From quarantine breakers to social distancing avoiders, ingenuity is turning out to be the weakest link in our coronavirus defence
- Human ingenuity is prevailing, not just in helping people get used to difficult pandemic measures, but also in circumventing them. Apathy, dangerously, is also a form of adaptation, to prevent oneself from being overwhelmed in these extreme times
Darwin’s theory on natural selection is essentially about adaptation and humans have various forms of adaptability. Words like “ingenuity”, terms like “street smart”, and adages like “desperate times call for desperate measures” and “necessity is the mother of invention” describe this. “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is quintessentially an ode to adapting.
But our ability to change with the times does not always have positive connotations. It can also endanger the individual and community.
In the latter, politeness and friendship can take precedence over safety. In the former, friendship and the assumption that one is healthy, having taken precautions, gives them the confidence to attend.
Being amenable to the presence of such people could also be a form of apathy – another form of adaptability. An unwillingness to rock the friendship boat extends to choosing not to be swayed by current conditions.
The desire not to put oneself through any trouble is based on either the assumption that the discomfort would be greater than that caused by the problem or that the problem is not yet big enough to need a response. It could be a way to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the crisis or to suggest it is not worthy of notice.
Others believe they are the arbitrators of the seriousness of the situation and will only act when they deem it necessary.
Even religions which have survived millennia and remain relevant to many because of their rigidity have suddenly become supple.
The Catholic Church asked its congregation to stop shaking hands as a sign of peace during Mass. Bénitiers were emptied of holy water while the wafer was given on the hand rather than on the tongue. Now, the faithful are being exempted from Mass worldwide.
The pandemic has given many, including charlatans, an opportunity to promote themselves and their products. People who usually exploit ignorance as a marketing strategy have changed tack and now use fear.
Behaviour from the Trumps of the world is recognisable and predictable. But there are those who are ordinary socially conscious who insist on carrying on, business as usual, despite possibly having been exposed to the virus.
The mental dexterity is in seeing themselves as potential victims and not potential perpetrators. This adaptation is a form of othering and an example of individualism.
It is interesting how self-preservation colours self-isolation and quarantine. Some view it as a way to protect others and survive, as it limits exposure and provides better care for oneself.
Symbiosis and mutualism are also forms of adaptation. These have enabled humans and society to survive and progress, and are dependent on trust. The belief that one’s conduct, or the conduct of institutions, is for the benefit of all and not for the self is the cornerstone of social living.
The strength of a chain is only as good as its weakest link. When containing the coronavirus depends on people adapting to recommended measures, the ingenuity of those circumventing them is the weakest link in our defence.
Samir Nazareth has worked in the development sector and writes on sociopolitical and environmental issues. He is the author of the travelogue, 1400 Bananas, 76 Towns & 1 Million People
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