The Coronavirus Pandemic

Pandemics have been underrepresented as a global threat compared to more sexy things like asteroids, climate change, and nuclear war, when all along pandemics have always been a greater threat to human civilization.

Part of the reason pandemics are not covered as much in media and entertainment is because they’re so disturbing, even too disturbing to watch or think about. Which makes sense. Evolutionarily, we are wired to fear pandemics extremely highly, even more so than predators, because viruses have always been the greatest threat to humanity. Unlike a tiger, snake, or shark, the virus won't just kill one person but potentially an entire society.

It’s still too early to say how bad the coronavirus COVID-19 will be but it is a wake-up call to everyone that we need to be more cognizant of the threat of viral diseases and devote more time, energy, and resources into planning ways to prevent and combat pandemics in the future.