Right now, on this day, Tuesday March 18, 2020, in this
moment at 2:28 pm MST, most of our world is in chaos because of Covid-19. I hope that by this time next year humanity
will be stronger than ever, but right now things are uncertain. People are short tempered and scared, and
store shelves are devoid of basic food staples and, interestingly enough,
toilet paper. Hysteria is present, but
so is confidence. Some are licking
toilets in viral disdain. You do you,
people.
I’ve been wondering why there is such a divide in the
reactions to Covid-19. I think it’s all
based on fear. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown. Fear of being the person who overreacts. Fear that if we act like Covid-19 could hurt
us, it will—jinxing it, perhaps? Most of
us have comfortable micro-systems, or at least those that we accept. Often, we want our micro-systems to improve
in some way—we go to school to get a degree or trade schools to learn a skill that
may lead to making more money, buying a bigger house or getting a newer
car. These kinds of changes are welcome,
but what about fluctuations in the opposite direction? How often do we make system modifications to
decrease comfort? It is done, but often for
a potentially noble purpose. Right now, our micro-systems are vulnerable
because a new element has been introduced that we do not have control
over. So, what do we do now? Is there a wrong or right way to react?
Some people cope by getting angry at others. Some cope by flinging a glorious middle
finger towards Covid-19. Some dare the
virus to come for them by licking toilets and doorknobs. Still others try to maintain a sense of
normalcy by altering their environment to include safety measures and
activities to keep one’s mind off the fact that they are quarantined. Nonetheless, nearly every person has had their
micro-system violated in some way by this unseen invader bent on collapsing our
world. Most are concerned about losing
their micro-system - a family member, our belongings, our jobs and our
sanity. Most of us fear what could
happen if this social distancing lasts a long time. Will factories continue to make the products
we have come to rely on? Will food be
available later in the year? There is a
bigger, more ominous fear to this.
Covid-19 is novel or new to us. It all began in animals, but
at some point this virus evolved and gained the ability to transfer to
humans. Does that mean you should euthanize
Fido and Fluffy? Not at all-stop
panicking-, but be sure you understand how this virus is working (yes, it’s
active and it’s trying to change to survive).
This virus has managed to evolve into yet another strain in just a
matter of weeks (I believe strain s and strain l as of now). Now that it has spread to humans and made its
way around the world, we must understand the facts and come to an understanding
about our own systems. First, try to
understand the virus and how it is truly affecting humanity. A mask will not protect you. In fact, it’s more likely to make you
sick. The virus is extremely tiny and
can fit through the pores in most masks, so imagine a mask only creating a hot
mess of virus inside that mask. Only a
N95 respirator can offer a significant means of protection. Let’s think in terms of truths, and the
biggest thing we can all do is consider how we will carry on with the existence
of Covid-19.
Most of us do not know what life is like devoid of the
things we’ve gotten used to. We drive in
our cars to the grocery store to buy food that we had nothing to do with
growing or producing. We arrive at jobs
each morning to begrudgingly work for our paychecks. While we know of true suffering, it’s
something we have put into the backs of our minds because we have a false sense
of security. The truth is that most are
afraid that we are only a few months away from starvation, chaos, and fear. Covid-19 is probably the first factor that
has established this level of doubt in all of us. This is us - all of us in every country and
every socioeconomic situation. We must
work together to not only keep this virus at bay but to return a sense of
normalcy in our own lives amid disorder.
However, let us not deny that our micro-systems have been forever
altered. We now know that humanity isn’t
above all else. We understand that what
we have had now and in the past can easily be threatened. How we react to this knowledge depends on who
we are and how we cope. You CAN adapt. Choose to adapt. Hell, if this virus can adapt, YOU can adapt.
We are certainly far more capable of
adjusting to survive than a virus! Ask yourself questions: How are you going to survive the quarantine
assuming you don’t get sick? How will
you keep your children or yourself entertained?
How are you going to reconstruct your micro-system once the crisis
resolves? How can you prevent yourself
and your loved ones from getting sick with it?
Get the facts, but may I recommend not licking toilets…
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