Preppers and Saints in the Time of the Coronavirus

It is difficult to find words for the disgust I feel for the prepper mentality that has proliferated in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.  People are hoarding vital supplies, stocking up on guns and preparing for the apocalypse.  The prepper world is flourishing.

Meanwhile, millions of medical professionals are risking their lives to help those who have contracted the disease.  Millions more are donating time and resources to help those whose businesses or livelihoods have been destroyed as a consequence of the pandemic.

In times of crisis there have always been saints and villains.  Humanity is a strange mix of selfless nobility and craven self-interest.  When put to the test, each human being must decide.  Will I be a person who tries to assist others by some means, who is willing to risk and potentially sacrifice resources or health for the general good?  Or will I seek to shield myself and my family and retreat from society, hoarding whatever supplies and resources I can get my hands on, regardless of the impact on others?

We are currently facing a unique challenge that crosses national borders, racial and ethnic lines and even economic class.  How we respond to this challenge will determine whether the human race can survive in the coming years of potential pandemics and climate catastrophe. 

The costs in terms of life and commerce will be staggering no matter how we respond. But if we are optimistic and work together in good faith, we will make it through this period with a heightened sense of our common humanity. We may even discover that our civilization becomes more united and empathetic, and that we can make further progress on other daunting problems such as war, genocide, refugees, immigration and climate change.

There are many saints among us who have chosen the high road.  In this time, it is the doctors, nurses and other health professionals who are most worthy of our gratitude and respect.  We also are grateful for the people who risk infection in their jobs of  keeping essential services and resources available But all of us can contribute in some way, whether it is donating generously to worthy organizations, keeping our social distance, or helping out neighbors in need.

The preppers and the hoarders are the vermin of society.  They have lost their humanity and they have somehow convinced themselves that a solitary, end-of-world existence is worth their stockpiling of resources and effort that could otherwise have been put to good use in our common need.  Shame on them!