Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently.

[silverweb]

Everything changed after 9/11. Likewise, things will never be the same again after COVID-19 -- and that has the potential to be a very good thing for the world if handled right.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/19/coronavirus-effect-economy-life-society-analysis-covid-135579

[hamsterjill]

1. I, myself, in no way equate this with 9/11

Or 2008. This is much worse.

The world has already changed and there truly may be some silver lining IF we make it through this.

And with our dufas-in-chief running things, that’s still one helluva big IF.

[silverweb]

6. It's the *reaction* that's similar to 9/11, not the event.

That's how I interpret it, anyway. Both were sudden, dramatic events that took lives, frightened people badly, and resulted in strong actions to control effects. Governments mobilized, restrictions were enforced, and protocols were put in place that we still live with today.

There has been no such reaction to the very existential climate crisis. It's not a sudden dramatic event, but a slow-moving disaster in progress that's not always obvious to people. Our reactions reflect our perception of time.

After 1/20/2021, I'm extremely hopeful that competence and integrity will be restored to our executive and legislative branches, and even parts of the judicial branch (although a good bit of that will take longer). I trust Democrats to have their transition teams in place and ready, hitting the ground running. If done right, there will be benefits to the world coming out of our post-COVID-19 changes, just as the article has outlined.

[hamsterjill]

9. Agreed.

Pardon this Southerner for having had some relief to be far away from 9/11. I’m sure that sounds callous and I don’t mean it to be. There was a sense that it was “far away”. Please don’t think I was unaffected. A coworker’s daughter was at the Pentagon.

But with 9/11, I had the sense that it was “over” within a week. Not the war, etc., but the immediate threat. With the current situation, I don’t think we’ve even begun.

Your post was a good one and I agree with your premise. Just trying to explain my own personal viewpoint a little better here.

Peace.

[silverweb]

10. There's nothing to pardon, my friend.

Your perception of things is just as valid.

Furthermore, you're right: 9/11, the event and the immediate threat, was "over" in a week--although we've been living with the effects for nearly two decades--while COVID-19 is not going to be "over" anytime soon at all and we'll still be living with the effects after the event itself is "over."

Keep well.

[csziggy]

12. For this Boomer, this is very much like the feel of the Cuban Missle Crisis

It affected everyone, could hit anywhere, and no one knew when or where it might happen.

People were "prepping" (the word did not exist back then) and getting ready to hunker down to await the worst. My Dad stockpiled water and food and set up an evacuation plan for the family. People down the street built a fall out shelter.

It may have been worse where I lived in Central Florida than in some parts of the country but from what I saw on the news people felt this directionless dread all over the country. Everyone knew that if it started, it would affect not just the places in reach of the missiles in Cuba, it would affect the entire world.

After that the 1960s were one thing after another - the assassinations of JFK, RFK, MLK, the chaos of the 1968 Democratic Convention, and the complete remaking and turnover of society. But the Missile Crisis was the beginning. I'm having flashbacks to those days.

[silverweb]

14. I never even thought of that.

You're so right, though! I remember discussions about fallout shelters, as well as stockpiling food and supplies. There was that sense of impending doom and a feeling of helplessness with nowhere to run to, and there's a good bit of that now. It's a very valid comparison.

[csziggy]

15. I just hope the next few years are not as traumatic as the 1960s were!

After the missile crisis was over, about the time things seemed to be getting completely over, JFK was killed and the cycle of helpless feelings started over. It was not until well after Nixon resigned, about the time Jimmy Carter go into the White House that I felt our country was sane again.

Let's hope we can be sane again in January 2021!

[CountAllVotes]

2. This is far worse than 9/11

You have a virus with no cure in sight.

They do not know wtf they are dealing with and won't for some time.

A treatment/vaccine, etc. is at least 1-2 years away.

[silverweb]

8. The events aren't equivalent.

Our reactions are. See my post #6, above.

[Journeyman]

3. Pandemics, like wars, speed things up. . . .

Let us hope beyond hope there will be silver linings in our dark future, and that our societal contortions and pangs, though profound, prove short-lived.

[silverweb]

7. Amen to that.

[SWBTATTReg]

4. Yes. And the ones who didn't stand up to the challenges we all faced (and will face in the ...

coming days) will be tossed aside as they should. I could think of other things to do to these people but not now. I got other things to worry about now. Take care.

[2naSalit]

5. Wonder if it will become

a Punctuated Equilibrium event..?

How much will this one event change us?

[Initech]

11. The virus has done more damage to the world than Al Qaeda could ever dream of!

And that's not a good thing.

[malaise]

13. Time for way more social good

and way less neo-liberalism - and that is a very good thing.