Ten Lessons for the Post Pandemic World

The title of the book and the author's name was enough to compel me to put this on my To-Read list and go through it before the subject got outdated. I like the overall tone of the book. Agreed with most of the lessons, appreciated some nuance on thorny topics and definitely benefitted from Fareed Zakaria's international worldview.

Here is a basic summary of the ten lessons - 

Lesson 1 - Buckle up : There will be more pandemics

• Not sure if we will see any global regulation of wet markets and meat factories. What may come out will probably be a patchwork. Hopefully, plant based meats are cheap enough to replace meat to some extent.

Lesson 2 - What matters is Quality of Government

• With so many health departments at state, local and tribal level (2,684) and then add county health departments on top of it - is one reason why the Covid-19 Response was so bad in the U.S
  
  
• If you look at other areas - lobbying and other ills plague the system.
  
  
• It is kinda depressing. It doesn't look like the two political parties, the media and the population have the intention or the "attention span" to indulge in conversations on institutional reform.

Lesson 3 - Markets are not enough

• People specially the young generation has realized that the capitalism in its current form isn't working at all. For example - why is the effect of "government spending" not a concern when Federal Reserve provides support to those with stocks and bonds.
  
  
• Why should "Essential workers" be just respected and not rewarded by the markets?

Lesson 4 - People should listen to the Experts and Experts should listen to the People

• This was a brilliant chapter. It summarized the political, social trends. 
  
  
• Experts have fared badly and seem to be out of touch with the lives of an average person.  Looking down upon those who are non-college educated, not from fancy schools is only going to depend this "anti-elitism" sentiment.
  
  
• How those who are college educated (meritocrats) who rule the rest (technocrats/bureaucrats) - and invite disdain from the rest of population. In other words, two thirds of people stand by and watch as the other third run everything. Experts these days can be vaguely described as = highly educated living in cities, holding professional jobs, tend to be socially liberal.

• Power kills empathy.

Lesson 5 - Life is Digital

• People would naturally adapt to this new world differently, some feeling liberated, others trapped.
  
  
• The pandemic showed us that technological revolutions are further along than we would have thought but also digital life can feel cramped, a poor simulacrum of the real world.

Lesson 6 - We are social animals

• Here the author said that "well managed cities" will thrive -why? Because people will stay because of their friends or because what's easy for their pocket. He also mentioned the "fifteen minute city" model that is coming up.
  
  
• This was slightly confusing as he said in the earlier chapter that life will become digital and just like life was 200 years ago when people used to farm - professional and personal life intertwined together.
  
  
• Not clear how the "social" part will manifest itself in a digital world? Will it be in the form of social gatherings? Educational lessons? Work in person?

Lesson 7 - Inequality will get worse

• The pandemic will push millions back into poverty over the next few years.
  
  
• Growing inequalities if not addressed by reforms, may result in unrest and revolutions.

Lesson 8 - Globalization is not done

• Even if the West wants to move away from Chinese suppliers, the best and easy way is to move factories to places where production costs are low and no such politics like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Romania or even Mexico. In short, globalization is here to stay.
  
  

Lesson 9 - The World is becoming Bipolar

• I agree that the world will become bipolar. However, I feel like U.S may become the weaker of the two powers if current status quo remains. China looks way strong at the moment.

Lesson 10 - Sometimes the Greatest Realists are the Idealists

• It is considered to be an idealism to hope that countries all across the world co-operate but the author reminds us that the world has seen 70 years of peace with intermittent wars in some corners - which has led to a lot of development and people moving out from poverty.
  
  
• He reminds us that the broader view after World War II - that collective security, and collective endeavors were in each nation's self-interest -still holds true today.
  
  
• Somehow a dysfunctional dynamic has set in under which politicians use multi-lateral institutions for their benefit but turn on them whenever problems emerge - and it harms people's faith in institutions and a global rule based order. He gives the example of European Union. 
  
  
• In the author's words - It's not a flight of fancy to believe that co-operation can change the world. It is common sense.