19 Paradigm shifts caused by the Covid-19

19 Paradigm shifts caused by the Covid-19

The pandemic has raised questions of many of the modern principles of contemporary society. This is evident in cultural, political, medical, ideological spheres as clashes arise around how to respond to the crises provoked by that miniscule microbe.

Fundamental premises, long considered sacred, are being toppled. Amusing to some extent is the contradiction of those who once proclaimed one position so dogmatically, and now zealously take a contrary stand.

Here is a list of 19 shifts, though there are many more:

1. Many who vehemently opposed the creation of any walls and everything associated with them, have supported political measures that everyone must be walled-in-place and stay at home, until further notice.
2. Many who have supported social integration including “free love” without personal restraints, are now fanatically in favour of social distancing to the point of reporting their neighbours to authorities.
3. Many who keep insisting that all lockdown procedures are vitally needed and worth the economic destruction “if only to save one life,” nevertheless demand abortion facilities be left open, calling them essential and life-sustaining businesses!
4. Many who insisted on complete transparency and liberty to dress as one pleases, now insist that no one should travel about without covering their face with a mask.
5. Many who once favoured absolute freedom in daily life now insist on a confined prison-like lifestyle.
6. Many who insist that science is a god to be worshipped in this crisis are strangely silent when various groups of “experts”, are proven to have grossly overestimated the scourge’s lethality.
7. Many who unashamedly defended euthanasia claiming that quality of life should determine when the government should put an end to the right to life of the elderly, now hold that every elderly life is precious regardless of its quality (while still castigating anti-euthanasia conservatives, who have always stated this truth!).
8. Many who protested against the police’s use of force to stop crime and illegality, now applaud brutal police action against law-abiding citizens protesting reasonably against over-reactionary restrictions, or for being accused (often falsely) of violating stay-at-home orders or maintaining social distancing.
9. Many who teach theories of evolution and natural selection as the basic principles of progress, now believe these ideas must be suspended with respct to coronavirus ‘victims’.
10. Many who proclaim that the virus has nothing to do with any retribution for immorality, affirm it is the revenge of “Mother Earth” for so-called sins against the environment.
11. Many who once denounced all censorship as a violation of absolute freedom, now praise social media sites that censor certain suggestions which do not toe the line, referring to any alternative theories or proposed solutions as fake.
12. Many who criticise the Trump/Bolsonaro/Orban/Magafuli administrations for choosing livelihoods over lives, now complain that their financial circumstances are collapsing.
13. Many who protested in support of the cause of workers, are now aggressive critics of poor workers who are protesting in the streets because they need to return to work.
14. Many who urged the release of prisoners to avoid contagion by the virus, now demand severe punishment, including fines and imprisonment, for law-abiding citizens opposed to the lockdown.
15. Many who insisted that any authority must be earned by democratic mandate, now consider the crisis as a golden opportunity for dictatorial governors to impose on society radical changes engineered by “experts”, whom they claim, know better than the ordinary folk what is good for them.
16. Many who protested the globalism of multinational companies, now urge global solutions and the imposition of a new world order.
17. Many who claimed to support religious freedom, now demand the closure of churches in the name of safety and public health.
18. Many who protested against “the Establishment”, now favour denying lockdown protesters that same right.
19. Many who decried intrusions on privacy, are now willing to surrender all kinds of personal information to fight the virus, and demand that everyone else should be compelled to do the same, including subscribing to “tracer-Apps”.

Is this list of contradictions only an apparent clash of opinions, a superficial temporary modification of views? I am concerned that assisted by the general panic and fear of death, created by constant alarmist predictions and questionable statistics, globalists, “experts” and technocrats are seizing the opportunity offered by the crisis as a means to impose radical mindsets and restrictions in the name of public safety, and insidiously alter traditional culture and moral values. The fear of the virus has been worse than the viral infection itself.

As for the church, it has in my view too easily complied with civil authorities, out of concern for its membership, but also a fear of being accused of irresponsibly providing the location for the spread of infections. And the faithful have questioned the faith of their shepherds!

• Inspired by and adapted from an article of John Horvat II (May 2020)