastrophic on every single person on the planet short of a lucky few, such as secluded Amazonian tribes.
Another negative impact is rationing and protectionism which countries will apply especially when it comes to critical items like masks and medicine. And demand for several items is going to skyrocket, such as toilet paper and antibacterial cleansers.
Eventually companies themselves will start to limit purchases and governments will begin to impose full-blown rationing, which could lead to social unrest, riots and a rise in crime.
There’s already so much anger in the world. Strikes, protests, social media rants… even armed thugs in the streets physically assaulting people with ideological differences.
Introduce a little bit of scarcity into all that mix and a substantial amount of people will become completely disturbed.
JUST HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THESE RADICAL MEASURES
In the short term, a worldwide lockdown might have some positive effect, but it would not prevent more severe corona outbreaks in the long term without an effective vaccine. And realistically speaking, lockdowns won’t make much of a difference without boosting national health systems and testing people on a large scale.
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT… BOREDOM AND FEAR ARE AN EXPLOSIVE BLEND
People won’t put up with months of lockdown, the risk, during that period, is that negative psychological impact will spread, and fatigue and irritation will set in, probably leading to a sharp rise in cases of domestic violence.
An indefinite shutdown would hurt younger generations and would cause mental health problems. If it went on too long, people will rebel, especially the young.
THE EXIT STRATEGY
Governments everywhere need to set out a timely and gradual exit strategy for the Coronavirus crisis because unrestricted lockdowns that last for months are unrealistic and will severely damage the economy. And in turn that will potentially lead to even more loss of life than the direct effect of the virus.
Let’s be honest, we brought this on ourselves. The Coronavirus did not manifest from nowhere. Our sadistic treatment and manipulation of animals for centuries has come back to haunt us.
And besides, we all agree that the planet is alarmingly overpopulated. Our eternal quest and obsession to over-stretch life, sometimes senselessly, makes self-destruction imminent one way or another sometime in the future.
So in a Darwinian survival of the fittest sort of thing, maybe letting nature takes its course in bringing back balance to the planet by allowing people to contract and acquire immunity for COVID19 naturally is not such a bad thing? #FoodForThought
