Society
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Keep us safe – we don’t mind how you do it
Is herd mentality creating police states? Governments have been allowed to tackle the pandemic with measures which stifle personal freedom. Many worry that these could become permanent.
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Cash use halves in one week over virus fears
Will the virus be the death of cash? Last week, the use of notes and coins in the UK halved due to fears of contamination, and a new banking app was launched – for seven-year-olds.
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Brexit, Athens, and a lesson from history
Can an ancient Greek general shine a light on Britain’s future? Coronavirus has suddenly made Boris Johnson’s career look uncannily similar to that of his hero, the Athenian leader Pericles.
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The sound of one million hands clapping
Should we applaud more? Last night, millions in Britain followed dozens of other countries celebrating health workers by bringing our hands together – an ancient and profoundly human act.
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Generation C: The virus that changed everything
What will the world look like when the pandemic ends? We might be far from seeing the back of the coronavirus, but the rest of the 21st Century will be defined by how we overcome it.
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No greater love: the priest who gave his life
Is sacrificing one’s life the most powerful act of kindness? Reports say that an elderly priest in Italy gave up his respirator so that a younger man, a stranger, could survive the virus.
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Let’s meet up tomorrow – your place and mine
Is online socialising as good as meeting in person? The current lockdown has given rise to virtual parties, choirs, and reading groups – and they could become a permanent part of our lives.
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In the footsteps of Lincoln, Gandhi, Gorbachev
Is this one of those turning points in history? This was the week a British prime minister declared a state of emergency and called on a nation to come together to fight a deadly enemy.
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Lockdown! And the rush to stock up goes on
What’s so wrong with stockpiling? People facing an unprecedented lockdown are being called “selfish” and “shameful”, but humans have always stored up food to get through difficult times.
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Liberty, solidarity, and a new world dawning
Could the choices we make now, change our lives for years to come? The historian and modern seer, Yuval Noah Harari, believes the shape of our economy, politics, and culture is up for grabs.
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Experts: ‘avoid vicious cycles of anxiety’
Do we all have an extra responsibility to look after our mental health? During this eerie quarantine, experts have launched an appeal for us to look after our minds as well as our bodies.
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The summer when school changed forever
Is this a catastrophe or a golden opportunity? As the virus forces nearly a billion students around the world to study at home, the notion of traditional schooling is coming under scrutiny.
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How to tell a black swan from a red herring
Is Nassim Nicholas Taleb a modern-day prophet? The Lebanese-American statistician, author, and philosopher predicted the 2008 financial crash – and the current coronavirus pandemic.
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Experts praise power of positive thinking
Can positive thinking help? The coronavirus epidemic is an enormous challenge for the whole world – but many people are saying we should focus on the rich benefits it might bring us.
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Social life cancelled in coronavirus lockdown
Is it morally wrong to socialise? Boris Johnson has followed other countries in recommending strict social distancing to lessen the impact of Covid-19 – but will people put it into practice?