Coronavirus Series: COVID-19 the Social Experiment (What does it reveal about our true nature?)

What does the COVID-19 Epidemic reveal about people?

This is one of the most interesting things to pay attention to at the moment:

Looking at how different people and different sections of society react to our current challenges now that the pause button has been hit on industry, and we are asked to act in the interests of the greater good.

A lot of us have had to take drastic measures to protect our own interests, and the interests of others. But is this a time to just be concerned with me, me, me…?

What do you think? Is your sense of responsibility wider than yourself, and do you feel a duty to others at this time?

I find it quite crazy that for many, the current pandemic and wider shut down has been seen as an opportunity, which I addressed in a video below.

What this virus helps us measure

This virus can be looked at as a very fascinating social experiment and test of our mettle and togetherness.

Think about it…

How much do we care for the elderly?

Younger people, who are least at risk from COVID-19, are asked to make very basic sacrifices to help prevent the spread. Yet the group who will benefit most from this measure are the elderly, a group we have pushed to the margins and isolated in our culture.

How have we measured on this goal? For me, there was a concerning lack of urgency amongst many in reacting to the virus, which perhaps says something about how we regard this section of our community.

Leaning on the family unit again

Also at this time, we are asked to spend more time with families and at home, and less time working with comparative strangers. We so usually do the reverse. I wonder, how are people coping with this adjustment?

Our culture has revolved around outsourcing more and more of the responsibilities that families have been traditionally tasked with: schools to educate and take care of children, aged care facilities for our elderly, childcare for our infants…

How are we coping when being forced back together as families?

Being called to be a real community

At a time when most businesses have suffered dramatically and tragically, we are called to be a real community. We are tested on how far we are willing to go to support our local cafe and hairdresser, and also asked if we are going to hoard resources like toilet paper and soap, rather than simply take our fair share.

Are we going to think about others and go out of our way to support them, with nothing obvious in return? Are we able to think about ramifications wider than our own little worlds?

If this IS a test, how did we go?

Many of us have performed well, many of us have fared poorly… many people have been too reluctant or slow to do their part. Being asked to stay at home and increase sanitation seemed to tall an ask for some, even if it meant reducing unnecessary risk that others would pay a higher price for.

In a liberal world, we typically want to have our freedom and for the government not to be able to control our lives.

But the great irony is that without government controls intervening and imposing physical distancing policies and lock-downs, individuals don’t have the ability to coordinate and put the interests of others ahead of their habits and impulses.

Yes, this exercise has been great at revealing the true character of those we co-habitate with and keep as company.

But I hope we do a bit better on the next social experiment of this nature.

By Joe Wehbe

Instagram _ LinkedIN _ Youtube