Six Global Crises and Alternatives in the Post-covid 19 Era: Beyond Agamben and Žižek

Abstract

Where and how will the post-Covid-19 society flow? We are now experiencing six global crises:the crisis of maximizing inequality and social polarization, the climate crisis and environmentalcrisis, the crisis of geopolitical and war situations, the problems of labor due to the 3rd digitalrevolution and 4th industrial revolution, the crisis of intermittent pandemics, the collapse of thepublic sphere and the crisis of democracy. The problems are intertwined and deepen the crisis eachother.Most sovereign powers used the Covid-19 pandemic as a state of exception to justify homepensions, blockade, inspection and surveillance, and tracking. And citizens accepted it out of fearof death. In this respect, Agamben’s argument is partly valid. However, Agamben ignores science,exposes citizens to the risk of infection, and damages the public sphere. Agamben mentions onlypassive freedom and sovereign power. He misses active freedom, freedom für sich, discipline power,and biopower.Žižek presents full unconditional solidarity, a globally coordinated response, and a new form ofcommunism as an alternative to the COVID-19 pandemic. His argument is valid because the rootcause of the six global crises is the capitalist system and de-growth is possible only by decapitalization. However, Žižek suggested this rapidly without an argumentation process. He did notpresent concrete models, paradigms, paths, or plans for the new communism. Above all, Agambenand Žižek could not escape the idea of modernity based on identity and dichotomy.The presenter proposes an alternative beyond Agamben and Žižek by synthesizing Wonhyo(元曉; 617-686)’s ideas of Hwajaeng Buddhism and Western thoughts. To overcome the six globalcrises, we need to shift the paradigm from the identity that excludes others to the difference of NunBuddha(Buddha-in-your-pupil), and from anthropocentrism to the ecology of neither-one-nortwo(不一不二). We must create ‘the blank(虛)’ to enable circulation by natural purification at theworld, country, and regional levels. Building a world republic based on Hwajaeng is necessary. Thestate should gradually shift to a compassionate and democratic Nun-Buddha commune that sharesall means of production and prioritizes all policies for the weak after going through the eco-welfareform based on free medical care, housing, transportation, education, and robot. Individuals are alsoreborn as Nun-Buddha subjects that synthesize passive freedom, active freedom, and freedom fürsich. They should also switch to a life where they feel happier when they voluntarily reduce theirdesires for others and living things. In a crisis, it is justice to give priority to the weak. The centerof our body is not the navel, chest, or head, but the painful spot