Changes
The world is undergoing a period of remarkable change right now. This global pandemic is right on track, historically. Famine and/or disease go hand in hand with most major changes throughout history. But what change are we undergoing now?
There’s a lot of positives and negatives to consider. On the negative, many parts of the world have been sliding closer and closer to authoritarian dictatorships. This crisis is just another opportunity for that to proceed. Hungary has been seeing democracy fade for awhile now. The Coronavirus has resulted in Orban getting sweeping powers. He’s basically Palpatine now.
The US is toying with this as well. While not quite as far gone as Hungary we’re getting awfully close. Trump continues to do whatever the hell he wants with no consequences. Impeachment was the next to last stop to reigning in his power grab and it failed. The election is November is the final chance.
With this pandemic situation things aren’t looking good for that. Republicans continue to do whatever is necessary to win, regardless of the consequences to democracy. Wisconsin proved that. We have eight months to prepare for the election but nothing is going to happen. Instead of enacting nationwide mail-in voting to ensure everyone gets to vote regardless of the virus situation come November, we’re going to either face Trump outright canceling the election (if it looks like he’ll lose) or doing what Wisconsin did and going through with it at a time when everyone is told to stay home and most polling places are closed.
This virus could be the straw that breaks the back of democracy. In order to monitor for virus outbreaks, more and more restrictions will be placed on people. Especially anyone critical of the government. Bigotry and xenophobia will reign supreme. The borders will be closed and racial violence will spike. The dark dystopia you’ve read about in dark sci-fi will come to pass.
But on the other hand, maybe its not so bleak.
Spain is looking to expand their emergency Coronavirus aid to a permanent basic income. This suggests countries can learn something from the response. Many countries around the world responded with compassion to the crisis. Instead of turning on each other, this could end up bringing us together.
The US’s piss poor response has shown a beacon on the travesty that is our healthcare system. It’s telling that health insurance companies are doing well despite the economic down turn. In fact, they had a huge rally after Bernie Sanders announced he was dropping out from the presidential race. While Joe Biden is an idiot with his obstinate disregard for Medicare for All maybe, just maybe, this situation might finally bring him and the Democratic Roadblock Elite around to the idea that private health care just doesn’t work.
There’s also a chance that more people will start to realize just how bad of a leader Donald Trump is. His response has been all over the place. His press briefings actively make things worse rather than better. He’s a selfish bully whose withholding needed aid to states based on how nice they are to him. Maybe, just maybe that will break through to some of his supporters.
Beyond the big players in politics, this pandemic has also highlighted the unrealized power of the people. “Unskilled” workers who were sneered at for wanting a living wage suddenly became essential. This realization could translate into a stronger push for labor unions and demands for better working conditions and pay. They have the spotlight and the power now if they decide to wield it.
Workers around the world are realizing how broken the current economic system is. For many, not going to work hasn’t destroyed anything. The only reason they had to do the job they were doing was to pay the rent. They’re companies are suffering far more than they are. Maybe, just maybe, they don’t have to take anymore shit.
More broadly, for many, this is an extended break from the daily grind that they have never experienced. Its tinged with fear and uncertainty about the future. But it also opens the door to the basic idea of why the hell were we working so hard? We can still eat and have shelter without working 80hrs a week to meet some made up quota on a spreadsheet.
Maybe, just maybe, the essential workers will demand their fair share. And then everyone will realize, that after the essential stuff is done, there’re more to life than just more work. This pandemic has shown that the constant push for economic growth is pointless. Most work can be put off for a few months and what does it really matter? It can still get done if its worth doing.
Even more broadly, the the sudden reduction in people commuting and factories running and everything else has led to a clearing of the skies. For the first time some people are getting to see more than a few feet in front of them. The mountains that once dominated the horizon but had vanished under smog and pollution are back. The air is breathable.
There’s a chance the upside of this terrible ordeal will be a change in how we view the world and each other. We can let go of crippling ideas of productivity and money uber alles. See the beauty that is out there in the world and work together to live with it.
Or we can give into fear and let incompetent demagogues rule us for their personal benefit.
