The other day, I saw a sizable pigeon taken by a much smaller hawk. It sat atop its prey for a bit, as if figuring out what to do with such a heavy prize, before becoming airborne sufficiently enough to transport it into the woods a short distance away. All that was left of the chance spectacle were some telltale feathers blown about my neighbor’s lawn. It was one of those moments when the ever weighty meaning of life briefly holds center stage. That arresting drama of death’s arrival and departure ultimately played out as just another means of species sustenance in the natural order of the world. A natural order lost on most of us. We seldom think of life’s end as an intrinsic part of existence. We spend most of our “civilized” consciousness in denial of that reality.
Other species exhibit far greater awareness of their mortality. Birds in particular always seem to being looking over their shoulder, even while casting their eyes about for some insect to consume. Now mankind is looking over its shoulder, anxious to regain a top-of-the-food-chain normalcy. We’ve become the prey of an unseen predator that has turned our world upside down. Nothing seems to make sense as we nervously wait for herd immunity to manifest itself. Meanwhile, life outside our species’ crisis continues in many ways for the better. From every corner of the planet life has clearly benefited by our human calamity. The air is cleaner. The water more pure. We’ve even begun treating each other more humanely. Human nature is being renewed.
This catastrophic virus, now loose upon the world from its habitat of origin, is just another part of the natural order going about its own business of existence. What’s unnatural is man’s disregard for nature’s intended boundaries. We are the ones responsible for COVID-19’s frightening globalization. Coronaviruses likely have no designs on world domination or any concept of being pathogens. This enemy has no enmity. We, once masters of all aspects of warfare, can only stay at home and hope we are spared the misfortune befalling so many others. None of our great military might is of use against this biblical foe. Our only immediate hope is to limit our exposure by adopting prudent practices of non-engagement. Sadly, only a few months into the battle many now want to abandon that tactical strategy in fear that to do otherwise will be economically defeating. Whatever the casualties, our bottom line in the sand remains steadfast in its allegiance to capitalism’s survival above all else.
Until now, America has never called off a war because it was too expensive. Six billion dollars for a single warship is a drop in the DOD bucket. Our economy thrives on an ever-larger deficit addictive war footing. Now, however, we are engaged in a war that’s usually fought individually, each combatant left to their own resources. Now we’re learning the hard truth that the cost of privatizing medicine can be far higher than ever thought possible. Imagine preparing for military combat via a similar system. Imagine each state left to its own devices in thwarting a foreign invasion. Aside from those fortifying the White House, who really believes America is being served well by its capitalist designed health delivery system? Imagine how much better prepared we could be with a nationalized approach to protecting the health of all Americans. What more evidence is needed that for-profit medicine is ultimately bankrupt?
In my lifetime, nothing has so readily brought so many people together as this uncommon enemy. 911 came close, until we realized we’d misdiagnosed the causation and that the threat had moved back overseas. Vietnam’s daily body counts, which COVID-19 has already surpassed, tore a permanent rent in our social fabric. That endemic political division remains the greatest hurdle to our collective victory over this pandemic. We can’t take only some of our prescription and expect the course of treatment to achieve effectiveness.
Many are hopeful that this will remain a historic teaching moment in defining what’s truly “essential.” What exactly should we wish for in returning to “normal?” Is that the best to which we can aspire? We must do better than normal. “Normal” will continue killing the planet. “Normal” will provide proper health care only for those fortunate enough to afford it. “Normal” will mean we will always have to be looking over our shoulder in fear that capitalism will again fail in protecting us against a medical threat unanticipated by a myopic bottom line prioritization to medical best practices.
Gary Anderson lives in Bath.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
