Thread by @wolfejosh

1/ OBSERVATION: a silver lining of coronavirus
—via the Allegory of The (Robber’s) Cave

CONSIDER:
PHASE 1
-22 boys (each 11, 12 years old)
-put into 2 separate groups unaware of the others’ existence
-each group bonds alone over fun + games and naturally form a tribe...

2/PHASE 2
...The tribes come up with names (“the Rattlers”, “the Eagles”)
-After a week isolated together they encounter eachother for the first time
-immediately “US” vs “THEM” instinct kicks in
-they want to compete in a tournament w/tug of war + sports...

3/...After a 1st contest playing Baseball, the name calling began. Then the Eagles BURNED(!) the Rattlers flag. The Rattlers retaliated. The Eagles tore up a 2nd Rattler flag. That night the Rattlers raided the Eagles camp stealing stuff + ransacking bunks. They met for a FIGHT.

4/ This was all a secret psychology experiment—so the experimenters intervened. But ALL relations broke down. They hated eachother... So the experimenters created a MUTUAL PROBLEM...

They broke a water main pipe.

5/ The Rattlers + Eagles had to COME TOGETHER to solve the mutual problem—and that abated the conflict.

The only way to ever get TWO warring factions to peace? A common THIRD enemy.

6/ A month ago the US was at civil war between DEMS + REPUBS who hated eachother. WITHIN Democratic party between Bernie + Bloomberg voters who HATED eachother...

7/ We have a temporary reprieve (like “The Buried Giant” Kazuo Ishiguro) where we have a common THIRD enemy: a virus.