New ways to understand life in a pandemic | Aaron Maniam

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Poet and policymaker Aaron Maniam describes how the language we use to explain COVID-19 shapes the way we think about it — whether it's as a "war," a "journey" or, as he suggests, an "ecology." He encourages us to explore a range of imaginative, interlocking metaphors to gain a deeper understanding of the pandemic — and shows how this can help us to envision a better, more inclusive future. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED's head of curation Helen Walters and arts and design curator Chee Pearlman, was recorded June 10, 2020.)

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33 Comments on New ways to understand life in a pandemic | Aaron Maniam

  1. “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
    ― Blaise Pascal

  2. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
    ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

  3. “‘If you don’t read the newspaper you’re uninformed. If you do read the newspaper you’re misinformed.”‘ -Mark Twain

    • Yes and we shouldn’t read or watch main stream media. Follow independent progressives like Status Coup and Graham Elwood.

  4. Could someone explain to me why diversity is such an important part of it all? He’s been banging on about it, but I don’t get it. Feel like I missed something

  5. “The most resilient ecology, in nature for example, is usually the most diverse. How do we use this moment to make sure diversity is part of the world’s recovery?” (This sounds appealing to the modern sensibilities, but THINK about the analogy for a second)
    Diversity in nature doesn’t ensure individual organism or species survival. Diversity just means more stuff for everything else to EAT (as in kill and destroy). Ecological diversity is not a good analog nor model for social or ethnic diversity within an individual species population. Diversity + proximity = conflict. Bees don’t thrive in a wasp-diverse environment.

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