Swine Flu. A Wolf at the Door - Mountain out of a Mole Hill or Opportunity for Profit?

Up until the last 7 days there has been a global storm ravaging our planet, which appears to have quiet suddenly disappeared.
Mexico City brought to a stand still (and for good reason). L.A. a State of Emergency declared. In Egypt, 1000’s of pigs ordered to be killed sparking a civil uprising. In China; indeed in many Countries airports, perfectly healthy people were being detained in fear that they may be infected.

Certainly there have been deaths, and we pray for them and their families. Certainly we feel discomforted by the potential for yet another serious global threat. Certainly I felt comforted by seeing the Authorities taking decisive and prudent actions to protect their people.

Whether Swine Flu is or was a real global threat, I don’t know.
The answer too many questions are often only clear in hindsight.

What many did find disquieting were the number of Civil, Business and Political faces that appeared within minutes of this event being born. Who it appeared, took action not for the good of their people, not for the good of their country. But rather took action for the good of their own agendas.

Some of these voices were loud and seemingly authoritative, some stalked quietly through the corridors of decision. Never the less they were transparently motivated by personal gain.

I’m sure that it’s obvious to you as it is obvious to many that Leaders who rally a population to a common cause for the good of the whole, come from a totally different level of values than the Leader who incites a population for pure self interest.

Post event we could claim moral outrage or ignore them and let it pass. Or we could confront and demand accountability or some other course. But that’s not really my question.

My question is who did you follow? The Calmer, or the Catastrophiser. The Meddler. The Profiteer, or the voice of reason.

The leaders who show courage and good judgment.
Or the ones inciting blame rage and fear.

Can you see that it’s not just what they do that’s important; it’s what we do that tips the balance.

There are lessons for us here. There are choices we can make for the future.

And those lessons and choices are not just about how to better handle potential crisis. But also lessons about whom we trust to follow. Do we follow those that give us the thrill of fear or those that help us to be better people?

To some the thrill of the rollercoaster will always be more exciting than the value of doing the right thing.
The difference of course between a rollercoaster and a manipulator, is that you can always get off a rollercoaster.

The History of many Nations screams at us that it is not so easy to escape the latter.

I believe that we need to be vigilant to the potential for threats of any kind. Be it disease, terrorism war manipulation or monopoly. Not so paranoid that we pull the trigger on innocence and not so accustomed to the “wolfs” cry that we ignore the Wolfs scent.

Just being sensible if that’s possible.

In my view the world needs more great men and women and it is my belief that that potential lies within every man and woman.