COVID-19 Warning
Of the two readings, there was one part of Harvey’s article that really stuck out to be given its relation I saw to current events. At one point Harvey is discussing the different ways of approaching leadership as a group. He discusses an us vs. them mentality that can be made by a group to unify it but also block out “outsiders” and he mentions a universalist perspective. This universalist perspective doesn’t create the same in-group/out-group divide. As I was reading this section of the article, I couldn’t help but think about the approaches different nations are taking in supporting other during this global pandemic.
From what I have seen in the media over the past few weeks, leadership within the United States has seemingly adapted as us vs. them mentality when dealing with coronavirus. This is not to say that the United States has made other nations that enemy during this rather, that the United States has not taken a universalist perspective as demonstrated by some nations. Shaped by the rhetoric that Trump has deployed, the United States has seemingly taken the situation as a race versus other nations (Trump tweeted earlier today “USA STRONG!” which while that is enthusiastic, patriotic, etc… it reads much more as something that would said at a sporting event). This is lead by the “America first” attitudes I have witnessed from people when discussing methods to overcome the virus and the seemingly race to find a cure/treatment. Meanwhile, other nations appear to have taken a more universalist perspective. This is showcased by China sending masks and doctors to other countries. While these changes could have occurred due to the varying number of cases between countries, I do think, especially after reading Harvey’s article, that part of these differences in responses is due to the ways that different countries are creating groups and then answering the learn questions after the creation of the group.
I completely agree, I think that the us vs them mentality in the US dealing with the coronavirus is awful. I think that this mentality is not only seen with the US only wanting to help eradicate this in our nation but also with young people thinking “we will never get the virus, so why would we quarantine?”. I think that this is a huge problem because we are not only in this fight nation wide but also worldwide.
We have seen this same individualistic, “America first” mentality in other historical events in the past, and it is still baffling to me we have not learned this often does not work. How is it a “race” to find a cure, when people are dying in such large numbers? I don’t see why we cannot learn from mistakes (like during the Cold War, for example) and realize that selfishness will not help eradicate of COVID-19.
I see what you mean about this country having an “America first” attitude, however I am not sure that this is a bad thing. Right now, our countries focus needs to be itself. There are so many people in need of help that our government cannot focus on helping other countries right now. Hopefully, after the coronavirus peaks in the US, our government will shift its attention to working with other countries.
I agree that the “America first!” mentality can be problematic. We do have many issues within our society that we should focus, but by saying things like that, it makes it sound like our problems are more important than the problems of other countries, which starts to sound like nationalism.