How coronavirus exposes the fragility of modernity and the vulnerability of mankind

The fundamental axioms of modernity- the ‘faith’ that equated progress with reason, fetishising it- seem to be questioned by the COVID -19 virus. In the schemata of modernity, the reason was the new deity, worshipping which would lead to historical, political scientific, industrial, technological and social progress.

While there was no overarching theory of modernity, these were the elements that formed its grist and mill. The scientific method, with its Cartesian flavour and zealous adherence to empiricism, was central to modernity. Even politics was said and held to be subject to science – both in theory and practice- the former begat the discipline of political science and the latter the ‘science’ of public policy. The reason, all in all, was held to be the solvent of human problems and the torchbearer and paragon of progress. This was the essential ‘truth’ of modernity.

There was much to be said about modernity, its contents and manifestations. The Industrial Revolution, the torchbearer and one clear manifestation of reason and its application to human affairs, changed the complexion and nature of the world. Scientific advances made humans live healthier lives, many rabid and incurable diseases were conquered, there accrued the isomorphism of the state form of political organisation and the will of the people became, gradually, in many parts of the world the governing philosophy of the state.

The list can go on and on. That modernity improved the human condition (broadly defined) was a reality but modernity also had a dark side. To cite the eminent historian, Niall Ferguson, roughly, it was the Gattling gun- also a product of modernity- that helped in the reification of colonialism and imperialism. The killing fields of the First and the Second Great Wars were eminently possible because of modern forms of organisation, weaponry and employment of scientific techniques in killing people.

But, all this is not to detract from the good side of modernity. It did elevate mankind, in many domains. The problem, however, began or begins when the axioms of modernity were held to be the truth(s), the only game in town, so to speak. It was the corpus of postmodernity that questioned the fundamental assumptions of modernity. The postulates of post-modernity questioned modernity’s modes of knowledge and its ‘truths’ including its reliance on reason and science. Acknowledging other forms of knowledge and reality, post-modernity held that there was no central, overarching reality, roughly. In a way, post-modernity was an intellectual and discursive assault on the central tenets of modernity. While post-modernity did not gain much traction beyond the academy, it did have something to it, in some senses.

(By way of clarification here, I am not an ardent proponent of post-modernity. I think it was something to offer and this something is in the nature of being a required and necessary correction to the hubris of modernity)

All this is not to say that modernity and its constituent is evil or fundamentally bad. Stating this would amount to a denial. It is to state that while modernity has indeed improved the human condition but man (woman) is more than mere reason. Mankind cannot and must not be reduced to utility-maximising rational agents. It is more than this. Attributes of love, hate, generosity, courage, valour, jealousy, greatness and pettiness are also elemental features and attributes of human beings. Consider an example. And, more fundamentally, we human beings are weak and, sometimes helpless, a fact that COVID- 19 has eloquently demonstrated. It is not that mankind is on the verge of extinction. Ultimately, the virus will be conquered and vanquished, perhaps ironically by science itself. But, this should not obscure the fact that we humans despite having risen to heights in most domains of life are vulnerable and fragile, individually and collectively.

But, our mastery over nature and its components, made possible by modernity and its applications make us forgetful: we forget our essential and fundamental fragility and vulnerability and make us be the masters of the universe(In the narrow sense). The defence spending of major nations, the millions and even billions spent on armaments, state of the art weaponry, basically to kill, is a case in point.

The theories of international relations suggest that to protect itself, the state must increase its security meaning build armies, armaments and weaponries and enter into an alliance. This approach called the ‘security dilemma’ does not increase a given state’s security; it decreases it, because other states do the same. But, even if were to be granted that armaments and lethally sophisticated weaponry will protect states from each other, can these protect us from the COVID-19 virus? No is the obvious answer. What will then? Humility, especially of the modern mind and cooperation than competition. We are all in it together. The response must reflect this togetherness in the frailty and fragility of humankind!

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)