Allan Bonner explores a concept proposed by Ulrich Beck: that politicians try to underwrite our safety. These days, they do this by political theatre and photo ops — like eating beef after the Mad Cow scare, or eating in Chinatown after SARS, H1N1 and now COVID-19. Should this be the priority?
There’s no disputing that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted some flaws in our supply chains, what with the shortages from grocery stores to industrial components caused by the global travel shutdowns. In following such models as Just-In-Time production and outsourcing production overseas, we’ve prioritized efficiency and cost savings…but have we ignored a hidden cost? Allan
