It is ironic that Chinese culture gave us the coronavirus crisis, because the Chinese also gave us a graphic word for “crisis”: it consists of one character which represents “danger” and a second which means “opportunity,” which is precisely how to be thinking about our current situation. Long ago I heard this Chinese symbol described, literally, as “opportunity riding on a dangerous wind.” This is precisely our present circumstance.
Yes, there is danger today, especially to the elderly and to any person whose health is already weakened. Yes, there is hardship ahead, especially to those who depend on schools to provide more than classroom education, and to anyone whose employment depends on a society that is in constant motion rather than staying at home.
But there is also opportunity. For example:
Deficiencies have been exposed in this and other countries’ preparedness for health crises. We have been taught important lessons. As a result, the world — and each community within it — should be better prepared the next time we face such a threat.
People have learned that what our mothers told us about hand-washing was wise: do it frequently and thoroughly. We’ve learned it is foolish and selfish — not heroic — to go to our places of employment when we have symptoms of illness. The result of increase observance of these and other common sense health habits could lead to significant less infection in future flu seasons.
The long-overheated US stock market has shed its over-priced issues, and investors who have not bailed out of the market in fear following a jagged cascade of down days may have the unusual opportunity now to not only watch their retirement accounts be restored, but also to expand them with bargain buying.
Around the world — but perhaps most measurably in China — slowing or closing commerce has resulted in cities with noticeably cleaner air.
Aside for cybercrime, selective price-gauging and toilet paper pilfering, crime statistics are way down.
I look forward to seeing research about how people are spending March and April of 2020 in comparison to previous years. With most public buildings closed, many people have been forced to find new things to do. In our case — with our international and domestic air travel and hotel accommodations of the next few months postponed or canceled, and our fitness center closed, and wanting to avoid enclosed or crowded public places — we’re taking day trips. We’ve packed maps, lunches and hiking boots and driven to look for new outdoor sites to see and venues to hike. . .in fresh air, far removed from other people. We are stretching our legs and our “social distancing” simultaneously.
Certainly, negative effects will accumulate as the pandemic persists, or if it returns in second or third waves; and it will become more difficult to point to anything positive except to the resilient human spirit that will survive this crisis.
JER
ALL OVER THE MAP 