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The Covid pandemic is a dress rehearsal for challenges that await us in the near-term future, notably climate change, population expansion, ballooning wealth inequality and more. Mostly we've failed - not everywhere and in all ways. But we haven't done well. #onpoli #cdnpoli 1/10
The good news is that we've rediscovered our ability to make rapid, large-scale changes when needed. Many things seem impossible until they really need to happen. Previous generations - anyone who lived through a war - knew what's possible. Now we know too. #onpoli #cdnpoli 2/10
The bad news is even in response to temporary changes and sacrifices, selfishness kicks in far too early - particularly in wealthy, western nations. For every act of heroism and compassion, there have been petty, selfish, and stupid acts in counterbalance. #onpoli #cdnpoli 3/10
Most troubling is the basic resistance to authority - people far too used to their own privilege who resent ever being told what to do. They've turned "control" into a dirty word when it's only what binds us as a society - imposing limits on our impulses. #onpoli #cdnpoli 4/10
China and other Asian nations - blamed in the public consciousness somehow - have important lessons to teach us. They already wear masks during flu season as a normal expression of politeness. They respect authority reflexively. These are not bad traits. #onpoli #cdnpoli 5/10
It's fashionable to hate government in all forms - but being governed literally means control - submitting oneself to public authority. Few people enjoy that. But without it we're back to everyone for themselves. And we know it doesn't work. We know that. #onpoli #cdnpoli 6/10
The vast, global challenges we face in the future will require massive, organized change. We can disagree over how and what needs to change. But surely we can at least agree that massive change can't be based on everyone doing whatever they feel like. #onpoli #cdnpoli 7/10
We need to accept that some measure of control is the price we pay for civilized society. We need to stop reflexively hating being told what to do. We need to see following the rules as inherently good, as a service we perform for those around us. #onpoli #cdnpoli 8/10
Also we all need to participate more in politics. Why? Because participating in the system, even when we lose, legitimizes it. Government isn't some force external to real people. It's all of us, acting together. If we can't manage that, we're truly screwed. #onpoli #cdnpoli 9/10
