We live in turbulent times. Thanks to science and technology, we are able to perceive our environment down to the atomic level. We can read DNA, manipulate cells, cut and paste viruses. Humanity is a powerful and dominant species on the planet. It is tempting to think that we are becoming gods: Homo Deus. But this is a mistake. Every now and then, a microscopic organism talks back. It tells us: Stop, slow down, reflect, here I am.
What is the first thing every living being knows? It is part of an environment. Every living being relates to other living beings. Not only next to you, but also above, below and within you. That is, wherever you are and whoever you are; you are in the middle. The Earth contains billions of people. Our body is made up of billions of cells. Life consists of life. And you are connected.
Do you love nature? Good. But can you also love a virus? Not a viral video that spreads on the internet, but a tiny piece of molecule that creeps into your cells with a desire to survive and spread itself. A piece of life that replicates and infects our human body.
What is a pandemic for us, is a victory for the virus. And it seeks nothing less than total world domination
We don't have to love viruses and parasites. These are evolutionary phenomena that show no empathy and do not deserve it. Nature can be sublime and beautiful, but also cruel and amoral. A virus is the most primitive form of life. It does not recognize us as human beings. It only sees as a colony of cells it can spread itself within and conquer. Different perspective. What is a pandemic for us, is a victory for the virus. And it seeks nothing less than total world domination.
Are you already infected? You may think you’re clear, but think again. Are you still shaking hands? Where an outstretched hand used to be a sign of openness and contact, it has now become an act of aggression or at least a clumsy insensitivity. Even if you are healthy yourself and do not belong to the risk group, you can infect another, who then may infect a vulnerable person, with fatal consequences.
The virus is an infectious information pattern that affects not only our human cells. It made the crossover from gene to meme long ago. It mutates social relationships, disrupts the economy and even infects our psychology. Similar to the rabies virus that makes an infected dog more aggressive so that it will bite and spread the virus further, viral fear may cause irrational human behaviour – like the massive stocking of toilet paper – that stresses infrastructure that wasn’t under direct attack by the virus.
Our position as the dominant species on the planet is being challenged.
The virus teaches us a lesson in modesty. Our position as the dominant species on the planet is being challenged. Not by artificial intelligence or an attack from Mars, but by a microscopic entity. Certainly, we are not gods. We are as vulnerable as ever. Despite our dominant position on Earth, humanity is just one of many lifeforms on the planet, with one perspective: the human perspective.
The virus makes us aware of other lifeforms with other perspectives, desires and needs. It also teaches us that we are one humanity. These viral invaders don’t discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, income, social status, political or sexual preference. We are together and must work together to overcome. Stay safe.
A. Bianchi
Humanity went through several pandemics in the past. We have records of the 1348 pandemic in Europe which was followed by many waves in the following years killing millions of people. However humanity has a forgetting psychological system that apparently helps cope with the challenges and move forward. Who does know about the Hispaniola flu that killed millions not more than a 100 years ago...right after WWI ? Historians only and maybe doctors...
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Matthew Tucker
"It made the crossover from gene to meme long ago. It mutates social relationships, disrupts the economy and even infects our psychology." Brilliant observations, as always!
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happyheart
I live in Mount Shasta, California, USA. This is the most meaningful article I have read regarding the virus. Here are my two most helpful quotes. "Our position as the dominant species on the planet is being challenged." "The virus is an infectious information pattern that affects not only our human cells. It made the crossover from gene to meme long ago. It mutates social relationships, disrupts the economy and even infects our psychology."
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Matthew Levin
I thoroughly enjoyed this article! I identify, to a personal and visionary level (as a designer), with it's intention. So quick can we be proud to present understanding and control over an entity (be it a subject matter in school, a scientific breakthrough, a video game or monetary value) however we are part of a larger system: Life! Nature! I truly believe if we forget that we are given all of these precious materials to create/innovate and do not remain humble...we'll face a tough time. Great read! Hoping the best for everyone.
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M.E.H.R. Emons
Actually, this pandemic heralds the coming age. The fourth industrial revolution: a.i and quantum computing. Everyone depends on the internet even more now to do - pretty much - anything. Working from home, digital classrooms, digital conferences, digital meetings, networking online, health and fitness classes remotely by online instruction, using algorithms to predict the spread of the virus etc etc etc. Imagine, for a moment, we did NOT have the internet now? Buying behaviour moved even more from physical shops to online ordering (afterall the post man still is delivering).
