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Apr
2020
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Covid: Lessons in Community

Sunday, April 5, 2020
Pasadena, California

Covid: Lessons in Community

Earlier, I suggested an attack by an alien species would immediately bring us to acknowledge we are, in truth:

ONE BIG FAMILY.

The Covid-19 pandemic may be just the ticket.

It might as well be an extra-terrestrial alien.

It is certainly a parasite, and:

It terrifies citizens of the world.

If you’re interested, you can find the post, which deals with the uinfying effects of triangulation, here:

http://psychoanalyzinglife.com/philosophy/triangulation-and-space-alienation/

Here we sit, facing into the Covid-19 pandemic, the first global virus threat of our lifetimes.

Who knows when we’ll be able to resume a regular routine?

Who knows when they’ll be a treatment or a vaccine?

Who knows when the curve of infections will level out and start to decline?

The crisis offers us a rare, real opportunity to embrace our status—citizens around the globe—as part of the human family.

Mohatma Gandhi, the liberator of India, brilliantly acknowledged that civilization requires renunciation of some needs and desires. In other words, and not to be construed with giving them all up, we agree to defer certain of our desires for the benefit of the group. 

Paying taxes is an ongoing example; more recently, those sewing masks and other PPEs at home offer another.

Many angles beg for exploration, but, for now, I elaborate on just one:

America’s healthcare system begs for a complete overhaul.

It remains a global shame, as bad as any pandemic, that we are the ONLY industrialized country in the world to lack some form of universal healthcare for its citizens.

Trump recently refused to extend the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Although American’s allegedly love getting their health insurance through their employers, that’s out the window for the likely 25 percent of American who will soon be unemployed.

Ergo, the concept of making companies and corporations responsible for providing insurance for their employees has just expired.

It’s dead.

Should we pay for police, fire, or air traffic control services?

Of course not.

These are paid for by local, state, and federal taxes, ensuring we get them.

This is not socialism.

This is deliberate, thoughtful government control (by the people) over these crucial services.

Months ago, I posted about the three major options for having some kind of universal healthcare for Americans. Here’s the post:

http://psychoanalyzinglife.com/philosophy/the-three-types-of-universal-healthcare

During his final visit to the United Kingdom, Gandhi was asked what he thought of Western Civilization.

He replied,

I think it would be a very good idea.

Wasn’t he entirely correct?

Until our country—the wealthiest and most powerful on the planet earth—can prepare for a widely-expected pandemic, reduce income inequality, and offer healthcare to its citizens as a basic right then, sadly, we are anything but truly civilized.




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