A Clash of Minds in a Post-Virus World

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has painfully demonstrated the weakest links of both domestic and global governance. This Article aims to highlight one particular culprit behind the failure of governance: diverging social attitudes and patterns of thinking, not only among human actors but also among state actors. The main thesis of this Article is that the clash of minds in pandemic-related regulatory areas, ranging from mask-wearing to vaccine development, characterizes the dismal performance of pandemic governance. This Article argues that mending the current pandemic governance structure should center on a cultural dimension; that is to say, how to meet minds. The current pandemic forces human civilization, both at the individual and state levels, to overcome the survival instinct and achieve this enlightened mutuality.

Keywords: law, COVID-19, pandemic, domestic governance, global governance, social attitudes, pandemic governance

JEL Classification: K10, K32