The periods of the severe crises that we all have experienced and are going through today have always opened up the astral plane of new possibilities. In this regard, I would like to ask the question — is it not the right time to formulate a national idea?
I think I will not be mistaken in assuming that over the past couple of months most of us have been in one way or another in a state of some kind of cognitive dissonance. Especially admiring the pictures of the awakening spring nature, evoking a good mood and spirit, which, alas, quickly and without a trace disappear as soon as we plunge into the information field against the background of the flow of coronavirus "mayhem", checking us for all kinds of psychological and other "deformations".
Scrolling through news feeds, at some stage hidden under the surface you begin to feel that you are reading frontline reports of a war containing the number of "captured" ("surrendered") settlements, "killed" and "wounded"...
Back in January, when we were looking through the news from the Chinese Wuhan, the threat seemed distant and unreal. At a certain point, these messages became routine. We experienced a similar sensation when working in India, when daily reports on the number of cases and deaths caused by dengue fever (malaria, chikungunya) or resulting from military clashes in the disputed Kashmir were perceived simply as an informational occasion. No matter how cynical it may sound...
However, today the threat is quite real and tangible and is on the threshold of our homes. The enemy that opposes us and whose name is Covid-19 is insidious and dangerous. But the most important thing is that it is invisible...
The mass media picture a stream of motley forecasts about the dynamics of the development and outcome of the epidemic, about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular strategy, about the future architecture of the world order, winners and victims, and so on. However, as folk wisdom says, the essence is lost behind the verbosity. It is time to move from the diversity of even the most politically correct and scientifically grounded rhetoric to concrete actions.
The time has come for active proactive moves based on the consolidation and mobilization of all resources of society and the state.
It is important for ideological opponents to show will, postpone mutual grievances (claims) for later and stand hand in hand, rallying in the face of the impending threat. Such a step would become a measure of political maturity, true patriotism and responsibility for the fate of the Motherland.
Here it is appropriate to recall events that occurred a hundred years ago, when it was the Spanish flu that predetermined the end of the First World War, when the exhausted armies of the warring member countries eventually went to a truce.
In my opinion, it is very correct in relation to the importance of cohesion, including on a global scale, as well as in relation to the historic challenge for leaders "to manage the crisis, while building the future" writes Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor to Presidents Nixon and Ford in The Wall Street Journal.
No matter how pretentious it may sound, but the top priority should be concern for the health and life of people as the highest value. It is this goal-setting that will become a milestone factor in strengthening mutual trust in the country.
Unfortunately, as in any war, there will always be renegades who seek, as it is fashionable to say now, to "hype" or "fake" using a common misfortune. However, they do not define the mainstream, and their place will end up in the dustbin of history, as has happened before.
At the same time, if you break out of the Internet into the streets of the city, it is gratifying to see how our society organizes itself, helping each other overcome the inconveniences associated with social distancing and self-isolation. All these observations reinforce the belief that together we will be able to get out of the crisis with dignity and become even stronger and closer to each other.
Moreover, the periods of severe crises that we all have experienced and are going through today have always opened up the astral plane of new possibilities. In this regard, I would like to ask the question — is it not the right time to formulate a national idea? It is obvious that whoever is able to do this is doomed to historical immortality as a national hero.
In the context of the above considerations on the eve of the Bright Feast of Easter, perhaps it would be appropriate to recall the thesis from the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:16): "By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?" I believe that other comments are unnecessary here...
P. S. I wrote this text not so much as a civil servant and analyst, but as a person and citizen who sincerely worries about the fate and future of his family and country.