In a one-of-its-kind situation that humanity is confronted with, no solution seems to come without its share of glitches. While the entire nation has its eyes glued to the proceedings in the field of epidemiology for combating the spread of COVID-19, it remains to be seen whether the much coveted vaccine will successfully put an end to the litany of woes of those afflicted with the pandemic.
Needless to say, social distancing and pharmaceutical interventions have, to a large extent, prevented covidial infection from turning into a full blown health crisis. While a fair proportion of population is pulling its weight by slaving beyond the calls of duty to contain the spread of the draconian virus, there are these behavioural illiterates who are continually turning a deaf ear to all the pleas pertaining to maintain social distance. Other manifestations of uncivilized conduct in this hour of crisis include misbehaviour with the frontline corona warriors.
It is said that fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Looking at the imbecility that some covidiots are upto, by flouting the lockdown norms, it needs no clairvoyance to say that while a vaccine to immunize against COVID-19 will most assuredly hit the market within a span of few months, no vaccine can ever immunize anyone who chooses to get afflicted with an illness.
It might take just a sentence or two to declare that all those who are willfully violating the norms of lockdown are laying bare the pitfalls of administrative control. But, history is rife with examples of incidents, where more often than not, social unrest is the result of motivation by forces whose existence is premised on anti-social beliefs. These beliefs are so deep-rooted that at every occasion, their proponents are able to steer the course of status-quo to manifest the reality they want; and as these ‘values’ are passed on to the next generation, they become even more ingrained. It then becomes impossible for education to penetrate through this impervious core and engender the positive change it is expected to.
Even the educated elite class, upon whom the onus lies to awaken the society to a living guided by the logos, are ready to suspend their mental faculties when confronted with questions challenging beliefs based on superstitions. It is no surprise, therefore, that every crisis witnesses fissiparous forces who succeed in churning the belief systems of the unawakened and disrupt peace in the society.
It is as important, thus, to check the growth of divisive forces in the society, as it is to curb the spread of COVID-19. While the latter can be dealt with, by therapeutic interventions, the former requires an education system oriented towards social goals. Only then will all minds think like a man of the noblest possible moral character.
