The Great Lockdown: Western Societies and the Fear of Death

Western societies have prioritized saving lives over profits and trade during the Covid-19 pandemic, but have they gone too far by embracing a basic and impoverished version of life? This fear of death and desire to prolong life has created a nanny state that hinders individual freedom and what makes life inherently humane. We must accept death and the tragic essence of human life to see this truth.

Format: Hardback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2022
Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing Inc

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a topic of debate, with some arguing that Western societies have made the right decision to prioritize saving lives over profits and trade. This logic suggests that accepting any trade-off between saving lives and saving the economy is unacceptable and monstrous. As a result, liberal democracies worldwide have shuttered businesses and forced people to self-quarantine in their homes for as long as possible. A vast majority of citizens and political leaders believe that acting otherwise would have been morally bankrupt.

However, it is important to consider whether Western societies have gone the wrong way by embracing this basic and impoverished version of life. The reason why many of us are unable to see this truth is because of our refusal to accept death and the tragic essence of human life. Over the past decades, we have grown accustomed to various cultural parameters that have shaped our understanding of life, particularly after WWII. The COVID-19 pandemic has simply been the triggering factor that has allowed these factors to reinforce their strength.

Defined primarily by a fear of death, the desire to prolong life as much as possible, and minimize the hurdles individuals have to face during their existence, this beast has created a reassuring facade that masks the tragic nature of life. It has asepticized societies that refute the tragic nature of life and are willing to hinder individuals' freedom and what makes our existence inherently humane.

Without realizing it, this Leviathan that now takes the form of a nanny state has altered our nature. We have become fearful creatures who rely on the state to protect us from the dangers of the world. We have lost sight of our individual responsibility and autonomy, and we have become dependent on the government for our survival.

While it is important to prioritize saving lives during a pandemic, we must also be mindful of the unintended consequences of our actions. We must strive to find a balance between protecting public health and preserving individual freedom and dignity. We must also recognize that the tragic nature of life is an essential part of our existence and that we must embrace it as part of our human experience.

In conclusion, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a complex issue that requires careful consideration. While Western societies have made the right
decision to prioritize saving lives, we must also be mindful of the unintended consequences of our actions. We must strive to find a balance between protecting public health and preserving individual freedom and dignity. We must also recognize that the tragic nature of life is an essential part of our existence and that we must embrace it as part of our human experience.

Weight: 214g
Dimension: 225 x 150 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781433195358
Edition number: New ed