OPINION:
The coronavirus crisis brings for many Americans, especially the youngest among us, suffering unlike they’ve ever experienced. As citizens in the most prosperous country on Earth, at what may be the historical apex of its economic and military prowess, it is no exaggeration to state that no one has, or has had it, better than the citizens of the modern United States. Perhaps that’s why we feel our privations so acutely.
Not, of course, that our present financial hardship, political gridlock and social unrest — just to name three of the most dominant themes of the past few months — are anything to understate. The COVID-19 induced psychological and physical suffering in America is real and, lamentably, it appears things will only get worse before they get better. And this notion of “better,” while we are on the subject, is an indefinite period of time away. When an effective vaccine is ready is still, projections of optimism by the nightly news aside, anyone’s guess.
But enough of the feeling sorry stuff.
Previous generations of Americans went through trying times, too. The Civil War, the Great Depression and World War II were not easy events to deal with. But families carried on and we, remarkably, flourished. Of course, our constitutions seemed a bit hardier back then, but that was really because our mindsets still retained a predilection toward hard work and self-reliance. Present generations have lost that spirit for reasons not entirely of their own making. But they can reclaim their birthright.
The first thing to understand before one can start making the best of a bad hand is to really reflect, after you subtract COVID-19 from the equation, on the causes of our suffering. It comes down to three main things. Each of them, thankfully, we can do something about.
The first cause, unsurprisingly, is bad government. At the local, state and federal level we find an assortment of liars, grifters, layabouts, louts and various other adjectives unfit for publication in a family newspaper. This collection of carnival-folk exists — and triumphs — because, to quote Edmund Burke, “good men do nothing.” The “something” good men could do, of course, is pay greater heed to politics (something all citizens should do) and vote. It’s really as simple as that. Don’t like that your mayor allowed protesters to smash up your city and tear down your statues? Vote him (or her) out. Make the decision to pay the slightest bit more attention to governance issues, and next time a pestilence is upon the land and law and order temporarily breaks down, you can feel more assured the people in control of the police and hospitals will fight for you.
The second cause of our present suffering is weak communities. What is a weak community? Well, you probably live in one. Do you, for instance, know your neighbors well? Is there a local bond such that when one person suffers a health or financial setback neighbors rally in support? If local children need a playground, do you get together with friends and get it built? Or do you rely on the government to step in? The stronger your community, the less you need to rely on the government, and the more secure you can feel about weathering anything that comes your way.
The final cause of our present suffering lays with the individual and the concept of accountability. How accountable are you to yourself? If one really makes an effort to hold oneself accountable for actions great and small, remarkable change can happen. Personal accountability creates the foundation for our success and helps us recover from failure. It puts us in the driver’s seat. And at a time where nothing feels like it’s in our control, reflecting on our capacity for change at the individual level is powerful.
That’s it, folks. Three things you can work to change immediately. Any time the theater of COVID-19 gets you down, work on your list. By the time this is through, you, your community and your government will thank you.
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