Corona: The Potential Upsides

From my brother Matt:

"I think COVID is going to have a number of long-term positive effects, despite the hardships it's creating now.

1) It puts the lie to the idea that global distribution methods are the best way to run supply chains - it's not actually smart for any nation to depend so heavily on other nations - especially those that are clearly adversaries geopolitically, as is the case with Russia and China. Newsflash to both NeverTrump conservatives and the left...Trump was RIGHT about this. I was NT in 2016 in part because I believed unfettered free trade was the way of peace. It manifestly is not. Some governments are just evil and dangerous - China is one such government - and we cannot treat them as equal partners unless we enjoy getting overrun with deadly viruses, having our IP stolen, or systems hacked, and our currency bullied.

2) It buries forever the outdated notion that workers are less productive when they work from home. It's 20th century dinosaur thinking and it needs to die with the virus. Telecommuting for work will, I believe, be far more common going forward. To the great benefit of both employees AND employers and to the massive benefit of the economy at large. The added efficiency will (a) help save the environment (b) bring added stability to the family unit and (c) solve a BUNCH of longstanding social problems at the workplace all while (d) creating more wealth.

3) It serves as a wake-up call to voters that they can't always rely on their government to save them every time they're in trouble because, sometimes, no matter how hard the government is trying, it just isn't capable of getting help to you on time. My hope is that it will make us less passive and more willing to accept that we have to know how to survive and take control of our own lives. I know we're busily demanding Congress pass seven jigga-zillion dollars in aid help right now...bizarrely enough, me included...but that doesn't mean we should come away with the message that Daddy Warbucks will arrive and save us. That aid is only necessary because the government already proved how inept it is at actually saving us from this monster. And that's not me slinging mud at Trump or the Feds. That's facing a reality. Some problems cannot be solved in time...some pain just can't be avoided...some suffering may even lead to better things, but we can't go through life demanding that our dear leaders take away all pain and all risk. They can't, and even if they could, they never...ever...should.

4) It gives us a chance to reflect on how important community organizations, public associations, and families truly are to the functioning of our society. It's not the government we miss right now. It's the Knights of Columbus, the parishioners in church, the extended family we can't go to see, the boy scout pack, the Elk's lodge, the sewing circle, the library, the gym, the aquarium, the baseball and basketball games, the plays, concerts, Greek societies, dance recitals, movie theaters and, dare I say it...the hoe-downs. Well...someone misses those I'm sure.

Our lives aren't given by government or our employer...and those aren't the things COVID is really stripping from us. Our lives are given by God and made rich by each other and the passionate works we do together...even those some of us here think are unworthy pursuits."

Yep.