The Covid-19 epidemic has slowed global economic growth. As governments succeed in taming this intangible beast, the key question is whether it will ever be able to return to its earlier level, and if so, how long will it take. But, perhaps more importantly, whether it should ever return to its original level.

Forced confinement has given rise to a new paradigm, which was unimaginable only a few months ago. We have seen the potential of a globe that can breathe again, with automobile and industrial pollution almost completely eliminated, shopping reduced to a bare minimum, and humans suddenly seeking refuge in their homes, with no distractions other than TV and the Internet. Work and education from home have become a reality, family and friends spend time connecting both internally and externally via social media, and people are more compassionate in the face of imminent peril.

OPEC has reduced oil output to an unprecedented level, and the air has become so clean that Delhi residents can see the Himalaya for the first time in a generation. It would have been an ideal condition if it had been sustainable, but all economists would agree that this will never be the case. Production and consumption will surely continue, and the hellish machinery will roar to life, heedless to the implications for the world.

For the first time, we have completely confronted an apocalyptic circumstance. The viral epidemic may be a divine forewarning of what awaits mankind if nothing is done to halt the frenzy of an economic expansion based on hyper-consumption and all the garbage that it creates. A system in which all money produced goes to a select few, leaving the poor as destitute as before. Jeffrey Sachs cautions against the risks of radical stances in all human endeavors in a prophetic book, ‘the Price of Civilization’, written in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, and argues for a middle road, drawing inspiration from the ancient wisdom of Buddha and Aristotle.

The tremendous economic expansion that began in 1750 accounts for barely 0.1% of entire human economic history. Will this be a historical accident, or simply another little step in the progress of human civilization? Covid-19 has caused us to reflect on the sort of civilization we want to leave to future generations. There is no greater guide for this interior trip than Jeffrey Sachs’ insights and words of wisdom, which may pave the way for a new Mindful Society:

“The continuous pounding of commercialization into every part of our life has resulted in excessive shortsightedness, consumption addictions, and the shriveling of compassion. When we are distracted, we allow lobbyists to take authority that is rightfully the citizenry’s. Individually, we must rebalance our lives by harmonizing work and leisure, saving and consumption, self-interest and compassion, individualism and citizenship. We must develop the proper “connection between markets, politics, and civil society” as a society in order to meet the complex issues of the twenty-first century.

“In short, we will need to attain a new consciousness regarding our needs as people and as a community in order to establish a more solid road to well-being. Buddha taught that mindfulness is one of the eight steps to self-awakening. It entails being vigilant and peaceful in consideration of our situations, setting greed and anguish aside.” Mindfulness, with prolonged effort, leads to insight and an escape from our pointless cravings. That mindfulness should begin with each of us regaining control of our personal judgements as people who must balance spending and saving, labor and leisure, individuality and membership in society. Our awareness should then extend to a more thoughtful grasp of our social interactions and obligations as employees, citizens, and members of the global community.

Mindfulness, I would suggest, is crucial in eight dimensions of our
lives:

• Mindfulness of self: personal moderation to escape mass consumerism
• Mindfulness of work: the balancing of work and leisure
• Mindfulness of knowledge: the cultivation of education
• Mindfulness of others: the exercise of compassion and cooperation
• Mindfulness of nature: the conservation of the world’s ecosystems
• Mindfulness of the future: the responsibility to save for the future
• Mindfulness of politics: the cultivation of public deliberation and shared values for collective action through political institutions
• Mindfulness of the world: the acceptance of diversity as a path to peace”

The decisions we make in the aftermath of Covid-19 will shape the world of tomorrow. We’ve seen how, over the course of a few weeks or months, we may live our lives differently. Our lessons can help us build a better world and preserve our civilization from extinction. To generate lasting prosperity for everybody, we must restore our social capital and rethink our economic models to fit with a thoughtful society.