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Jeroen Kroonen
Good article Koert van Mensvoort. It does not 'seek domination', in fact it does not seek anything. It just happens to multiply as outcome of design by chance. In this way it also teaches one or two lessons on casualty in basic evolution theory.
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Wina Smeenk
The water will wash the stones? Chinese saying
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Koert van Mensvoort
You are right Jeroen, I wouldn't argue it 'seeks' in an aware or even conscious sense. I meant it as a tendency of its nature, just like water 'seeks' to flow down because of the gravity action upon it.
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happyheart
yup
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Maria Hulsebosch
Een virus is geen levend organisme maar een pakketje eiwitten dat onze cellen als gastheer nodig heeft om zijn DNA te verspreiden. En niet alle virussen zijn een bedreiging. Ons lichaam zou niet zonder virussen kunnen voortbestaan. Er is veel wat wij als mens nog niet begrijpen of beheersen, maar mensen weten wel hoe krachtig de natuur is en beseffen hoe kostbaar hun gezondheid is. Liever de symbiose dan de dominantie!
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Yolande Schaeffer
Dit virus wordt door RNA verspreidt. Dat soort virussen zijn per definitie aan mutaties onderhevig. Waardoor vaccinatie of andere geneesmiddelen ineens niet meer helpen. Immuniteit is dus tijdelijk. De mutatie kan 2 kanten uitgaan : of hij wordt sterker of zwakker. En niemand weet welke kant het uitgaat. Zelfs de echte specialisten zijn het niet eens met elkaar. Het enige waar iedereen het over eens is « flatten the curve »
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Van Mensvoort
Completely agree Maria! Although viruses challenge our concept of what "living" means, they are vital members of the web of life. They cannot replicate on their own but can do so in truly living cells and can also affect the behavior of their hosts profoundly. And we are now dealing with the consequences. More here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive-2004/
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Siri Beerends
I really embrace the idea that viruses can teach us a lesson in modesty. It is necessary that our position as the dominant species on the planet is being challenged. I also agree that it is a mistake to think that we are becoming Gods. But unfortunately, this is actually what is happening now. Corona doesn't teach us to be modest, it teaches us how we can -as quickly as possible- go back to business as usual: saving our capitalistic economy. An economic system that demonstrates how we want to behave like Gods that can take whatever we want, wherever we want, at any moment we want -at the expense of other lifeforms and future generations. Take into account: "Humankind is revealed as simultaneously insignificant and utterly dominant in the grand scheme of life on Earth by a groundbreaking new assessment of all life on the planet. The world’s 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilisation, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds." source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/21/human-race-just-001-of-all-life-but-has-destroyed-over-80-of-wild-mammals-study?CMP=share_btn_tw
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Yolande Schaeffer
There is no hierarchy in the (natural) balance of our ecosystem... people should never forget that
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Ine Gevers
#JaNatuurlijk #YesNaturally was about co-evolution and partnership. How to become friends with o.a. bacteria, microbes and viruses. Because yes, they can be deadly and vital at the same time. https://www.nai010.com/nl/publicaties/yes-naturally/141126
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Parabi Bose
Equity is the answer.
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Maarten Fijnaut
Thanks Koert, great read. Puts a lot of things into perspective.
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Wilco Schoonderbeek
Very relevant! Nearly 10 percent of the human genome is made of bits of virus DNA. There are no silo's. Only in our imagination.
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Van Mensvoort
Good point!
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Marc Neele
Bats ? are...
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Isabelle Andriessen
Thanks! I actually question if a virus is living, because technically I think they are not, they only become 'alive' once they get to our RNA no? How to make kin with viruses? I'm currently linking up a few books that talk about these things, in case you're interested? They mean a great deal for survival in many ways, not only their own survival. They are crucial for our evolution. We need the change they're making in order to pass certain information on. In that sense they are very different from parasite
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Van Mensvoort
Indeed Isabelle, Although viruses challenge our concept of what "living" means, they are vital members of the web of life. They cannot replicate on their own but can do so in truly living cells and can also affect the behavior of their hosts profoundly. And we are now dealing with the consequences. More here: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive-2004/
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Stëfan Schäfer
Feeling uncentered and it's good thing Towards human uncentered design
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