The Daily Planet #75: Metabolic Sovereignty Revisited, Part 6

I am going to end this series on Metabolic Sovereignty not with an essay on Energy or Information, but on the greatest disruption to global metabolism ever: the COVID pandemic. It severely challenged our ideas of sovereignty - for example, wealthy countries were able to commandeer medical resources that should have ideally gone to poorer countries and yet no one thought of it as a war. We are still dealing with the political consequences of that pandemic across the world.

Charles Eisenstein’s essay "The Coronation" reflects on the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, portraying it as a pivotal moment in human history—a crossroads where society can choose between returning to the old normal or forging a new path. He observes that the crisis has revealed humanity’s capacity for rapid, collective action when united by a common purpose, challenging the notion that large-scale change is impossible. The pandemic acts like a forced pause, exposing the fragility and unsustainability of previous social, economic, and political systems, and inviting deep reflection on what aspects of life and society we truly value.

Eisenstein warns against the normalization of control measures—such as surveillance, restrictions on movement, and loss of civil liberties—that, while justified temporarily, risk becoming permanent features of a totalitarian future. This “reflex of control” stems from civilization’s long-standing impulse to dominate and manage external threats, yet many of today’s greatest challenges—inequality, addiction, ecological collapse—cannot be solved by force or control alone. The pandemic exposes society’s fear of death and desire for safety, which often leads to separation, isolation, and denial of life’s natural cycles.

Yet, amid fear and uncertainty, the essay finds hope in the surge of compassion, solidarity, and care that the crisis has inspired. Eisenstein envisions a choice: to deepen division and control or to embrace interconnectedness, community, and holistic healing. He calls for a reevaluation of values, urging society to move beyond fear toward love, to recognize the sacredness of life in all its forms, and to build a more compassionate, inclusive world. The “coronation” symbolizes a new awakening—an opportunity to transcend old patterns and consciously create a future rooted in unity, generosity, and shared humanity.

Charles Eisenstein | The Coronation

Covid-19 is showing us that when humanity is united in common cause, phenomenally rapid change is possible. None of the world’s problems are technically difficult to solve; they originate in human disagreement. In coherency, humanity’s creative powers are boundless.