Even in today’s semi-capitalist world do we see important signs of emergency preparedness. We don’t hear about it very often, but most medium-size and large companies have preparedness plans in place that they act on when natural disasters strike. And as they learn from new events—hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, floods, and pandemics—they update and refine the plans to become even better at mitigating the effects of the next one. One example from the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic was the dramatic shift and increase in internet use when working, educating, and socializing from home. Technology companies didn’t know exactly the form and scale of the next natural disaster. But they were prepared for unexpected surges in internet traffic because that was a scenario they knew could play out. They knew that lack of preparedness would be a potentially mortal threat to their profits, reputation, and long-term survival. As COVID-19 struck, they implemented the plans such that you and I could continue to rely on the internet for work, teaching our kids, home deliveries, and connecting with our loved ones. It is not a coincidence that this level of preparedness was in place in information and digital technology, the most capitalist, least regulated, sector of the economy.
Think Right or Wrong, Not Left or Right 