The COVID-19 virus has exposed fundamental flaws in the winner take all Capitalism-backed system in the United States. We are seeing a massive amount of deaths and are having fights about whether we should wear masks. The answer is yes; we should wear a mask when appropriate.
Here are a few of the problems U.S. citizens are facing thanks to the current system.
Exposure to the virus is forced
The expectation in many workplaces is that people who are sick will work. It’s not written in employment contracts, but companies don’t hire extra people so they can deal with schedule changes. Many businesses act like doing business is a life or death situation. These irresponsible businesses can’t imagine missing a dollar because someone is sick.
Many people are working paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. No work means no money for rent and no place to live unless friends or family step up to help. Unemployment checks are hard to come by, and they often pay a small fraction of what someone made before they became unemployed.
Science has taken a back seat
While trust in science is up the partisan politics refute and dismiss scientific evidence regularly. Policies shaped with scientific facts as the basis are far more effective than plans based on feelings.
We can’t agree on moral codes
Compromise is a dirty word, and Democrats and Republicans are effectively at war with each other. It’s an ideological war with no end in sight that’s dividing U.S. citizens into tribes that cling to political dogma as if their lives depend upon being right.
Mutual respect has deteriorated, as evidenced by people that refuse to wear a mask to help slow the spread of the virus. It’s a minor inconvenience to wear a mask in public places, which may stop infections from spreading. While the mask will not prevent all transmissions of the virus, it is better than nothing.
Honor, as a principle, is something people in the United States have struggled within the business world. In the U.S., it’s fair game when businesses resort to nefarious business practices to crush the competition. It’s the price of doing business from the perspective of capitalism hardliners. The behavior of companies is something many citizens emulate in their personal lives. Companies set the moral code for many, and that moral law is tenuous at best.
Let’s fix it
Let’s bring values back that are based on tried and true principles.
- Truth
- Justice
- Honor
- Respect
- Understanding
- Responsibility
- Collaboration
- Compromise
Let’s start with respecting one another by not needlessly exposing each other to harm.
Let’s compromise and listen to scientific experts and incorporate science into our daily political discourse.
Let’s ground ourselves in fact-based discussions that will lead us to better outcomes.
Let’s help each other get through these challenging times.
It starts with us, and it will end with us.