by Don Hall

Prior to the infection and the social distancing and the Goverment-issued lockdowns of non-essential business Americans were almost hopelessly divided. Primarily on partisan and ideological lines and fueled by the democratization of opinions provided by online discourse, the collective “we” were at each other’s throats every hour of every day. 

Then, like the alien invasion in Independence Day or the monstrous squid conceived by Adrian Veidt in Watchmen, the Coronavirus attacked us all and humans united against the common foe...Oh. No? 

No.

We have not come together as a species or society. We are still childishly barking at each other about all the things we were outraged by two months ago. We still either love or despise Donald Trump. We still scream about racism and sexism. Life has gone on without a hitch despite the disruption of our daily grind and the slow tsunami of economic failure.

The image comes to mind of two children fighting over who gets to sit in the front seat of the Toyota while in the midst of a tornado.

What is troubling (and hopeful) is that both children are right. We need to be cautious about this virus and do everything we can to mitigate the exposure and continue to make sure our hospitals are not overrun. We also need to get back to work and ensure people don’t starve to death or kill themselves in despair. Finding the balance is hard. If we can put aside the conspiracies and acrimony, we make it out of this relatively whole.

The worst part of a world-changing natural disaster beyond the obvious death that inevitably comes with it is the need to find someone to pin the pain upon. Depending on which dank corner of the kitchen you spy on, this set of circumstances is the fault of white people, or immigrants, or the Chinese, or the GOP, or the wealthy, or the poor, or Donald Fucking Trump.

The smartest among us are not focused on blame right now. The smartest among us are looking to science the shit out of the problem. The dumbest protest the solutions while offering nothing but noise in return. While we can look at the Michigan idiots screaming about their Democrat governor telling them to stay at home and be disgusted, the picture of you on Twitter typing furiously about your own specific set of grievances looks no better.

The best part of pandemic is finding purchase in what things can be and will be like in two months, in six months, in a year. Preparing. Taking stock.

The fight coming will be those yearning for January 2020 and those clawing for January 2021. Unless you’re a complete dumbass, we can agree that the practices of social distancing are with us for at least another generation (after all 9/11 happened almost two decades ago and we still have to take our fucking shoes off to get on a plane). The American economy is going to take a massive turn because of it.

What will January 2021 look like?

Beats the shit out of me. You don’t really know, either. Neither do all the leaders and economists. We’re all just making this shit up as we go. Uncharted territory begets unreliable predictions by self appointed marketers of ideology and hope.

Unlike the thousands online who, while having that degree in Communications gives them no expertise in the science of virus control, somehow just feel in their guts that their version of what will be will be, I’m not that confident. The best I can do is project my optimism into a future that is where I want to live.

What do I hope January 2021 will look like?

I hope:

• We have a new president.

Your love or hatred of Trump is completely painted with your bias. You know it and you can’t escape it. I neither love nor hate the man because these two emotions require personal contact. I am, however, tired and troubled by my belief that Trump is, and has always been, completely ill-equipped to lead. I’d like the president of January 2021 to be a competent leader. Not a visionary but a coalition-builder, a bridge for disparate versions of forward progress.

• We have embraced the lesson that shutting down some has improved the quality of our surroundings.

Dana and I visited Los Angeles in February. We had a ball but driving in was daunting. The smog was so thick it looked as if the whole city was baking in an oven that hadn’t been cleaned in years. Our friends talked about “air quality” as a marker for deciding to go for a walk.

Looking at photos taken today and it looks like the place has been scrubbed clean. If we can’t see this as completely under our control, we’re fucking morons.

• We have recognized that those who labor for crap wages are “essential” and those who truck in wealth are not.

I’m not all-in for free college or universal basic income but I am overwhelmingly in favor of a standard $15.00 to $18.00 an hour minimum guaranteed wage. When the shit hits the fan it is the bus drivers, the shelf stockers, the short order cooks, the postal carriers who keep the goddamn train on the rails. 

• We do away with victim hood as a source of status and embrace the extraordinary technology we have to communicate ideas rather than blame.

So much of the internet has become the stomping ground for behavior policing, complaining, calling each other out, and poor persuasion. Policies are more often motivated by fulfilling an emotional need and calling each other names only evokes anger and resentment. Social media is a tool. We can use it to build or destroy. I hope we can get past the throwing tantrums stage.

Will January 2021 look like a dystopia or a brave new world? It’s up to us to decide.