Stock values vs human values

Dow Jones is down. Nasdaq is nose-diving. PSX is declining. Stock values are crashing. The world is talking about recession, deficits and bankruptcies. Since it is an invisible virus, and thus a natural calamity, most people feel nobody could have foreseen it. True, but not absolutely. Yes it is a "natural" calamity. Yes, it is an unknown. Yes, it will take time. Yes, the stock markets were taken by a shock. True such changes are difficult to predict and cope with. But false on not knowing the constants and doing something about it. While stock values vary, human values do not.
In stock markets when the values are going down fast, the stock exchange is shut down for a break. This mechanism is understood and followed diligently. However, no such mechanism exists for the crashing of human values. As aptly stated about the present status "the earth has shut down for repairs" is exactly what has happened. The principles and values on which businesses operate are based on the principles and values of life. As in business, if we break the principles, they eventually break the business. Similarly, if we break the principles of life it will eventually break us.
As the coronavirus becomes the single focused subject on medical and technological fronts it is imperative to plan not just on the vaccine that will safeguard human lives but also the preventive maintenance plan for the planet that we live in and the standard operating changes that we need to make to ensure a non-occurrence of such world breakdowns. The silver lining is that breakdowns do happen and when an overhauling takes place the system and machines resume their work and productivity. Similarly, coronavirus over a period of time will be managed, contained and finally reduced to a nominal level given the total attention of 7 billion people on inventing something rapidly to get rid of it.
The bigger challenge is not to get rid of the virus that affects the body but get rid of the virus that has affected the mind, heart and soul that has led to this disaster. This virus had become part of the DNA of living and to uproot it will require collective efforts that may be much more difficult to manage than just coronavirus. Why it is more difficult is because it will not come in a medicine or in an injection form but will require a complete reprioritizing of what we value in life.
Principles are the foundational blocks on which life, businesses and living are based. When the foundations are not nourished and become weak the buildings on top of them, whether multistory chain stores or sky scraping offices, all become weak. With weak foundations the first pressure in the environment will put cracks on them. This applies to people and businesses too. People who look so smooth and glossy from the outward but are breaking principles and flouting values crack up when things become tough. Similarly, businesses that look huge and invincible fold away in minutes when their crooked practices catch up on them. In 2009 financial crash, many giant companies like Lehman Brothers etc disappeared overnight.
Coronavirus will be contained but will only be eliminated if a complete reset of priorities and practices is done in the world collectively. The reset requires that the new world order that emerges post-Corona is not just pursuing business as usual but life and living unusual. What we have seen is that the most sophisticated of technologies and science have failed to tackle coronavirus however going back to basics ,i.e, keep your hands clean, wash them with soap and cover your mouth while coughing is what is the saviour. The cry of the hour is to make foundational values and principles the be all and end all of living, education, businesses and relationships. The core values that need to be made DNA of the new post-Corona world order are:
1. Welfare is the Software-For Governments they must prioritize their needs. Human health of body and mind must become the focus. Economic development must be measured by not just Dow Jones but how well and happy people are. The definition of welfare needs to be understood and redefined. Life at the speed of light has burned out people and no amount of bank account balances can compensate for the imbalances in life. Governments all over the world have to look at the lessons of what is important for "sustainable development". Preserving the habitat balance will have to be the priority as tampering with it recklessly will mean retaliation in a bigger catastrophes. Just look at the cost of the shutdowns all across the world. They are in trillions and zillions of dollars. If even one 100th of this amount had been spent on preserving the ecological balance today the world would not face such a disaster.
2. Need over greed- For the society and individuals it is a time to reflect and introspect. All the elaborate life styles and extravagant plethora of brands, materialism and consumerism is futile. What are we really concerned about is to be able to breathe healthy air and live in the safety of our rooms to save ourselves. The constant race of more and better and bigger has put humungous tax on bodies, minds and relationships. People have no time for themselves and each other and are never happy and content. Perhaps the biggest change required is to go back to the values of simplicity and sincerity. The rat race cut-throat competition has made humans act like rats who are running back into their small holes to save themselves.
3. Humility over hedonism-The mere sight of the mighty failing and falling is humbling. Countries which are superpowers and for years condescending about the lesser countries are looking absolutely helpless in this viral invisible juggernaut. The time for smugness, arrogance is over and those who will realize and accept and change will be the ones who will survive and make a comeback.
4. Collaboration over competition-The game of power at all costs has now become a mockery. The superpowers and the G7 and the G20 clubs of the elite countries with massive resources and technology have been made to look downright clueless, helpless and powerless. Corona has established the fact that together we rise and together we fall. Thus, the older system of the big and powerful exploiting the poor and ruling the world will have to change. Win-Win will have to be essential as inequality will retaliate either in the form of terrorism, war or viruses.
Clean hands are a protection against coronavirus. Clean hearts are a protection against mistreatment of humanity. Clean souls are a protection against egos that bring the world crashing down. Time for back to basics, back to fundamentals, back to principles and a shift back from stock values to human values.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])