A Ghanaian colleague reminded us recently of a Ghanaian proverb, “You cannot cry harder than the bereaved.” The proverb suggests that what any of us can do to help ease the suffering of others is limited, and a reminder that it behooves us to have the humility to recognize that. In this second Covid-19 year, we have found this proverb useful, as we attempted to navigate the complicated balance of individual autonomy—what we need to do for ourselves— and collective responsibility—what we can do for each other.
The tug of war around the use of face masks was the first and most visible example of this balance. Although the issue has been cynically exploited for political ends, at heart it is a classic push-pull between those who wish for maximum individual autonomy—I can choose to wear a mask or not depending on my risk tolerance—and those who advocate for collective responsibility—you wearing a mask decreases my risk of getting Covid-19. A classic public health approach in this case suggests that the latter readily outweighs the former. Mask wearing is an inconvenience, but a relatively minor one, and the case that wearing a mask protects others is strong. We have as a society long decided that we are willing to limit some individual autonomy for a readily apparent public good. For example, worries about the risk of second-hand smoke were critical in the adoption of indoor smoking bans, as we collectively accepted that it was worth limiting the freedom of some to smoke anywhere, to preserve the freedom of many from unwanted cancer risk. In keeping with this logic, the majority of US states put in place mask mandates or other forms of masking requirements during the pandemic.
But as the pandemic evolved, the balance of individual freedoms and collective responsibilities became more complicated, particularly around the issue of vaccination. Early in the vaccination effort it was clear that many did not have ready access to vaccines, and as such we had a collective responsibility to continue preserving limits on our individual freedoms—physical distancing, masking, restricted availability of entertainment venues—until everyone had the opportunity to be vaccinated, to ensure we could all be protected.
Read the full post on The Turning Point.