COVID-19 is real. It’s affecting the entire world and, being a virus with no ‘intelligence’, it has no clue that it is wreaking havoc on our sophisticated life form that also infects, or is it inhabits, this planet Earth. Some say that we are at war with the virus, and they use nationalistic appeals to the masses and describe the virus as virulent, insidious, unrelenting etc. But are we really all at war, or are warmonger advocates merely beating their war drums so that they may manage the outcome?
Man-made borders are closed, travel is banned, the public is under the thumb of their political masters (albeit duly and truly elected), global stock exchanges fall dispute political promises of a financially buoyant future, and our world leaders (the elected few from a choice of even fewer) are stumped by a submicroscopic demon.
Our demonic opponent recognizes no borders and is indiscriminate as to those it infects or dispatches having no care for race, colour, creed, occupation, gender or nationality. As our ‘leaders’ declare war our little earthly co-inhabitant is oblivious to the pandemic and pandemonium it has caused and is neutral in both its innocence and ignorance.
Global War
By branding this a ‘global war’ the situation has been sensationalised in mankind’s own ignorance of what, rather than who, we are meant to be fighting. In January we were warned by a pragmatic few that sensationalism would fuel panic and fear, which it certainly has. The WHO have recently (April) declared that the pandemic should not be politicized despite the fact that it already has, or at least it was when politicians woke up. Voices of reason can be so easily overshadowed by the media seeking new stories of gloom and doom while journalistic creativity milks the headline for what it’s worth and plays on political uncertainty,
Declarations of war heighten the escalated anxiety of the masses. Declarations also serve to increase the dependence of the masses on the few who pull the political strings. The mandated self-isolation and lockdowns create environments that are rife for rumours. We are fed the daily kill-ratio as COVID-19 takes its toll on our ever-increasing and increasingly-aging population. We are also told that it’s not only the sick and elderly who succumb but also, on occasions, younger people thereby ingraining danger and instilling fear into one and all.
The news is awash with stories and opinions on COVID-19 and one could well be led to believe that our COVID is our only enemy. We also have other ‘enemies’ including TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS and these, along with a plethora of existing pathogenic compatriots result in hundreds, if not thousands, a day but our politicians and journalists seen to ignore such facts.
But as they say “don’t’ let the facts get in the way of a good story”. And what about the not inconsequential death toll from road accidents, shootings and starvation…perhaps these are merely considered to be ‘friendly fire’ and not newsworthy.
World Wars
In the 20th century we had two world wars where almost every country was affected and in our current 20-year-old 21st century we have enjoyed the 75-year-old ‘Long Peace’ as it is called. There have been limited wars and even the Cold War but the current ‘global shutdown’ is unprecedented. It seems that there has been an almost consensual global reaction to the pandemic and mankind, it seems, has put its differences to one side. Self-imposed sanctions, it also seems, have been put in place rather than imposing them on others. Even ideological preferences have also been put aside – or is it that sanctions are ‘old hat’ and just don’t make the news.
Our politicians have declared war on this virus but is this a ‘war’ or merely a ‘battle’. Politicians seem to forget, or did they ever know, that pandemics and epidemics have punctuated history for millennia and man has lost some battles and survived others. History is destined to repeat itself they say and COVID-19 will die out, or become ineffectual, or merely be accepted as a ‘normal disease’. In any event and in the fullness of time it will be yet another pandemic that man must endure.
War is an emotive term and when politicians use the term are they doing so candidly or merely rhetorically. Political speeches serve to fuel popularity and increase the speaker’s importance. Politicians use jingoistic rhetoric to galvanize support, they pray, and in doing so emulate former great statesmen, they hope. Politicians who go to war inevitably experience some short term fame and a good war never got in the way of bad politicians’ popularity!
Aftermath, or Peace?
The fight against COVID-19 is also real. Nations have, for the most part, battened down their borders and their captive populations are bombarded with propaganda. “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind” expounded Jim Morrison. For the media no holds are barred regarding the terrible effects of this relentless and ruthless killer-virus and the devastating death toll as we are fed stories of curfews, balcony operettas, and efforts to find a vaccine.
The masses avoid the virus by staying indoors while they work from home, keep their distance, watch the media and follow orders. Curfews are obeyed and restrictions are tolerated and the media announces more delays to the lifting of bans etc. or even more restrictions. The masses wait and watch the media…and wait…and wait. But wait for what?
In the aftermath of mankind’s battle with COVID-19 and the final statistical count of who survived and who died what will the plans be for the peace. Are there any or will they be secrets and only revealed on a ‘need to know’ basis. Will we be in constant alert in case of a counterattack by the virus and will it be ‘peace’ or merely a ‘lull’. Or will we be subjected to restrictions ‘for our own good’ and will Orwell’s ‘Big Brother” of 1984 be realised (albeit a tad later than predicted. Will we only be able to venture out wearing some electronic tag, or registered smartphone, monitoring our every heartbeat, and location, and conversation; or could it be a tracking chip?
Will the freedom that was fought for during our world wars of the 20th century and other peace pursuing endeavors prevail in the post-COVID 19 period. Or will ‘freedom’ as we once knew it become a thing of the past in the fallout of man’s first declared ‘pandemic war’ and the unprecedented and apparent global collaboration that has been experienced …only time and other happenstances will eventually tell.
Bio:
Malcolm Peart is an UK Chartered Engineer & Chartered Geologist with over thirty-five years’ international experience in multicultural environments on large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects including rail, metro, hydro, airports, tunnels, roads and bridges. Skills include project management, contract administration & procurement, and design & construction management skills as Client, Consultant, and Contractor.