Frankly, I’m old enough to have learned that people don’t change, even after a great fear. But I tried to imagine (and hope) that something will change in the minds of the new generations, in all of us, in the world.
Only an external enemy, perhaps unknown, could have taught humans that they are part of a single great wonderful species, vulnerable, creative, needy, which can cultivate its need to be well only together. National differences are the result of history: a story steeped in blood and disasters to defend borders that are only abstract lines on a common planet, the only one available.
Nature, through this virus, which has upset our small certainties and comforts, has declared war on us, seems to want to put us back in our place, we have disrespected it too much.
It turns against us. It is a world war. Through the virus, nature has shown us that it knows no borders or nations. He wants us to accept living in balance with the planet, and to take care of us all, of nature, of the planet. It is the condition that places us to let us live in peace. If we don’t understand it with the good, it imposes it with the Virus. But we are an extraordinary animal species: we learn, we are aware.
The result will be a new world humanity, in solidarity, a new sort of democracy, of the right to good, of benevolence, of compassion for a vulnerability that must no longer be hidden, but which is the banner of all of us, new humans. We will be invincible if we will be aware of our vulnerability, of our need to feel good if we take care of each other (actually, we no longer will say “the other”: the others are us, we humans).
And then, after, and soon, we will have learned the lesson: we have understood that they make no sense, they are contrary to the needs of humanity, investments in military arsenals will be prohibited; if anything, the same investments will be made to protect health.
Nations will reorganize themselves and will have their reason for being transforming themselves into administrations of people’s well-being, cooperating internationally to achieve it – since the science cooperates.
The need to feel good, a need for everyone, will become a natural right, precisely because it is shared by everyone, without exception and without limits of nationality. The armies will turn into peacekeepers, supporting police work, civil protection, and city police.
Everything contradicts this need for humanity to live in peace and health will no longer make sense. Weapons of mass destruction will soon be banned first, and therefore nuclear weapons, atomic warheads, and planes that are supposed to carry them; the war industry will recycle itself to supply machinery to hospitals and homes for all, and solar panels for each roof.
We will work towards a compassionate, supportive, benevolent, truly human economy.
Peace, which begins in people’s minds, will be taught in schools where from the very young they will learn to manage negative emotions, how to resolve conflicts, how to understand the other.
In a solidarity economy, there will be no room for fear: citizenship income and similar devices will make it possible for everyone to study for life, cultivating resources hidden in everyone’s desires, distributing skills. Artists and small artisans and other categories with uncertain income will enjoy financial support to keep cultures alive.
The new humanity will teach us to love life as it is: accepting problems and solving them together, with rationality, science, reasonableness, knowledge of experts, and scholars.
The new universal indication that will be added to the Declaration of Human Rights (not surprisingly drawn up after the last great world catastrophe, the Second World War) will be: do not harm. Neither the planet, nor humans, nor nature.
A Universal Constituent will take care of implementing it in concrete, simple steps that can be carried out by everyone in every field. There is a lot to do, there is no time to waste in controversy because we have to rebuild something better.
Today’s emergency is feedback from nature that warns us in time: we can understand it and stop damaging the planet and therefore all of us.
Aldo, there is indeed time to change. Perhaps this is the season for that to happen! Certainly a big prompt!
I’ve overheard good things and seen admirable behavior when out shopping. And the opposite as well.
Reading news suggests there’s and abundance of both going on right now.
Suspect that folks are stressed enough that misbehavior is likely unintentional for the most part.
Even the folks who seem to be going off the wall, so too speak, are probably too stressed to think rationally.
blessings,
Cynthia
Cynthia,
Thank you very much for reading my article and for the considerations you make.
Yes, the reactions are of various kinds. We all have the right expectation that something will change: more humanity, awareness of the need to operate at the global level with maximum participation and transparency at least in those areas where a single vision and strategy for the common good is needed.
Thanks for the support.
Thanks Aldo. You are right! Awareness matters.
Today many speak of the aftermath, of the “learned” lessons, of the best vision of life that will be.
I, like you, do not believe much that it will be a new positive normal.
Too many people have short memories and fear is gone, everything returns as before. Just see how free everyone is to “go overboard” as soon as things are said to improve.
We will see and hope.
Thank you for your contribution in keeping this discussion alive. It is a pleasure to interact with you.
I only think we all have a part to play.. if we raise awareness and not give up..we it just helps.. if we help but one.. it’s better than none. Thank you Aldo Delli Paoli You saw my views yesterday… lol. Happy Friday!
Thanks Paula for reading and commenting.
I agree, every little contribution can be useful to change or highlight what needs to be changed. Too often, people with common sense leave room for those who don’t.
Aldo – I always value your insights and I truly hope that the human race learns from the lessons taught by this pandemic and become kinder and more respectful of each other. However, my biggest fear is those with personal agendas to take power will use this as an opportunity to convince us to put our freedom in their hands and they will keep us safe. History tells me we must be on the alert for this kind of corruption of what can be a positive for humanity. I hope you understand my concern and know I speak with great respect for wisdom.
I have the utmost respect for the opinions of others which are always an opportunity to reflect and learn.
Len, I understand your points of view and, if you have noticed, the premise of my article is that I have many doubts about the post coronavirus, not excluding the one that you hypothesize. You understand very well that I don’t have much faith in those who govern us. However, I wanted to do an exercise in optimistic imagination in the hope that the new generations, who have not known other moments like this, can find the energies and personal ethics to change some things of this world for the better, in the sense that this emergency should have taught them.
Thank you, for following me with such affectionate attention and always giving significant food for thought.
Aldo – I, like you, hope good things come from this experience. Thank you for understanding my concern. Grateful that discussions on this forum are respectful and engaging.