Autonomy

The coronacrisis - and the related measures to contain the spread of the disease - is more than ever an attack on our autonomy. We, the Dutch, find this difficult. In his speech on TV, Rutte praised the Dutch people. Okay, there are occasional fines, but overall we're doing well. He said he noticed the criticism from entrepreneurs and institutions. And he explained why things still have to be done this way. 

We are traditionally an anarchist people, not as obedient to political leaders as in China. There is less awe for the police compared to France or Italy. Therefore, there is more and more resistance in our society concerning the corona-measures, perhaps including you. Because customers are staying away, turnover is falling, there is a threat of dismissal. 

For weeks the number of corona deaths was mentioned on a daily basis. "But," they say, "a lot of people die of smoking, TB, cholera, war. Don't all these measures cause even more deaths worldwide: now because of hunger and poverty as a result of the lockdowns'? Which interests do we consider and on what basis? 

Disobedience to the government is punished, it always was. That goes for discharging waste water into a ditch, for fraud, for nuisance. New fines have recently been handed out: because you are too close to each other with too many people. Is that right? 

Who (or what) do you listen to, and above all: why? Do you follow the rules because you don't want a fine and is this financial consideration your deepest motive to do or not do something? Or because it touches your moral heart? 

In all the choices you make, also in entrepreneurship, in my opinion it is always about that essential question: by whom, or what, do you allow yourself to be guided?

Pieter Vos
Directeur Nutrilab