Let’s Cut Capitalism Some Slack
The pandemic pressure cooker has taught some valuable lessons about the single-minded pursuit of peak efficiency.
Peak efficiency meets black swan.
Photographer: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images
As recovery from the coronavirus pandemic continues, Bloomberg Opinion is running a series of columns looking at crisis-inspired innovations that promise better living over the long run — from more flexible e-commerce, cleaner cities and healthier offices to less unnecessary business travel.
In the annals of 21st century capitalism, Covid-19 will go down as a pressure cooker. The pandemic has put enormous strains on livelihoods, individual well-being, healthcare systems, the viability of firms and the stability of public finances. But a byproduct of this stress is that when it’s finally behind us, we might decompress a little — and choose to be less devoted to the notion of peak efficiency.