If the COVID-19 pandemic has made one thing clear, it is that we are one human family. Only by recognizing this – by taking care of one another, as well as the planet on which we all depend – can any of us hope for a better future.
VIENNA – In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the world almost beyond recognition. And yet the international cooperation that is so essential to confront a shared threat has been nowhere to be found. This should not be a surprise: our failure to respond effectively to the COVID-19 crisis reflects deeply entrenched – and severely skewed – values and priorities.
In 1952, the American statesman Adlai Stevenson declared: “The great enemies of man are war, poverty, and tyranny, and their assaults on human dignity, which are the most grievous consequences of each.” Nearly seven decades later, those enemies remain as powerful as ever.
War continues to dominate – and disrupt – the human timeline. Despite the horrors we have collectively experienced, violence remains our default response to differences. Three decades after the end of the Cold War, nuclear weapons – and the terrifying doctrine of mutual assured destruction – remain a pillar of global security.
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VIENNA – In a matter of months, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the world almost beyond recognition. And yet the international cooperation that is so essential to confront a shared threat has been nowhere to be found. This should not be a surprise: our failure to respond effectively to the COVID-19 crisis reflects deeply entrenched – and severely skewed – values and priorities.
In 1952, the American statesman Adlai Stevenson declared: “The great enemies of man are war, poverty, and tyranny, and their assaults on human dignity, which are the most grievous consequences of each.” Nearly seven decades later, those enemies remain as powerful as ever.
War continues to dominate – and disrupt – the human timeline. Despite the horrors we have collectively experienced, violence remains our default response to differences. Three decades after the end of the Cold War, nuclear weapons – and the terrifying doctrine of mutual assured destruction – remain a pillar of global security.
To continue reading, register now.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to everything PS has to offer.
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