I have heard it said for many years, “Experience is the best teacher.” Really? Well, depending on the side of the divide you’re, I’m not of that school of thought. Going by the current situation that has put the world on her feet -COVID-19; should we go by the saying -“Experience is the best teacher?”
I’m sore afraid at the attitude of our people concerning the corona virus pandemic–Pure Nonchalance. The world has become a global village where we copy each other, most times without invoicing. COVID-19 is a huge public health issue, if approached on “experience is the best teacher,” it’s like deliberately drinking poison like tea. Many things are at best not experienced when good reasoning is in place. When your clothes are made of cassava leaves, you don’t take a goat as a friend.
In regard to COVID-19, other people’s experience is the best teacher. You may think owning a state of the art car is best experienced as a comparison, if you know the cost of maintaining that machine, you’ll change your mind. The world will not charge us using their varied COVID-19 experiences as lessons. What China did is to break the cycle by human intervention, the scale unprecedented in history –total lockdown. The virus has no legs, it’s moved by people. The Chinese admonished other nations to use their experience. The holy book says in Jeremiah 6:16 -Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein.
We will not walk therein? Thoughtlessness is the beginning of great loses, it will not be in our interest maintaining our position of things are hard; we were suffering before the lockdown, leave us let’s have COVID-19, we are hungry give what to eat.
See these stats: Italy at 21st February – 21 cases, 27th March – 86,498 cases; USA as at 27th February – 16 cases, 27th March – 100,037 cases; France as at 26th February – 18 cases, 27th March – 32,964 cases; Germany as at 25th February – 18 cases, 27th March – 50,178 cases; and Spain as at 27th February – 25 cases, 27th March – 64,059 cases. All of them refused to LOCKDOWN, ignoring the counsel from China. They chose “Experience is the best teacher” way and it went out of control.
Learning from others people’s experience will do us a whole lot of good. See where those who refused to lockdown are today April 9: America has 435,128 cases with 14,795 deaths; Spain 148,220 cases with 14,792 deaths; Italy 139,422 cases with 17,669 deaths; Germany 113,296 cases with 2,349 deaths; France 112,950 cases with 10,869 deaths; UK 60,733 cases with 7,097 deaths. These are nation with cutting edge healthcare systems, yet heavily devastated by coronavirus. Nigeria said they have 254 cases with 6 deaths.
The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn & relearn. -Alvin Toffler. Of all you can do, the quality of your THINKING has the greatest consequences of all. The quality of your thinking determines the quality of your choices and decisions.
Can’t we stay at home to stay live? It’s for our good to observe the lockdown, the person walking ahead of us that fell into a ditch – had taught us a lesson; if you must go out, maintain Social Distancing of 6 feet.
About Author
Adenusi Patrick is the Technical Director of Safety Beyond Borders, a road safety NGO and the Chairperson – Road Safety Coalition; a body of NGOs with a strong focus on Road Safety.
He has been a resourceful person for Training Programs, Workshops, Seminars and Summit organized by several organization and government agencies.
He is a recipient of the coveted AfriSAFE Lifetime Achievement Award
