The Washington Post recently published this summary of one
of its articles.
of its articles.
The
novel coronavirus may be mutating — learning, in a sense — to defeat human
protective measures such as masks, soap and perhaps even vaccines, according to the
largest genetic study of the virus conducted in the United States.
novel coronavirus may be mutating — learning, in a sense — to defeat human
protective measures such as masks, soap and perhaps even vaccines, according to the
largest genetic study of the virus conducted in the United States.
The
study, led by scientists in Houston and released Wednesday before being
peer-reviewed, found that the constantly evolving virus has produced a rapidly spreading
mutant strain that appears to be especially contagious. “It is well within the realm of
possibility that … when our population-level immunity gets high enough, this
coronavirus will find a way to get around our immunity,” a
virologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told
The Washington Post. “If that happened, we’d be in the same situation as with
flu. We’ll have to chase the virus and, as it mutates, we’ll have to tinker
with our vaccine.”
study, led by scientists in Houston and released Wednesday before being
peer-reviewed, found that the constantly evolving virus has produced a rapidly spreading
mutant strain that appears to be especially contagious. “It is well within the realm of
possibility that … when our population-level immunity gets high enough, this
coronavirus will find a way to get around our immunity,” a
virologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told
The Washington Post. “If that happened, we’d be in the same situation as with
flu. We’ll have to chase the virus and, as it mutates, we’ll have to tinker
with our vaccine.”
What they did
not discuss, because mankind has not yet realized this fact, is that the
disease that must be managed is not COVID-19. It is the human ego.
Ego is that
force within us that demands that we act for our own self-interest. In order to
constantly get what we want when we want it we exploit and harm others. The ego
repeatedly mutates itself in order to convince us that this is perfectly
acceptable.
We have
developed herd immunity to ego’s greed, lust for wealth and power, and the
expanding separation among us on all levels—personal and family to
international relations. The basic virus that invades our societies is the
shattering of our relationships with each other.
developed herd immunity to ego’s greed, lust for wealth and power, and the
expanding separation among us on all levels—personal and family to
international relations. The basic virus that invades our societies is the
shattering of our relationships with each other.
The positive
news is that the vaccine for the real disease of mankind already exists, it
just hasn’t yet been packaged and distributed among the people. It’s a vaccine
guaranteed to be safe and effective and each of us can administer it to one
other. It is the most basic law of nature and of all great religions. Love one
another.
news is that the vaccine for the real disease of mankind already exists, it
just hasn’t yet been packaged and distributed among the people. It’s a vaccine
guaranteed to be safe and effective and each of us can administer it to one
other. It is the most basic law of nature and of all great religions. Love one
another.
The inner life
of so many of us in the 21st century is full of fear, frustration,
petty hates and disagreements, anger, and the horrible phenomenon we are
witnessing of turning family and friends against each other based on polarized
opinions. These attitudes attach to the egoistic receptors inside our very
being and spread there.
of so many of us in the 21st century is full of fear, frustration,
petty hates and disagreements, anger, and the horrible phenomenon we are
witnessing of turning family and friends against each other based on polarized
opinions. These attitudes attach to the egoistic receptors inside our very
being and spread there.
In the same way
that we haven’t been able to kill COVID-19, we cannot kill the ego. But like “the
flu,” we can manage it. The flu we all carry within us is separation from one
another. The presence of the coronavirus is giving us a time of rest during
which we can discern the nature of the real problem and prepare to manage it.
that we haven’t been able to kill COVID-19, we cannot kill the ego. But like “the
flu,” we can manage it. The flu we all carry within us is separation from one
another. The presence of the coronavirus is giving us a time of rest during
which we can discern the nature of the real problem and prepare to manage it.
We have to
chase ego, so to speak, so that we may tame it. When we encounter ego at work—hating
another, arguing our point of view, posting derogatory memes, harming another’s
reputation, marching against something, choosing sides—the first step is to see
it for what it is. It is the force that seeks self-benefit and satisfaction
regardless of the cost to others. As soon as we decide not to follow it, it
will mutate to a stronger strain of itself. It seems to have a greater will to
survive that we do.
chase ego, so to speak, so that we may tame it. When we encounter ego at work—hating
another, arguing our point of view, posting derogatory memes, harming another’s
reputation, marching against something, choosing sides—the first step is to see
it for what it is. It is the force that seeks self-benefit and satisfaction
regardless of the cost to others. As soon as we decide not to follow it, it
will mutate to a stronger strain of itself. It seems to have a greater will to
survive that we do.
We have to
create an inner attitude that gradually grows until it has more power than the
egoistic mindset. Ego will not go away, but we can create an opposite force
that keeps it at bay, a vaccine of loving kindness. It is the development of
the conviction that only the opposite of separation will help us, then a habit
of visualizing how we can connect together. We tinker with this vaccine until it
becomes one that is strong and safe and effective against the debilitating
disease of separation from one another.
create an inner attitude that gradually grows until it has more power than the
egoistic mindset. Ego will not go away, but we can create an opposite force
that keeps it at bay, a vaccine of loving kindness. It is the development of
the conviction that only the opposite of separation will help us, then a habit
of visualizing how we can connect together. We tinker with this vaccine until it
becomes one that is strong and safe and effective against the debilitating
disease of separation from one another.
We call the
vaccine CONNECTION.
vaccine CONNECTION.
If our future
holds adapting to living with COVID-19 in our midst, we are then armed with the
antidote to the disease of mankind that underlies even that virulent little
scrap of genetic material. Our actions of kindness, helpfulness, cooperation,
collaboration, and all others that are meant to connect us will flow out of us.
It is being for something—love and
connection—and against nothing. We will know what the disease is and vaccinate
each other against it.
holds adapting to living with COVID-19 in our midst, we are then armed with the
antidote to the disease of mankind that underlies even that virulent little
scrap of genetic material. Our actions of kindness, helpfulness, cooperation,
collaboration, and all others that are meant to connect us will flow out of us.
It is being for something—love and
connection—and against nothing. We will know what the disease is and vaccinate
each other against it.
