Oh, hey there, sleepyhead! Good morning! You’re awake! Sorry it took a national emergency, but better late than never.
It’s hard to believe that over the course of a month, we went from the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting an all-time high to millions of Americans scrounging through their cabinets to find an old phone book that can be repurposed for toilet paper.
But then again, that’s what disasters do. This one was kind of rare in that it came with plenty of advanced warning. Most don’t – just ask the people of Joplin, Missouri or Moore, Oklahoma, or the one-third of Cantor Fitzgerald employees who survived the September 11 attacks.
A lot of you spent the last decade laughing at people like me. And that’s cool – water under the bridge. I offered free advice to you folks in a previous post, and I meant it. Operators are standing by.
But while I have your undivided attention, let’s talk about what Americans have learned the hard way:
- They learned that the era of going to the store or getting on Amazon and buying whatever they want, whenever they want to, is gone – possibly for a long, long time.
- They learned that their rights can be taken away by a governor or power-crazed city council (be sure to read about this group of would-be commissars in particular) signing a piece of paper. I’m not questioning the logic of having people stay put during a pandemic, but the fact remains that your rights can be taken away a lot quicker and easier than you think.
- Many Americans learned that they didn’t need a gun until they needed one. (Still not convinced? Wait until you see unemployment hit double digits.)
- Americans realized as they watched celebrities, sports stars and other useless people getting to the front of the line for COVID-19 tests that the system will always prioritize the rich and famous over you and your family – if they even prioritize you at all.
- And finally, Americans learned that the system they rely on is a lot more fragile than they’ve been led to believe.
You Are the Captain of Your Soul
The hard lesson that this all adds up to is that you are ultimately responsible for your and your family’s safety and well-being. If you still don’t believe me, ask the people who were forced to ride out Hurricane Katrina in place how well relying on the government worked out for them.
This crisis will pass, although I’m concluding with growing dread that it will plunge the world into a prolonged and unprecedented economic downturn.
When things go back to normal (or something approximating it), don’t go back to sleep. You and your family may not be so lucky next time.
Coronavirus slipped you the red pill and opened your eyes. Don’t let your prescription run out when this is all over.