Coronavirus is getting on our nerves. Literally. The media talks about nothing else anymore. The weeks-long lockdown is making matters worse. All our thoughts revolve around this one crisis.
In the view of German sociologist Harald Welzer, however, this crisis could also become “a real learning experience” for us. Cardinal Schönborn goes a step further and even hopes: “This crisis will lead to a period of deep reflection”—may God hear his words.
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So let’s take a moment to reflect. In recent weeks, we have been confronted with a flood of reports of disasters. To avoid despairing or burying our heads in the sand under the weight of our restricted daily lives, we need a counterbalance to the images and figures of horror (→ see the reflection by journalist Susanne Wolf).
For a change, for example, we could try to imagine the visions of the future that we consider truly worth striving for. Images of the world we truly want.
In any case, the pandemic has made us realize what really matters: being close to the people we love. A comfortable, warm home. Good, healthy food. Leisure and creativity. Getting out into nature. Taking good care of our bodies. And, without a doubt, meaningful work that brings us appreciation and fulfillment beyond just a paycheck.
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Perhaps we are now resolutely saying “goodbye for good” to the withered blossoms of overconsumption—the overflowing wardrobes, planned obsolescence, food waste, and mountains of plastic—that were already wilting even before the coronavirus crisis. And we are buying what we truly need, no longer from Amazon, but locally. Thanks to the online platform founded by activist and journalist Nunu Kaller, this is easily possible even in the age of COVID-19.
There is no doubt that economic recovery will be necessary in the wake of the crisis. Perhaps we could try a thought experiment and mentally cross “profit maximization” and “unlimited growth” (which is impossible anyway on a finite planet) off our list. And instead, add resilience, sustainability, a circular economy, security of supply, and short transport routes.
The fact that this is not about utopian ideals but concrete proposals is demonstrated, for example, by the Economy for the Common Good founded by Christian Felber. Here, economic activity is focused not on short-term profits but on the common good, cooperation, and community. It is built on a humane framework of values centered on solidarity, ecological sustainability, social justice, and democratic participation. Over 2,000 pioneering companies have already adopted and implemented this approach (e.g., Sparda Bank Munich, the sporting goods manufacturer VAUDE, Schachinger Logistik, Lebenshilfe Tirol, and the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland).
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This crisis could be a turning point. On the one hand, for the much-discussed energy transition—with everything that entails: renewable and crisis-resistant energy produced right where it’s needed. Journalist and thought leader Franz Alt also describes the energy transition as a “job bonanza”—and what could we possibly need more after a profound economic crisis?
But opportunities are also emerging in other areas. For example, the fields that will be harvested this year by new seasonal farm workers. Will we allow ourselves to become dependent on such arrangements again after the crisis? Perhaps the crisis will serve as a catalyst in many ways, marking the birth of countless new fruit and vegetable farms in Austria.
Perhaps, from now on, even those barren, closely mowed robotic lawns will be transformed back into blooming, diverse organic home gardens. Maybe we’ll even learn to save our own seeds again and hold plant and seed swap parties? Perhaps the“gardens of horror”will soon be a thing of the past.
Perhaps we can now begin to breathe new life into Austria’s once-thriving textile industry, just like Snow White. Blinded by “fast fashion,” we sacrificed it on the altar of the lowest price. Now that it has been revived, it could soon provide us with durable, stylishly designed jeans and T-shirts made from local natural fibers. Until then, our wardrobe would keep us well-stocked for a while anyway.
There is no question that it will take tremendous social solidarity to overcome this crisis. And we can already be proud of ourselves. For the first time in human history, the well-being of a manageable group within our society (the at-risk group) is more important to us than ANYTHING else. This new priority of protecting the vulnerable, of putting human lives first—this is uncharted territory for us as a civilization. Or “a historic step forward,” as Harald Welzer calls it.
Nevertheless, the coronavirus crisis has somehow crept onto human civilization’s already long to-do list, and should not make us forget that there are still quite a few truly massive challenges ahead (the climate crisis, species extinction…). However, the current determination gives us hope that we could tackle these crises with the same zeal. Because all these “crises” have one thing in common: they give us the chance to hit the brakes and, in doing so, rise above ourselves. And we know now: together, we can do it.
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About the Author
Dr. Sybille Chiari is a member of the editorial team for “Nachhaltigkeit. Neu denken” and has been engaged in sustainability and climate communication for many years—both through research and writing. She is part of the Scientists for Future movement and chairwoman of the Bele Co-Housing association (a communal housing project featuring organic, regenerative agriculture ; www.belehof.at).
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