Osler's Razor

And there is hope, right? Vaccines are out there-- though not enough-- and the numbers are going down. Many conversations center on exactly when people will be able to return to those things they miss most.

And I am one of them. I very much miss teaching people whose face I can see. Until masked teaching, I didn't realize how much communication is lost if we can't see facial expressions. I call on a student, and they sit more upright-- are they alarmed to be called on? Eager? Suddenly awake from slumber? I really can't tell. 

There is a lot in the Bible about exile. The Jews were exiled to Egypt, then to Babylonia. When they came back, there was a lot to sort out.

 I suspect the same will be true with us, with our inside-out exile (where we are exiled to home rather than cast out). We will fully re-enter a world that has changed to adapt to the exigencies of pandemic, and institutions that relied on the presence of people-- churches, restaurants, clubs-- many of them are diminished or gone. We will not have our familiars to go back to.

 There is a deep tragedy in that. But also great opportunity, to re-make our social institutions in better ways. We can rebuild churches to be more welcoming. We can create common spaces that are more humane and inclusive. We can re-imagine things like restaurants. And probably we will have to do all of these things if we are to thrive as social beings. 

 Are we up to it?

# posted by Mark Osler @ 1:00 AM