Facebook is not (as far as we know) overtly malicious and evil. Rather their aggressive and ambitious pursuit of their self interest (and bottom line) blinds them to the impact they have on media and society.
One of the elements sorely missing from this current pandemic induced crisis are better stories. In our obsession with data, and our focus on numbers, we’re missing the larger role of narrative. Without narrative, we remain lost in the wilderness of confusion and chaos.
The missing link in this crisis is effective public health education. We ought to double down on our belief that the answer is earning the trust and consent of people, rather than demanding their obedience.
Move fast and break things? Is that not the pandemic strategy we’re now seeing in action? Of all the buzzwords from the pre-pandemic world, disruption may be one of the few that remains constant and demonstrates longevity. It remains a desirable ability, a force to understand, and a process to heed.
