Heroes Not Zombies

The late great English philosopher, Mary Midgley, wrote brilliantly about atomisation. She was highly critical of Thatcher’s claim, “There is no such thing as society”, which was based on the idea that we humans live together as independent, autonomous, completely free and unconnected individuals – social atomism.

It seems the latest version of Toryism to come to power in the U.K. draws its view of the world from this same neoliberal ideology. It’s highly critical of welfare, Public services and spending, and redistributive taxation. In fact, this flavour of capitalism has become the dominant one globally for some time now.

In the face of this we are witnessing greater social division, family breakdowns, worsening mental health, increasing prevalence of chronic illness, climate change, loss of species and habitats and pollution of land, rivers, oceans and the air we breathe. Crisis piles on top of crisis and a pandemic exposes extensive vulnerabilities.

Are we in the best road? Is there a better way to view the world and a better way to live together? I think there is.

If instead of atomism we see the world as a whole, a vast interconnected web in which each of us emerge briefly and live our lives, if we understand that we breathe the same air, drink the same water and eat food from the same soil, if we see ourselves and hardwired for social connection, then we will adopt a different set of values.

We can shift from consumerism to a society based on nurture and care. We can build on the instinctive behaviours human beings have to act decently, fairly and with kindness. We see those behaviours every time there’s a natural disaster, a flood, a forest fire, where strangers put their lives on the line for the sake of others.

We can insist on the power of human collaboration, building relationships and connections within communities and across borders. We can insist on the value of diversity. We can delight in sharing, in beauty, truth and goodness.

We can live differently by awakening from the delusion of atomism.