The most important question is what happens next. In my new book, I argue that America is best understood as a civilisation built on escapism, so recent events have not surprised me. A society accustomed to thinking itself the most technologically advanced in the world has been overcome by natural forces. Public authorities seem incapable of performing the basic functions of government. Recent reports found hospitals setting up sewing stations to make masks and gowns out of sterile wrap. Testing is still not readily available and medical supplies are scarce. As late as Friday, The Wall Street Journal was still pleading in an editorial that the best strategy was to continue more or less as before, to avoid economic collapse. Progressive outlets such as The New York Times and Vox went out of their way to mock those concerned with the looming threat. If only he could wish it away, reelection would be assured.īut Trump was far from alone. Like Napoleon and the yellow fever outbreak in Haiti, he seems to have taken the virus as a personal insult. For the best part of two months, as the epidemic raged in China and then Italy, President Donald Trump kept insisting that the disease was no worse than the seasonal flu. America could see an explosion of technological innovation to minimise the impact of C-19Įscapism was how America responded to the virus.

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