“We have to change our everyday lives — not gradually, but right now,” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. Germany has shown an exemplary management of the Coronavirus pandemic.
I honestly feel unqualified to talk about compassion during this Coronavirus pandemic. My perspective about the illness, the role leaders play in a world emergency, has changed since we first learned about the Coronavirus.
I have been upset, worried, uncomfortable, a loud critic during the month or so since we started to realize that we were not safe from the spread of this virus. Many things have crossed my mind. For example, I have thoughts of nature taking revenge on us for the little care with which we treat it. It’s decimating the population of the most destructive creature that has ever inhabited Earth, I thought.
Then I found myself inclined to believe some of the conspiracy theories. We’ve gotten so mistrustful of “leaders” driven by greed, that it was difficult not to start looking around to see who is benefiting from the epidemic so that we can place blame on someone, or something.
I was troubled by some people’s carelessness also. But I was myself being careless. I thought I was healthy, had no symptoms, and could wander around with little risk. Then I read about the healthcare practitioners begging us to help them “flatten the curve.” I realized our carelessness could contribute to unconsciously made the epidemic worst.
And, of course, I blamed the ineptitude of the president of this proud country. It hit me that there are so many people who do not believe in science, who render the US weak in front of the epidemic and who would say anything, no matter how inaccurate or false, to blame an opponent, to capitalize the moment politically.
However, the most striking realization was to remember that I used to believe in the mighty power of the US. This country is no longer the vanguard, it does not make alliances with other countries, and pride has consumed the nation and its leaders into odious selfishness that, in the case or coronavirus, can prove deadly. The US administration no longer works side to side with world organizations like the World Health Organization to coordinate efforts to alleviate the burden of this health event. Nationalism in the times of globalization proves its weakness and its wickedness. People and countries cannot be global to profit, and then not global when compassion and solidarity are needed.
