Time For A Different Lens

 

As Abraham Maslow wrote in 1966 in The Psychology of Science, "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." If the only lens through which you view the world is clouded by fear, then everything you see through it is likely to be viewed as a threat.

It seems clear that the current situation is dominated by individuals, politicians and institutions, notably secular media organizations, that are preoccupied not with a rational concern for the facts but are dominated and dominating others because they are paralyzed by irrational fear. Face it folks - the secular media, on a good day, has difficulty representing accurately the facts, whether it is a fact of law, of medicine, of religion, of art. The media are woefully lacking expert journalists who can represent the facts dispassionately in an organized and compelling manner.

The secular media own a huge share of the burden for creating an alarmist environment that, if the infection data, recovery and death statistics are to be taken seriously, obscures any real threat to people's health and well being. The fear - generated by relentless editorials and commentaries - which is saturating many people's homes, has turned into fuel for riotous behaviour. If people were truly well-formed in a manner that respects human well being and dignity, would they be jeopardizing other people's health? Would they be ignoring legitimate health warnings and hurting others physically? Would they be destructive instead of respectful? The media campaign to disseminate hyperbole - to enhance viewership and thus increase profits? - is being seen more clearly for what it is because of the rotten fruit it has produced.

As freedom to associate is being restored, sometimes in forceful ways by mobs and in better ways by peaceful gatherings, people are naturally stretching their mental and physical wings and, while not exactly rubbing shoulders with passersby (except at protests it seems...), engaging each other nonetheless. The careless phrase 'social distancing' that has created massive agoraphobia and an unhealthy social isolation is yielding to the more empirically viable and constructive 'physical distancing', as recommended by a revised World Health Organization directive and affirmed by mental health professionals.

MK If I can just add, you may have heard us use the phrase physical distancing instead of social distancing and one of the things to highlight in what Mike was saying about keeping the physical distance from people so that we can prevent the virus from transferring to one another; that's absolutely essential. But it doesn't mean that socially we have to disconnect from our loved ones, from our family.

[MK] (Dr.) Maria Rosanne DeJoseph Van Kerkhove is an American infectious disease epidemiologist. With a background in high-threat pathogens, Van Kerkhove specializes in emerging infectious diseases and is based in the Health Emergencies Program at the World Health Organization (WHO). She is the technical lead of COVID-19 response and the head of emerging diseases and zoonosis unit at WHO. (WP)

A Better Lens

Let's look for a healthier perspective and way of conducting ourselves by considering a few quotes, some recent, some less so, some familiar and some that should be; quotes to counter a narrative of fear that has been hammering people for several months.

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Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. - Marie Curie

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ’s power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization, and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows ‘what is in man’. He alone knows it. - Pope Saint John Paul II

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Hail!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” - Saint Matthew 28:5-10

“What do you fear, lady?" [Aragorn] asked. "A cage," [Éowyn] said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Let God Be God : : St. Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil 4:6) Anxiety, fear and agitation come from the enemy of our souls if we’re trying to live in, with and through Christ. Opportunities to lose one’s peace abound in these times–visit just about any website or watch/listen to any news broadcast. Right now, God is presenting us with a huge spiritual opportunity. It requires our surrendering to God, and His Divine Providence, together with living the Truth in our personal conduct. That means fixing us first–interiorly. We need to pray to God with thanksgiving and petition, asking for the grace to unite our will to His in all things, for His glory. Of course, that means being open to learning what He’s trying to teach us by allowing the current situation to perdure. - Dom Cingoranelli