Covid-19 And The Crisis Of Planning

Whether it’s countries or corporations, everyone must go back to the drawing board

- R Srinivasan

ON THE OTHER HAND

In Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, the eponymous lead character practices what he calls ‘Zen detection’ — which is basically doing nothing at all. That’s because Gently firmly believes in the principle of ‘the fundamental interconnectedness of everything.’ So, if you sit back and do absolutely nothing, the universe will eventually get you to where you should be.

The COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world has brought home the truth of the theory of fundamental interconnectedness of everything. From governments to corporates to individuals, worldwide lockdowns, and the disruptions they have caused in their wake, have made them realise how interconnected their activities really are — and how a disruption in one part of this complex chain can have unimaginable consequences elsewhere.

When plans fall short

But Gently’s response — of sitting back and doing nothing, and waiting for the universe to show the way — is not a luxury any of us can afford. If there is one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world, it is that everyone needs to plan — not just for the unexpected, but the unimaginable. Governments need a plan. Companies need a plan. Above all, even individuals need a plan, to deal with a situation when the world as you know it stops working the way you expect it to.