Currently, we are witnessing two opposing forces within the coronavirus pandemic: fear and hope. Some countries, including their citizens, are still paralysed by fear (eg, Independent). In other countries, hope is breaking out either following easing of national lockdowns, or resulting from lawsuits (eg, Wisconsin Supreme Court).
Hence, I prepared an update of my Change diagram, represented by the eternal cycle of Doubt-Fear-Hope-Love.
The coronavirus pandemic is an interesting example of Change, the eternal force. A virus keeps changing (ie, mutating) and keeps reappearing (my recent blog).
The vacuum is represented by a lockdown, triggering angry protests, loneliness, mental health issues, and sometimes even suicide.
Suddenly, the “new” equilibrium is represented by freedom, which had always been there before. As many songs argue, you only miss something once it’s gone.
In accordance with my diagram, countries with a lockdown are debating how some beneficial aspects (eg, less air pollution, less emissions, less road congestions) of this sudden decoupling can be made permanent (eg, air ticket pricing, working at home). Countries without a lockdown (eg, Sweden) remain in their existing coupling phase.
A second wave of the coronavirus, as expected by scientists, will result in a spin of my diagram. The question is how? Possibly, from hope towards fear again. Perhaps, the coronavirus will be considered as the “new normal” and be part of any equilibrium, similar as annual flu viruses. Some nations may use the virus for increased surveillance on their citizens.
Change is often viewed as a mathematical equation with some variables and thus (somewhat) predictable. I doubt that. The value of a human life is one of the big questions societies are now facing. The outcome of this philosophical and Greater Good debate will be indicative for our future response to pandemics and – by extension – to the amount and nature of (future) change.
Everybody’s Changing (2003) – from the album Hopes and Fears – by Keane
artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2, Wiki-3
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise.
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