It’s official: we’re in a pandemic (of hysteria)
Did the headline get you? Sorry about that, it’s to prove a point, so stick with me.
We’re all feeling it. A level of tension that rises each time we turn on the news. How many cases now? How close is it to us? Do I have it?
Not a day goes by that I don’t hear something about it. In fact, I hear it and see it so much it feels like it’s well and truly part of the new vernacular.
Coronavirus is now a regular part of everyday life, whether you’re in a community that is experiencing it or not. But it’s perhaps the latter part of that statement that concerns me most.
Because for so many people, it’s like they’re living through the next apocalypse right now.. except for the fact the apocalypse hasn’t actually hit them yet.
Fear is driving an amazing array of behaviour across the world. And it’s not surprising; we are emotional beings, more likely to act out irrationally than rationally because of how we’re built. As I’ve learned from Katharina Kuehn, we process emotions 200 times faster than rational thought (I’ll add in a shameless plug here for the new podcast just launched where she features in the first episode).
All over the world, people are reacting. Travel bans, working from home, beginning to stockpile food, pharmaceuticals and, if you’re in Australia, toilet paper. Go figure.
It’s perhaps an unnerving insight into what a true apocalypse would actually be like. Whenever I’ve watched those end of world movies it always seems like humans come together and look out for each other. Nope. In the real world you have people fighting and being tasered over the amount of toilet paper they’re trying to shove in their trolley. Because at the end of the day, it all comes down to that innate driver of human beings — greed and the willingness to protect oneself.
So the real question here is what should we fear? The virus or the human behaviour (and therefore the impact on the economy)?
But firstly, how did we even get here?
Today, information flows faster than ever. It’s in the palm of our hand, often reaching us seconds after something has happened, sometimes even as it happens through a live stream. And because we love to stare into those small illuminated screens so much, we consume a lot of content every day.
Oftentimes it’s the media that get our attention, directly through our inbox, browsing their sites or through social media where they post their stories which are then shared by the masses. Because the media are usually the most trusted source of information.
So when media outlets begin saturating their bulletins and websites with coronavirus-related stories, it’s no surprise that people start to worry. And that begs the question, what is responsible reporting when it comes to crises such as the one we are going through?
Here’s an example from Australia’s ABC. When I logged on around lunchtime on Wednesday, 4th March there were 22 stories on the main page, 10 of which either had coronavirus in the title or were a story related to coronavirus. That’s not counting the huge red breaking news banner with another coronavirus story and a special banner added as a semi-permanent feature CORONAVIRUS: SEE OUR FULL COVERAGE. Oh and since then they’ve also launched a dedicated podcast: Coronacast.
We are also hit with sensationalist news headlines daily, like these:
So like I said, what is responsible reporting?
I have spoken with an array of people from all walks of life who are getting frustrated by the their news being filled with as much coronavirus as can be found. For the media it’s perfect; gets eyeballs, sells subscriptions, and makes the hourly news bulletins that much easier to write up. How many angles can we take about the virus? What about that dog that was wearing a mask?
Don’t get me wrong, I am huge supporter of the press and especially freedom of press. But like anyone who is thrust into public position, you have a responsibility. In this case, to ensure that what you do and how you report on things doesn’t incite fear into many who are easily susceptible.
Now the media will argue that it’s their duty to keep people informed. I agree, it is. But does that mean we need 20 articles about the same issue or one to two, maybe three? And do we need headlines like this?
It’s probably a good time for me to say that I am not downplaying coronavirus itself and the health risks it poses. Bearing in mind I am not a doctor, from what we’ve been told it’s not good, it’s infecting and killing people. But so does the flu, so does cancer, so do guns. As more data begins to emerge and more people are screened (the virus doesn’t always give severe symptoms and many have actually had it and not even known), there is every chance that the death rate will reduce further.
What I am trying to get across here is the problem we are facing might not actually be the disease itself but the hysteria that is created by the human reaction.
So, we turn to the larger crisis that’s been created as a result of all of this panic — the economic one. Across the world markets are being hammered. As I write this, the ASX in Australia has fallen below 6000:
Investors are terrified, greedily trying to save themselves and get out of positions (as many know, the stock market is perhaps the greatest example of human emotion and greed).
Added to that, you’ve got companies that are taking action in the name of being responsible. Someone sneezes and offices are shut. Twitter has encouraged all 4800+ staff to work from home. So have a host of other companies. Conferences are being cancelled, people encouraged not to shake hands or kiss each other. Chaos reigns.
What is driving this reaction? Is it people feeling like they are they being responsible, needing to ‘look’ responsible or buying into the hype and no longer understanding what a responsible response actually is?
It is hardly surprising that we are seeing panic spread. In fact, it’s spreading like an even more virulent virus, consuming hundreds of millions of people. Infecting all parts of our society from the way we trade to the amount of toilet paper we use.
In fact, the way we are going, it feels like we want a recession. It’s clear no one wants one but all of this stuff becomes self-perpetuating. We read worrying articles, stop spending money, stock up on tinned food, sell shares, exit any position that looks risky… and all of a sudden we create the very thing we feared most.
If you look at the way Australia has performed economically in the past year you can see other examples of irrational beating the rational. The house price dip and current rebound is but one case.
As Katharina has said “The dangerous thing we’re seeing in the world today is that it’s emotions that largely rule our decision making but by way of the human design we are unaware of those emotions.”
And that is why I think we are owed a responsibility from the media to think about the words they use, the amount of air-time they give something. It’s about trying to anticipate a reaction, not to create one that quickly spirals out of control. Not long ago, it was the bushfires in Australia but as soon as it looked like it was going to get better that was off the agenda and it was on to the next thing.
And while there are many other parties involved in this that have helped to spread the fear — investors, commentators, and ultimately everyday people — we need to ensure that the information that reaches us isn’t just being put out there in quest of securing the greatest number of eyeballs.
So should we feel emotional? Yes of course, it’s who we are and this situation is worrying. But should we allow ourselves to be completely consumed by emotion, raid the three-ply and dig a bunker? Aren’t we supposed to be smarter than that?
