Shapiro’s League of Seven: “No man or woman is an island” (Episode #03)

League members: Jon Reid and Chris Henderson
Hosted by Ari Shapiro
Recorded: March 27th, 2020 (30:32)

Another day, another lockdown.

Most of the western world is losing their respective battles with the coronavirus while other smaller nations continue to impress us with their fortitude, fastidious ways and transparency to their local communities. In lieu of this powerful variance between how different countries have handing this pandemic, it’s abundantly clear that the idealistic notion of cooperative globalism has been reduced to a cynical mantra of everyone for themselves and let’s hope fear and anxiety doesn’t destroy the best laid plans of mankind.

It makes me wonder: what will happen when this period of life is over and is this really an opportunity for humanity’s reboot in the areas of kindness, compassion and empathy while making health care the absolute most important political issue of our time moving forward – or will it be back to business as usual with 2% less humans and significantly less civil rights and freedoms?

Theme: Lovers In A Dangerous Time (Bruce Cockburn, Stealing Fire, 1984)

“No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s.

Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.”

-John Donne (1624)