Dear Editor,
I read Luuk van Middelaar's piece on the EU response to Covid (The Guardian, 29th December 2021, link below) and found it bizarrely smug and self-congratulatory: It sounded like the EU was pleased to be able to leverage the Covid crisis to establish its relevance ... which had been lacking!
One sentence in particular jumped out at me: "We want politicians who protect us, save lives and chart a path to the future". So, let's ponder a number of current threats (aside from Covid) ...
First the Financial Crisis: This was never really solved but rather "the can kicked repeatedly down the road" with ultra-low interest rates, quantitative-easing and asset-purchases. If anything things are worse with transnational corporations systematically using off-store tax-solutions, and both algorythm-based stock-trading and crypto-currencies flourishing. On top of this we now have significant further debt (both private and public) creating a massive bubble waiting to burst.
Next let's think about antibiotics-resistance: For decades governments (especially Brussels) have encourage intensive animal farming which, by its very nature, demands inhumane methods and the routine feeding of antibiotics to the animals. There may be moves to correct this but the damage has already been done. Indeed, once we completely lose antibiotics from our armoury, we will return to the horrors of sepsis feared so much by our grandparents and operations such as hip-replacements will become a thing of the past.
Finally, what about climate change? This was completely summed up by Leonardo di Caprio's film "Don't look up" where people are so engrossed in distractions and indulgence that they don't even want to confront an existential threat. Here COP26 confirmed to me that politicians are barely able to pay even lip-service to measures to protect our planet.
Yes, indeed, Mr. von Middelaar's article created an enormous knot in my stomach.
Regards
