By Aly Kamadia, Editor-In-Chief, iDose
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Dear Readers,
Today’s newsletter will be longer than usual, as I engage in a bit of reflection.
A little over a year ago, I found myself talking to what seemed to be a never-ending stream of people (via phone/conference), including a variety of decision-makers. Regardless of what the original purpose of any particular call was, the gigantic gorilla in the room was the mysterious yet terrifying creature known as the “coronavirus”.
As late as February/March 2020, not everyone took notice of the foreign and deadly creature that was multiplying exponentially (including heads of state, such as Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau).
Generally, I had conversations with three types of people.
The vast majority consisted of a bunch who were guilty of exercising comedic judgement – at least on the topic of the pandemic. They spoke about Covid-19 with the most casual breath. Unconsciously armed with an arrogant sense of certainty, their blind faith led them to believe that this new virus was nothing more than an overhyped media story.
I responded by presenting evidence that ought to have shattered the bizarre fictions infecting their minds. Nevertheless, most reacted in a way that is all too familiar to many academic psychologists, and not to mention, all too human: they simply ignored evidence and logic.
Reality slapped them in the face soon enough, and in the months that followed, their way of life had changed to an extent that their limited imaginations banned them from conceiving.
This was not the case for all the people that I spoke to.
A small but significant minority turned out to have a working imagination. Their appetite for knowledge made them eager to listen to anyone who was acutely aware of current affairs – including yours truly. Whether their knowledge on the emerging pandemic was superficial or informed, the combination of welcoming evidence and genuinely acknowledging the unknown (the latter of which, admittedly, is psychologically difficult for many) permitted their imaginations to preview the coming months.
The third set of people that I spoke to consisted of an extremely rare breed and were way ahead of the curve – so to speak.
Often exercising zero patience to engage with people allergic to evidence and reason (whether ‘average joes’, CEOs or presidents and prime ministers), some of them explicitly warned me not to waste my time with most people.
Within this tiny bunch, the most fascinating discussions that I’ve had all involved painting plausible scenarios concerning the ‘big picture’. Indeed, it has been quite the treat to watch some of the initial scenarios they painted unfold in real time.
After more than a year of Covid-19, where are we headed, you ask?
Perhaps I’ll address that topic on another occasion, though I’ll leave you with three quick comments.
First, true leadership will always remain rare. It demands a vibrant imagination, which most people lack. (Einstein offered wisdom when stating that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”)
Second, if you’re interested in human affairs, pay close attention to what sort of political economy will emerge (or perhaps, is emerging) from the Covid-19 crisis. While it’s too early to declare a new era, we may be on the verge of an economic transformation that delivers a fatal bullet to four decades of neoliberalism.
Finally, nature’s decision to throw this pandemic into our destiny ought to have a humbling effect. Despite the deep meaning that we attach to our lives and the valuable stories that we feed our hearts, the tragic truth is that if the wrong idiot without a mask coughs on you, your fragile life will expire within weeks.
If that’s not humbling, I’m not quite sure what is.
Stay safe,
