The 24/7 news cycle has returned to predicting the death of humanity from COVID-19. This, despite the fact that the science and actual data still indicate otherwise. Is COVID-19 the actual threat to humanity, however? We humbly submit that we’re doing a fine job of that on our own as a species.
Tensions have been high and are climbing. Some states are approaching six months of lockdowns. Attacks against non-maskers have escalated. Armed (although non-violent) protests against the lockdowns are old news.
What if COVID-19 was going to end the human race? What if the death of humanity was nigh? When some other civilization dug up our cities and our records centuries from now would we be proud of the way we’re living at the moment? Is it ok with us that we would be ending our existence with everyone possible locked away from each other?
What do we need right now?
Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased.
”Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon,” by Spider Robinson
Precisely zero social scientists would tell you that humans as a species aren’t social creatures. You don’t need them to tell you, though. The top result on Google for “restore my faith in humanity” shows repeatedly that what we call “humanity” is the result of us connecting to one another and serving one another. Humanity (from a behavioral perspective) creates joy and peace.
Every feel-good movie you’ve ever seen feels good because it tells a story of people coming together. Every news article you’ve read lately makes you angry because it’s designed to pull people apart, often with a story about people fighting and irreconcilable to one another. Are we, as humans, even trying to live with humanity?
We don’t need the help of a novel coronavirus to bring about the death of humanity. History shows that we are quite capable of that on our own. What is happening today is not new. We forget what it means to be human and have humanity. We need to remember how to be kind, how to connect, and what it means to have normal human contact.