“We're exploring the possibility of building a wall to stem the exodus." "Don't be ridiculous," Goddard said. "Only idiots build walls.” Neal Shusterman, The Toll
“When we image borders, we fail at imaging God.” Tristan Sherwin, Living the Dream?: The Problem with Escapist, Exhibitionist, Empire-Building Christianity
Prediction 4 – Borders matter. There will be an increase in nationalism.
The foolishness of many "elite" positions were completely exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It exposed the need for borders. How can you stop infected people from entering your country if you don’t have a border or the capability to control it? The moral high ground of cultural relativity quickly retreats when faced with a virus that won’t be stopped by your position or who you know.
Dead is dead.
Borders also forced political leaders to focus on the needs of their citizenry. It is hard to believe that it would take a worldwide pandemic to do so, but in some instances it did. Why would you ship needed medical supplies to other countries when there are shortages within your border? It is amazing to think that any large company would do that, but it happened.
Borders help you understand supply chains and their strategic weaknesses. These were created by chasing short term profit margins by exporting manufacturing to the lowest cost source regardless of their political views toward your country. Did you know that almost all of the pharmaceuticals used in the United States are manufactured in China? Shocking, but true. Who thought that was a good idea? I bet whoever did got a big bonus!
The COVID-19 virus forced social isolation as a survival tactic, and it is exposing the pettiness of many elites. It is difficult to get worked up when the president calls this the “Chinese Flu” while you are watching daily "infection and death" charts and are quarantined in your home! Most rational people are focused on emerging medical treatments and the capacity of hospitals.
These trends (and other’s) will cause an increase in nationalism. We are drawing together as communities to ensure that we don’t spread the virus. We are drawing together as communities to make sure that health care professionals get the supplies they need. We are drawing together as communities to support businesses and professions that were harmed by the social distancing requirements. A country is a group of people bound by shared values and norms. We have all been reminded of that.
Faced with a crisis that is literally killing thousands of people, countries are focusing on the needs of their citizens and remembering why we have countries at all.
I think that is a lesson that will last a while.
Next, I'll discuss the risk of relying on experts.
Coda
This website is politically neutral by design. The odds of me convincing someone to change their mind with facts and logic is very small, so why alienate people? This particular post is not endorsing a specific party, rather it is a critique of certain people in leadership positions who somehow believe they are imbued with a higher level of consciousness. They aren't.