Covid-19, Nationalism & Globalism
All notes and references from Sam Harris’ interview with Yuval Harari and Siddhartha Mukherjee on the Making Sense Podcast. Implications and bias are mine.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, amid masking obstinacy, worldwide third waves, economic rupturing and buoyant calls for political resignations, countries the world over are struggling with the repercussions of a contagious plague.
It was in 2016 that America the world superpower relinquished its global leadership, and through the mouthpiece of President Donald Trump, announced that it would be taking care exclusively of itself. This has of course been condemned although one begs the question why? US detractors are aplenty, many for years on end, accusing it of meddling and policing unnecessarily. It often seems that US is damned, for what it does or does not do. One could drive a better conversation by asking how the world would look without US, the global superpower along with its legacy of Western ideas. That is an essay by itself.
America’s new attitude has no doubt complicated Covid matters and this is seen in a slower and clumsier response. While the level of scientific cooperation among countries during the crisis has been commendable, it remains a level below what should be, seeing the progressed times we find ourselves in. Unhelpful of course are the squabbling US and China and the indecisive WHO.
The Trump administration’s handling of the crisis has left many unconfident in its leadership, many angrily blaming Trump for its’ late response. But really, is Trump to be blamed? Further inspection, and one free from the taint of a biased media, shows that the Centre for Controlled Diseases (CDC) was in fact responsible for America’s pandemonium. The CDC was lax and sluggish in handling what was supposed to be its role- handling a pandemic. Would the absence of Trump have made a difference? Historian Niall Ferguson argues that Hillary or Obama as president would have seen similar results. Simply, there is no evidence to show that a better outcome could have been reached with CDC’s lacklustre’s performance as the constant variant.
Still. No longer are citizens of the world looking to the Land of the Free for salvation. Increasingly, China with its determined 100-year plan to world domination has been praised and referenced for economic and technological progress. America in the hands of Trump is no doubt seething, for the Communist copycat is brazen in its global catwalk, purring to the adoring masses.
Much to the world’s folly, China was tight lipped from the onset. It’s first outbreak was shrouded in secrecy and its’ admission to guilt was reluctant and late to the game. This had all been preceded with Beijing representatives standing before panels, feigning moral outrage at the accusation of dishonesty. For months, conspiracy theories on its origin floated freely on social media, many hinting at America being the perpetrator. Evidence has of course proven that the virus is indeed from China and guilt has been demonstrated through China’s unprecedented generosity of providing face masks and Covid paraphernalia worldwide.
Cancer physician and biologist Siddhartha Mukherjee informs that a country is required to report the discovery of a lethal virus to WHO and that in actual fact, knowledge on the Corona virus should have been known long before its’ first outbreak. Alas, this is China, where rules are flagrantly broken. Mukherjee puts forth that the world is home to hundreds of thousands of viruses, and the ability to combat virulent diseases is reliant on being privy to a full set of information on the current pandemic. Feigning ignorance does not help.
While we are more global than ever, nationalism is on the rise. More and more are people decrying foreigners from entering their borders, this in itself an extreme form of nationalism. Israeli historian and philosopher Yuval Harari sees no contradiction in championing nationalism amid 21st century globalism. He defines nationalism in its most profound – “Loving your compatriot.” Nationalism is certainly lauded, but to survive in the world today requires one to cooperate with others in the world.
In a way, we are paying the price for extreme nationalism. A global problem like the Covid-19 requires global solutions, opines Harari. No single country can solve the problem, and a mutual goal from participating countries is the world’s best bet against a rabid virus. Globalisation, says Harari, is about sharing of knowledge, uniting in common values and interest and cooperation; tools to thrive in a t world fraught with challenges.
Then again, globalism has its problems. Outsourcing certain services and products to other countries can handicap a country. The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed many countries’ dependence on China and the inability to fastrack supplies to its people. China has been far too competitive, taking out local suppliers in various countries and doing so with guile. The pandemic has revealed this rude oversight when countries were left waiting in frustration for Chinese cargo, unable to self-produce. Certainly globalism is lauded but problems like the above require deep looking into, especially if the country provider has mischief up its sleeve.
What has exacerbated pandemic misdemeanor is the mistrust of the public to medias and public authority. The New York Times is the favourite paper of Democrats and the left. Even the politically-uninformed millennials or those who care little about politics gravitate to the left for the social rewards and meanings it seem to bear. In recent times, the propaganda and lies by the left media have reached vulgar proportions. While one may hate Trump, surely one must admit the mis-calibrated attacks against him, unless one is high on an overdose of anti-facts vaccine. What then when we grapple with disinformation? What then when we face a pandemic and require credibility of authority. We hem and haw and the country descends further into chaos.
The smooth running of a country rests greatly on the public’s trust in authority. A country where 50% of its citizens obey its government remain functionable in normal times. In a time of pandemic however, nothing less than 100% cooperation from citizens are required. The lack of that is illustrated in many European countries and US.
What seems to have happened is the unraveling of nationalism within countries like the UK and US. It seems the hatred and anger is within one’s country – an American hating another American, for different beliefs or politics possibly. What has brought about this in chaotic America? Trump? He is the superficial answer.
Social media may be the culprit. Social media has divided as much as it claims to connect. Bad ideas have been promulgated; convergence has been impossible and misinformation seem to be the bane of today. More and more, people are misinformed and stridently angry in their beliefs. Oftentimes, this ignorance leads to the frustrating of the public’s interests. Do we then elect a father figure to make decision for the betterment of its people? Someone informed with best interests? Some say yes but Harari is unconvinced. The danger this sort of paternalistic approach poses are that too many “experts” are vested in self interest.
The crisis today presents an opportunity for countries to change, but this depends greatly on political leadership. Covid-19 is not a health problem, but an economical and political problem, says Harari. The media would do well to focus less on case numbers and ventilator shortages, casting the light instead on political decision.
The public too can be proactive and monitor the political ethics played out during the pandemic. To look in hindsight is too late, for trillions are being spent and divided as we speak. The public must demand clarity on who the government is bailing out and the measures that follow.
Harari is concerned but not unduly pessimistic. As a historian, he looks to the past to compare behaviours and outcomes. The Black Death was the deadliest pandemic in human history, wiping out some 75-200 million in Eurasia and North Africa from 1347 – 1351. One can only attempt to imagine the carnage, squalor, hopelessness and the desperate cry to God for help.
The Covid pandemic, while contagious and disruptive, is borne in times of leading science and technology. We look to science to come up with a vaccine now, and our channels of communication have allowed the spread to somewhat be controlled. It is probably when science fails (if it does), that we prostrate and ask of God,
Yes, we can blame and point fingers. Often, we see flaws and never the crises that have been averted, for how can we see something that does not happen? The US is confident in coming out with a vaccine by year-end. Even when it does come out in record time and save lives, there will be those who remain unsatisfied and fault-finding. There are people who are convinced the West is the scourge of the planet, made up of evil, arbitrary laws and capitalistic intentions. But Americans aren’t the only ones. All around the world are angry citizens convinced of the dire evil of their country.
Pick up a book on world history then. Or better yet, when the pandemic is over, travel to a country with the diametrical opposite of your values. You’ll be surprised at how you feel.
Should you be interested in these issues, head on over to the Making Sense podcast, episode 201.
