Best thing to learn?

The COVID-19 crisis is bringing to light some things we have known for a very long time, yet seem to have been lost in the culture of the day. Either/or thinking must be replaced with both/and thinking.

In a crisis, we would expect our elected officials to behave like adults, to lead by example and focus on providing the help that is needed from them. Instead, we see finger pointing, polarization and blame.

Yes, there is hope when respected professionals provide their best advice, scientists dig into the data looking for answers and health care professionals take personal risks to serve others. But too often it's "my party is doing all the right things and yours is all wrong." Even now, in the middle of a crisis that affects everyone, politicians continue to do what politicians do.

Some politicians rail against big government as too intrusive, too expensive and too inefficient. Big government is the evil one. Yet, now we also turn to government to provide checks for those suddenly unemployed as the economy grinds to a halt. We look to government to support small businesses and preserve not only jobs, but livelihoods.

Instead of big government vs. big corporations or workers vs. employers or Democrats vs. Republicans, perhaps now is the time to remember that workers need employers. The poor need the rich. We need both the government and private sector. We need both Republican ideas and Democrat ideas. We need to protect our health and the economy.

It's polarizing to think of either/or. It's time to listen to the other side and think both/and. To get to both "this" and "that" will require trust and conversation. It will require listening more than judging. Learning more than proclaiming. How will we get both this and that? Let's start talking about it.

Thomas P. Nicholson

Hoffman Estates