COVID-19 Consequences and Lessons
What if another pandemic airborne virus or bio-warfare crosses borders and affects most countries again? What did humanity learn from previous global domino effect economic turmoil and disasters? The politicians’ answer is we have to live with the disease, we must take vaccines every year and shove more medicines down our throats to please the disease creator who makes money out of its cure.
The spread of the virus COVID-19 forced countries to close their borders to protect their people from death. Scientists shared data across borders to find a cure against a common invisible global enemy. Politicians worked together, listened to scientists and experts to make political decisions based on scientific data. Some did not listen to the logic of scientists and assumed they know better and made disastrous decisions.
COVID-19 forced businesses to restructure or disappear, industries to re-purpose or shut down. People had to adapt to a new humble lifestyle and when they did not self-isolate, got infections and most of them died. The pandemic changed peoples’ attitudes and did in a few months what religions, philosophers and leaders could not do in centuries. People, politicians and businesses communicated virtually via the internet and computers. They reduced unnecessary travel and the pollution from fuel vehicles almost diminished. Some politicians offered health care and compensation for loss of income.
Students could learn from home. There was no need to travel to schools or universities. Teaching online is more cost-effective. It saves accommodation costs, travel time, cheaper university fees for online courses. Congestion in cities disappeared and there was no need for most people to travel to work or go shopping. It is not only more economical to work from home; it also reduces congestion and gas emissions, especially when vehicles use petrol or diesel engines.
Airport expansions and airlines transformed into contraction and it was proved chat flying, most of the time is unnecessary. Fossil fuel prices dropped and petrol producers agreed to cut down their production instead of keep increasing it. The COVID-19 impact on the environment has done in a few months more than Greta Thunberg, the Extinction Rebellion, climate change activists and leaders could do in decades. Pollution dropped 40% in a few months, instead of waiting decades for politicians and businesses to invest more in renewable energy and stop subsidies for fuel exploration.
COVID-19 caused celebrations, entertainment, religious gatherings and sports events to stop. People could pray at home if they want, watch sports on TV or play computer games, watch movies and celebrate being with families. Celebrities’ luxuries and extravagant lifestyles halted, footballers accepted lesser salaries and suddenly science was more valued than entertainment. I hope people will learn to pay more money to doctors and scientists than to celebrities or spend more money on health and education instead of entertainment.
COVID-19 taught people that the highest reward and appreciation were for nurses and doctors, not for the less educated celebrities or entertainers. Doctors and nurses were like hero soldiers going to the front line to defend against an invisible enemy. It is unfortunate, some of them died because they were not equipped with protective shields or defensive weapons. Borders were shut for visitors unless they were tested for the infection from the virus. It was like checking people if they were terrorists or walking zombies.
The question is; does it take a pandemic of a virus to force people to change and live an Eco-lifestyle? Eventually, the virus spread became under control after millions of people died. Businesses were bankrupt or lost profits, governments lost revenue and had to borrow money to help people who lost their income. They had to spend more money on health care and re-shuffle their budgets.
The problem is; life returned to normal, socio-economic systems remained the same. Petrol and electricity prices went up, pollution continued damaging the environment of the planet. The tragedy is; people hardly learned how to live an Eco-lifestyle. It is always, especially in western countries, the solution to any problem is throwing more money at it.
People must learn that prevention is cheaper than cure and avoiding a trap is safer than falling into it. People never learn quickly and their development takes much longer. Ecolism Bible offers comprehensive solutions to avoid exposure to such pandemics and even if an infectious disease slips through the net, self-isolation is much easier. Families learn and work from home, so the Eco-lifestyle is self-isolating by default. The Eco-city’s administration provides its Ecolists with all their need and they do not have to leave the Eco-city to survive. One day humanity will learn to change their social, political and economic systems as described in the Ecolism Bible to advance to a more civilized Eco-lifestyle.
