Creating the constraint map turned out to be a very therapeutic activity for me. The research portion of the activity, to find a historical event that parallels this today was most interesting. There was some comfort in learning about past pandemics and knowing that solutions were sought after and made. To learn that similar successful containment procedures were taken during this time shows that all the effort to distance ourselves and stop our daily lives is worth it. The same intense containment measures were implemented during the SARS outbreak and were proven successful. I was too young at the time to know, remember, or comprehend what the SARS outbreak was, but its parallels to COVID-19 are astonishing.
Currently, some positive reactions to the pandemic are people’s willingness to help the vulnerable in communities. There have been informal groups created to purchase groceries for elderly who should not go to grocery stores due to compromised immune systems. I have also seen an increased amount of positive messages on social media. Many companies are continuing to pay employees during their closers and many school districts are still providing breakfast and lunches to students who depend on these meals. These acts create a sense of unity and hope among chaos.
When making the constraint map, I realized that much of the constraints that can turn into opportunity have to do with energy and emotion. Like in the reading, energy can be a great catalyst for solutions in brainstorming. Currently, there are a lot of angry students, athletes, laid-off workers and more. Turning this energy into constructive brainstorming can be a first step to solutions.
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