Optimism in the Face of a Global Crisis

March 14, 2020, Simone FM Spinner

Global pandemics like Coronavirus COVID-19 set the entire globe reeling. With every news story reporting on the rapid-paced, exponential rates of infection and death, fear grows. National emergency tactics are enacted along with massive quarantines, closed borders, and businesses. Human contact is dissuaded by restricting group gatherings, congregations, and assemblies. Institutions of learning are moving online or closing altogether. Sporting leagues are postponing entire seasons. Entertainment has been derailed along with a complete evisceration of the tourism and hospitality industries. Nobody wants to risk going anywhere, for any reason. Few are contemplating the vast implications and effects of those decisions.

I went to my local grocery store today to pick up a few things for me and dog food for my boys and what I found was shocking. Bare shelves, picked over and empty produce stands, and hundreds of frenzied, panicked, and in some cases, viciously greedy people. I watched as young pushed old out of the way to snatch the last bag of rice, can of soup, or box of pasta. There wasn’t a potato, onion, tomato, or zucchini to be found. Carts were overflowing and checkout lines wound through the store to the back. While I am pleased to see people thinking about cooking, the reality is, that most people are stocking up on items they may never use. Just how often do people use dried beans?