We are not the first generation to face this level of adversity. Looking at the past, great changes happen all the time, and these have often brought about opportunities to fundamentally change society for the better.
- The black death in the fourteenth century led to ~40% of the population of Europe being wiped out (200 million people) but also made the renaissance possible.
- In the mid-seventeenth century, most people in London were drunk. Favouring ale to London’s highly polluted river water. The arrival of coffee triggered a dawn of sobriety that laid the foundations for spectacular economic growth, the modern propagation of news and indirectly fueled the age of enlightenment.
- The efficient shipping infrastructure which we now depend on for cheap deliveries was born out of the development of containerization to revitalise rail companies after the Wall Street Crash in 1929.
When big changes happen, we should do everything in our power to minimise the impact it has on our communities; But when the situation feels out of our control, we have to remember that these often lead to opportunities and it is down to us evolve to flourish in this new world.