Conversely, Christakis suggests that the COBID-19 virus has drawn us together. This condition would seem to align with Sommer’s description of Sociopetal space that encourages interactions and joint collaborations among members of a community. As Christakis (2020, p. 211) notes: “love and connection can make suffering more bearable”. We take care of one another not only to heal the other person but also to heal ourselves. We wear masks not primarily to help ourselves, but instead to help one another. As Christakis (2020, p. 216) notes, it took us a while to recognize that we want to assist other people as a way of assisting ourselves. Apparently the virus has taught us that we can be caring and compassion beings. Our nurturing oxytocin might be kicking in and motivating us to confront the virus from the health-producing perspective of sociopetal caring. Psychogenesis can be a two-way street: our psyche can either help or hurt the processes of protection and healing in our life. We can run away or hang around to be of assistance to one another and our self.
Conclusion: A Compelling Image of the Future
As Osterholm has noted, the core question is: How do we preserve our societies around the world while addressing the virus challenges? As compassionate and considerate people, we can address this core question. As people who are drawn toward a sociopetal stance of collaboration, we are motivated and positioned to take on the challenge of constructive dialogue. In taking this optimistic stance, I would offer a second, even more ambitious version of Osterholm’s core question. We might pose the following question: What is a compelling image of the future for each of our societies that should emerge from the COVID-19 crisis? This version of the key question arises from the work of Fred Polak (1973) who proposed many years ago that a viable society must always hold in mind (and heart) a compelling image of its own future –a future to which members of society are willing to commit their talent, wisdom and energy in a sustained manner.
