The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have sparked a trend among leaders to flex their muscles, find the enemy, wage war (often on their own), and rally citizens (who are also voters) behind a grand and noble cause.
The latest example: the “little war” over masks between the pharmacists’ organization and the organized large-scale distribution (GDO) accused of hoarding 500 million masks, which were reportedly withheld during the acute phase of the crisis, only to be used as a sales draw for the general public during the period of easing restrictions and the obligation to wear masks, at least in public transport.
In fact, the 500 million supposedly amounted to only 5/10 million, and the complainants apparently confused existing stock with forthcoming supplies.
Obviously, the grand and noble cause is nothing more than a matter of big money and a slice of a market that promises to be lucrative with the rush for monopolization, similar to what was seen for food products at the beginning of the crisis.
It is surprising, therefore, that a shrewd politician with a major responsibility, Renaud Muselier, President of the Provence Côte d’Azur Region, embarked on a senseless crusade, threatening to take GDO companies to civil and criminal court for “failure to assist a person in danger.”
Shouldn’t there have been more caution before launching an attack, driven more by recklessness than courage? It’s a trap that narcissistic personalities easily fall into.
“Primum non nocere” is a Latin phrase meaning: first, do no harm. The oldest reference to this principle is found in the Epidemics (I, 5) by Hippocrates, dated around 410 B.C., which defines the goal of medicine as: “In the case of diseases, have two things in mind: do good, or at least do no harm.”
Renaud Muselier, a medical doctor by profession, certainly knows it by heart.
