Hope and The Resurrection

I see hope, and the “resurrection,” that we’re all seeking!

In this series on the quarantine and its ramifications, I’ve talked about the current scene and what we might learn from it, including a comparison to historical upheavals. I’ve also discussed how collaboration and cooperation are getting us through this incredibly difficult time, by reducing the impact on resources and helping create peace—people collaborating aren’t fighting.

Now let’s have a look at where we’re headed. What will be the outcome?

First, there can be no doubt that we will fully come back from this. We know this because we have recovered from disasters far worse. For example, we came back from the horror the Nazis inflicted on the world in World War II, and entered into the strongest economic upsurge in history. Japan rose out of the utter destruction of two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to become a formidable economic world power. Instead of humans like Hitler or Stalin or Mussolini, our enemy today is an invisible and untouchable one that the whole world is fighting against. But as we triumphed before, we know we’ll find a treatment and a vaccine. We always survive.

America

Looking out through my own spyglass here in the U.S., I see every indication of this recovery. As a country, I’ve never witnessed Americans coming together like they are today, and a rising of the traditional American spirit.

Although I grew up in Austria, I have strong American roots, and we actually had an American flag displayed in my family home. I grew up seeing the country portrayed in movies and on television, with a love of cowboys, John Wayne, jeans, Coca-Cola, the Jeep, and the Rat Pack. The Americans had an unbelievable impact on those of us in the rest of the world, and we all fell in love with her.

Having grown up with such impressions, you can imagine my thorough disappointment upon emigrating to the U.S. a few years back and witnessing a total lack of this spirit. American people were cursing America and burning flags, and for the last 20 years or so America has been almost a mockery of her former self.

Through this current crisis, though, I see the American spirit, her roots, coming through again, like they did back when trying to conquer the Nazi war machine. That was quite a feat—organizing hundreds of thousands of troops to land on Normandy, without the technology (internet, cell phones) we have today. Today we’re utilizing our ingenuity to put together hospitals and provide medical supplies for all that need it, and at the same time keeping everyone looking forward to a better day.

In spite of having to make these enormous strides, we’re having to do it while maintaining “social distancing.” This is something that no American today—nor any citizen of the world—has had to deal with. It’s quite a balancing act.

I believe America will come out of this crisis stronger than ever. And I do have a good comparison, for I speak to people from around the world on a daily basis—Austria, Slovakia, England, Germany, India, Africa, and the U.S. I truly see the difference between our country and others. There is conflict in Hungary and the Czech Republic. Germany has isolated itself, which seems to be helping, but Italy is totally overwhelmed. There is no group spirit there, but instead never-ending accusation and unrest. Some are looking to China and the recovery it appears to be making. But remember, their recovery is not by free will, but by force. We have no clue as to how many really died from the virus in China or how many even suffered.

The real strength we’re seeing in the U.S. is that we are gathering around our flag like never before. This is demonstrated by the compassion that states are demonstrating in helping each other with supplies and aid. Compare this to other nations in which borders are being closed and help is not being provided at all. One seriously bad example is that being set by China; at the beginning of the crisis, Italy provided China, free of charge, with tons of personal protective equipment to combat the coronavirus. China has repaid Italy by actually selling those same supplies back to them when Italy desperately needed them.

In the U.S. we have the opposite—and here is my prediction: along with recovering from this pandemic, we will see the recovery of the American Dream.

Demonstration

As a country, we can certainly demonstrate that the real value of freedom, which can only work if combined with responsibility, is the only answer to problems in this world. We’re rooted in the principle that every person has the right to live, not for the “greater good” but the individual. We believe that each person counts, and contributes to the bigger picture, the community, the city, the nation. When one person is lost, we all lose to that degree. That’s the difference between us and other political systems.

The core American value at the time independence was declared was that Americans were living in small communities. We are seeing right now that the small community is the answer, for only the small community can be the driving force in this crisis. The community comes together, fights together, and its constituents take care of each other. While we can do many things over long distances, taking care of each other must still be up close and personal.

As Thomas Friedman says in his excellent book Thank You for Being Late, “But we will get the best out of this technology only if we don’t let them distract us from making these deep human connections, addressing these deep human longings and inspiring these deep human energies.”

Taking responsibility in communities is a core principle of democracy. It cannot be done in a “top down” system such as communism.

Additionally, we believe in and are creating a free market, in which the government and private sector work together, creating unbelievable innovations and solutions for the greater good of the individual. We believe in the concept that all deserve “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Core Values

Yes, I believe that America will be strong and will shine again. But it won’t be for simply the nationalistic reason of “Oh, we’re Americans!” No, I believe it’s for the sake of our original roots in freedom. As a nation it’s in our genetic code.

An interesting analogy is Apple in 1997, when the company, having dismissed Steve Jobs, begged him to come back. He did, and one of the first things he did was examine the core values of the company. Working with the top advertising talent on the planet, he created one of the most memorable and timeless ad campaigns in history: “Think Different.” The campaign was designed to refocus the public’s attention on the core principles Apple stood for. Apple catered to “the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers” who showed that a single person could totally change history.

In a similar way, we’re seeing re-emergence of our core principles as a country.

A Catharsis

I believe this time is, in addition to many things, a catharsis for us. People are creating more. People are taking the opportunity to create more quality time with their families, and realizing what truly counts in life. At the end of the day, it’s the individual. We should fight for that, not the new Louis Vuitton purse or the Lamborghini.

For some countries, there will continue to be issues. When all is said and done, it may be up to the U.S. to bring help again, like it did after World War II with the Marshall Plan.

These things I am describing are not just thoughts or visions—they’re actually happening. The majority of the American people are behind them. They realize that some issues must be addressed, some lessons must be learned, and they are learning them. It’s a true catharsis.

Our Calling

At the same time, we shouldn’t blame the Chinese people. Interestingly, the Chinese word for crisis also has inherent in the word the concept of “opportunity.” We are all together on this planet, in this crisis. I am just adding that our American founding fathers offer us the most profound set of principles, and the only healthy way to run a country.

You can only operate a state in an unhealthy fashion for so long. One day it comes to an end, because people are humans, and humans have rights. If you don’t care about humans, fine, they are treated just like pigs and put away in pens. But on the other hand, if you value human beings as untouchable, and they are given the highest value on this Earth, then you must apply these principles.

To this set of principles we add one other element. For as the most intelligent species here, we have a calling, which shows up in just about every religion: we are responsible for the security and health of the entire planet. We need to take care of it.

So let us all take responsibility in the matter.

Time of Sales

My next prediction is that this is the time of sales. When this crisis is finally over and business begins to return to normal, every company will need a strong sales team. Any industry will need to convince their prospects and customers that commerce has once again resumed and it’s safe to buy. Now is a good time to do all you can to strengthen your sales teams.

Sales will be the most important key to retrieve those lost numbers and revenue. In our last article, we spoke about cooperation, and how it is so key to making it through this time. Through cooperation between seller and buyer, sales is the future.

This Week

Finally, I have to say that the week this is being written is the most interesting week in the history of the world. I feel it’s no coincidence that this is Easter week. In the week that Christianity is celebrating the death and the resurrection of Jesus, we’re coming upon some of the darkest numbers of deaths in some countries. But it also seems that we have reached the curve, and it looks like we’re in view of the hope, and the “resurrection,” that we’re all seeking.

So whether or not you believe in Christianity, let us all come together and celebrate resurrecting the spirit of community, taking care of each other, collaboration, and learning to take responsibility for the freedom in which every person can live.