By: Abu Bakr Al-Ayyadi
Humanity stands today at a critical crossroads, not only due to the coronavirus but also because of the insatiable greed of neoliberalism, which has ravaged everything. The neoliberal model has led to protests, accelerated dynamics, and fierce competition for resources, while simultaneously destroying healthcare, educational, and social systems, and devastating living creatures and the ecosystem. All this was considered a driver of development and progress, a sign that today’s world is better than the past, according to liberal theorists. As Pierre Bourdieu remarked, these theorists confuse things of logic with the logic of things; most have no practical experience and rely on theoretical frameworks detached from the economic and social reality on the ground. Neoliberal theory fundamentally opposes the basic needs of living beings, not only in health but also in research and education.
With the onset of globalization, neoliberalism expanded, turning humans into consumer groups, controlling minds through its propaganda tools and its grip on the world’s leading media outlets, not to mention the GAFA quartet (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon), making it omnipresent in financial markets, institutions, and in each of us, in the ways we live.
As for the coronavirus, this invisible living organism that paralyzed the most technologically advanced human civilization, it is a natural consequence of neoliberal greed, which pushed its proponents to destroy the environment in all its dimensions, from the earth’s depths and surface to its seas and atmosphere. They forgot that we share this planet with other living creatures and that by destroying forests, we force animals to seek refuge elsewhere, allowing the viruses they carry to spread from one animal to another, eventually infecting humans.
We have neglected that humans are part of the natural world, and our existence is tied to it. Destroying nature opens the door to all possible catastrophes. Scientists continuously affirm that every time we cut down forests, as is happening today in the Amazon and Congo basins, vast quantities of viruses are unleashed, returning to humans in the form of deadly pandemics.
Humans have long disrupted the natural balance without realizing that the power of destruction, like the power of creation, is equally distributed among all living beings. Every bacterium, virus, or insect can have a wide-reaching impact on the world. The virus shows us that immense power is not confined to physical strength or intellectual capability; wherever life exists, we find ourselves, as with this virus, facing a force capable of changing the face of the earth.
If we wish to survive and leave a lasting imprint on this planet, not only in the history of society but also in the technological and geological history of the Earth, we must reconsider our place in the hierarchy of living beings and work together to create a future in harmony with other creatures.
This pandemic may put an end to the fierce capitalist policies that have, for years, dismantled the foundations of the welfare state—healthcare, education, justice, research, and retirement—and continue to devastate the environment. Despite the rising number of victims since the virus emerged, it pales in comparison to the number of casualties from future disasters caused by global warming if environmental destruction persists. Experts predict that between one and two billion people could perish by the end of the century, or possibly half of humanity.
Some argue that the only way to mitigate the severity of future crises is to rebuild the welfare state and create a robust global solidarity network. Otherwise, we may enter an era where everyone isolates themselves, seeking survival and arming against those who covet even the most basic resources when they become scarce, potentially leading to a war of all against all.
While some thinkers, like Giorgio Agamben and others, criticized lockdown measures as infringing on freedoms and paving the way for authoritarian socialism, governments have demonstrated their ability to act decisively. This crisis has shown that political power can indeed override market forces and corporate interests when necessary.
The possibility of a different world, one that establishes local distribution channels, reestablishes national industries, and balances human interaction with nature, requires a state capable of strategic planning rather than relying solely on experts. It requires a state that considers the interconnectedness of human, ecological, and social goals.
This vision necessitates a reevaluation of the power dynamics between the dominant and the dominated. Political power remains in the hands of politicians, who may have been elected by a small margin and may not represent the entirety of the population. Many progressive ideas and movements, though influential, have often been sidelined once absorbed into the power structure.
Therefore, this essay calls for the creation of a global intellectual front that rises above identities, ideologies, and beliefs to embrace human issues everywhere. This front would not only confront the neoliberal policies endangering humanity and the planet but also spread the values of enlightenment, transcending academic discourse and simplifying its concepts to guide ordinary people.
The future of humanity is too important to be left in the hands of politicians alone. A new intellectual internationalism could play a crucial role in advocating for the values of human dignity, equality, and sustainability.
