10 Truths About The United States In The Age Of Coronavirus
Or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the pandemic
Here are some attitudes that we have learned about ourselves during lockdown, whether we care to admit it or not (probably not).
- We keep asking the wrong questions
When can we reopen the economy? Wrong question. We should be asking:
What kind of economy do we really need? What kind of economy is sustainable in the long run for average people and for the environment? Why was our economy so fragile in the first place? If our country is so rich, how come so many people were so vulnerable, so fast, to a loss of income? Is the rat race of competition and survival of the fittest really what we want to go back to? Why aren’t we working from home most days so we can curb climate change?
How will we reopen schools safely in the fall? Wrong question. We should be asking:
Why are we forcing 35–40 kids into rows of desks to memorize facts and be measured by standardized tests that don’t do anything other than rank kids against one another? Why are teachers having a hard time adapting to using tech, or coming up with relevant lessons that our students will want to come to our Zoom meetings for? Why don’t all students have access to tech? Why isn’t the internet a public utility like roads and electricity, since access to information is actually a human right, and essential to learning, civic participation, and commerce? Why are schools responsible for feeding and providing health and mental care for students, when that should be the responsibility of the rest of society? How come there are no school shootings now?
2. Be honest with yourself, for God’s sake
Are dyed roots really a human right? Why am I so unhappy/frustrated/in danger when I have to spend long periods of time with my partner or family? How is it that I’m so upset or off-kilter when one thing is taken away from me during the pandemic, like professional sports or driving my SUV around town? How do I really define my identity and is that sustainable, healthy, or productive?
3. You’re not the most important person
I struggle with this one myself (see this article you’re reading?). There are literally billions of people on the planet. What makes you so special? Your relationship to them and a recognition that you’re part of a larger ecosystem of society is more important. Don’t take away anyone’s right to be healthy and happy because you’re bored or tired of watching Netflix.
4. Take personal responsibility seriously
Don’t expect anyone to clean up after you, solve your problems, or take care of you, especially when you treat others poorly or disrespect other people’s sacrifice and hard work. You don’t have the right to believe conspiracy theories. You do have the responsibility to seek out and embrace facts, and science as reality.
Throwing tantrums because you can’t do what you want when you want, sticking your head in the sand, then expecting medical experts to save you, is not exercising your rights — it’s childish and selfish. Work hard, pay your fair share of taxes, do the hard work to look out for your family and neighbors, and, yes, make hard choices because it’s the right thing to do, even when no one is looking.
5. What really makes you happy?
Many of us are upset, uncomfortable, or flat out angry about our current circumstances. Why is that? Did you really enjoy that rat race of a job that took you away from your family, forced you to commute for hours a day, and still didn’t pay enough to cover rent, medical costs, or $50k college tuition? Why is it that everyone is suddenly baking, sewing, planting gardens, painting, learning a new language, or reading those books that have been on their nightstand for months? Are you suddenly now eating healthy, home-cooked meals, and saving a ton of money by not going out? What’s your metric for success and happiness?
6. Perspective is everything
Stop calling yourself “American” unless you’re willing to stop putting other Americans in cages, deporting them back to gang violence, exploiting them to pick your vegetables and butcher your meat, then denying them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Are we really number one? Not by any productive metrics. We’re number one in gun deaths per capita, most COVID19 deaths, highest healthcare costs, incarcerated citizens, child poverty rates for industrialized nations, etc., etc.
Why do we call the cops on ‘suspicious’ black people? Why are people immigrating to our country? How could someone vote for Trump? We live in silos of geography, economics, race, religion. We don’t live next to people who are different from ourselves, nor have them as friends. When we travel, it’s to walled resorts where we continue to interact with people who look and sound like us. If you don’t see someone — or are unwilling to see them — they and their plight don’t exist.
7. Words matter
You’re not entitled to your opinion. Unless you can back it up with evidence.
And I mean science, and reliable sources — not Fox, reddit, or that Facebook group filled with people who like your posts.
If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. Caveat: “nice” should be replaced with “productive.” You can’t correct things by being ‘nice,’ and you can’t make big changes to your company, friendships or your personal life without ruffling feathers and asking uncomfortable questions. Also, stop being triggered when people you trust — not trolls or angry people, but those your respect — call you on your BS or point out your mistakes.
Like I ask my students, “How does what you say help anyone or make things better?”
8. Actions matter
Stop calling everyone who does your dirty work a ‘hero,’ and start pitching in.
Why should the poorest, most vulnerable ‘essential’ people put their lives at risk for YOU? If you want the ICU to save your life or that of your children or your elderly parents, then wear a mask and keep your social distance. Otherwise you don’t get to go to the hospital and endanger the lives of people who work hard. Wearing a mask, social distancing, standing up for the vulnerable, and protesting racism says you care as much about others as you do about yourself, because in the end, you’ll benefit from everyone else being healthy and productive.
9. Stop being right
Stop yelling and waving your beer in my face. We’re in this mess because we’re all acting like sports fanatics: My team win or lose! Competition is the only way to run businesses, schools and our political system! Only the strongest should survive! There can only be ONE winner — me!
How’s it working for you so far?
Stop being triggered by ideas that aren’t identical to yours. You don’t get to do that. Are you upset that someone is different from you, or does this just point out that your ideas weren’t that solid to begin with?
Being wrong is a sign of strength, not weakness. Only the strongest, most secure people can admit to being wrong, or at the very least, acknowledge that there are many other ways of doing things that are just as good if not better than yours. In the end I just want to be better off, so if somebody else comes up with the idea, I should thank them for being smarter than me or spending the energy making something that I can benefit from.
10. If it hurts, don’t do it / Question everything.
Why do we keep banging our heads against the wall and keep trying to put a square peg in a round hole? The pandemic has helped us see that we had so many things wrong to begin with, so stop pining for a world that didn’t work anyway.
How come so many people are so angry? What is it about pausing, self reflection, and sitting quietly with our circumstances that exposes our emotional fragility? What happens when we can’t distract ourselves with work, spending money, or sports? (see all of the above)
Teachers and students hate the routine, standardized tests, and boring lessons. So why did we keep doing it for so long? Now that kids can choose to show up to Zoom meetings, we’re finding out how engaging and meaningful our lessons truly are.
If hospitals are facing bankruptcy because they can’t profit off of lucrative ‘elective’ procedures, maybe we need to rethink the purpose of the medical industry and its economic model.
If so many families rely on schools for food, renters can’t pay rent, homeless people lack shelter, then maybe we should rethink our distribution of wealth.
Why do we complain that the federal government lacks leadership, coherent action plans, and doesn’t listen to experts? I don’t blame Trump. I blame the people who voted for him and continue to support him. Good news: There’s a solution in November.
Final thoughts
Easy for me to say. I’m employed, healthy, have a great family that I get along with. But even if you don’t agree with everything I say here, one thing is clear: Our country is a fucking mess. What will YOU do to help move us forward?
