The German philosopher Friedrich Hegel observed
that the great lesson of history is that no
one learns from it.
Now that we are living through possibly the
worst pandemic in modern history, what are
the lessons we should be learning?
Here are a few suggestions.
#1 Everything you do matters
Authorities believe that coronavirus found
its way into a human host through exposure
to exotic animals sold in an unregulated Chinese
wet market.
Well, if I want to go shopping to make bat
stew for dinner, what’s wrong with that?
I’m not hurting anyone else.
Probably not... unless I unleash a global
pandemic.
Private actions can have very public consequences.
That’s why personal ethics and moral discipline
are so important.
If you don’t set standards for yourself,
even in private, the fallout from your actions
can seep into the world, and you may set in
motion destructive events you never intended
or imagined.
#2 Don’t expose yourself to unhealthy people
Jim Rohn famously said you are the average
of the five people you spend the most time
with.
Character traits transmit like viruses.
You absorb attitudes and behaviors from those
around you, until eventually you become just
like them.
The best way to protect yourself from contracting
debilitating moral infections is to associate
with only ethically healthy companions.
#3 What you don’t see can hurt you
Before Louis Pasteur discovered germ pathology,
scientists refused to believe in anything
they couldn’t see.
Now we know better.
But the danger to our well-being isn’t limited
to microorganisms.
A cruel word, a thoughtless remark, a disdainful
glance -- these cause real harm to those around
you.
Gossip, flattery, misinformation, slander
-- these are the pathogens of modern society
that break down your ethical immune system
and make you vulnerable to the influence of
immoral people.
Just because you can’t measure how your
words might affect those around you, you still
have a responsibility to anticipate the impact
they will have on others.
#4 We need one another
The ease with which technology allows us to
connect with other people has left our connections
shallow and unfulfilling.
Now we have nothing else, as we’re told
to keep our distance and self-quarantine.
What’s more, retreating behind closed doors
creates a whole new constellation of problems.
Commerce has ground to a halt, and livelihoods
are threatened by a frozen economy.
Experience teaches that when we don’t appreciate
what we have, it’s often taken away from
us -- and that includes genuine human relationships
and interaction.
#5 Don’t wait for the next crisis
We will make it through this.
But the best way to prevent a future crisis
is to learn the lessons from the last one.
Aside from whatever medical safeguards we
can put in place, we will serve our own best
interests by learning the lessons of personal
responsibility and discipline, surrounding
ourselves with people of ethical quality,
becoming more aware of how our words and actions
affect others, and making time to preserve
and deepen our relationships with friends
and family.
Please like and comment on the video, and
share it with someone you know will appreciate
it.
I’m Yonason Goldson.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay ethical.
