Editor's note: Bradley Blankenship is a Prague-based American journalist, political analyst and freelance reporter. He's also been featured on Press TV, Russia Today and Radio Sputnik. The article reflects the author's opinions, not necessarily the views of CGTN.

America's rugged individualism, born of a dynamistic spirit in which everyone must work hard to get ahead, placed it at the top of the world, as it is only natural for those that work harder than others, as we are told. It's that American spirit, that American dream that makes America so great, after all.

But in tough times, the inherent cracks in this bedrock principle of Americanism, idealized by Hollywood and other cultural media, begin to show for what they are. Like a large vessel sinking with only a small lifeboat, this every man for himself mentality leads to collective disaster.

No simpler example of this mentality can be seen than one small gesture – masks. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initially told the public that masks aren't an effective means of preventing a COVID-19 infection because they "only" prevent the user from potentially spreading the disease but don't actually protect the wearer.

Seeing Asian and in particular Chinese tourists in the U.S. and abroad, many Americans and even Europeans looked down at this behavior as anti-social. "Do these tourists think we're dirty? Do they not want to even breathe in the same air as us?"

It wasn't until later that the inherent solidarity behind such a simple act was revealed to us, especially to many of us in Europe. In fact, it has now been so normalized in the Czech Republic, one of the first countries to adopt mandatory mask wearing in Europe, that to not wear one is considered anti-social. Violators face stiff penalties from police and the public was quick to adopt the behavior even before police were given the power to impose fines.

The reason is now clear: my mask protects you, your mask protects me. Stopping the spread of SARS-CoV2 in a collective effort makes us all safer. Why wasn't that clear to begin with?

The idea of collective, mutual action shows itself to be pivotal at the macro-scale, as well. Here in Europe, without a collective and decisive European Union initiative, member states have had to largely fight for their own survival, find their own supplies – the large share of which came from outside of Europe, namely China – and manage their own crises. This has led to collective suffering and no doubt, after the situation stabilizes, and we can better dissect the situation, there will be necessary reconciliation among member states to maintain faith in a united Europe. Several foreign ministries, including the Czech Republic's, have published statements indicating this.

The EU has faced many challenges and it is more than likely that it will inevitably survive and emerge stronger. At the same time, this scramble may prove a serious challenge in the future expansion of the EU. How can the EU make the case for a united Europe after the pandemic?

On February 27, the foreign ministers of the Visegrad group (V4) met with their Western Balkan counterparts in Prague under the Czech presidency of the V4 to discuss the countries' accession to the EU. Also in attendance were representatives from Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and the European Commission (EC).

Together, the V4 group, namely Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic issued a joint statement of unwavering commitment to the expansion of the EU into the Western Balkans. Only weeks later when SARS-CoV2 descended in full swing on Europe, the EU largely abandoned the Western Balkans. In fact, on March 15, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told the EU "thanks for nothing" in a speech blasting their lack of solidarity.

This response in some ways mirrors the federal American system which can be seen in the disjointed state responses to the virus. The Trump administration has faltered, defaulting to the "state's right" jargon typical of his political party, as a means to simultaneously deflect blame for his administration's failure to act and to also maintain the decentralization at the heart of the American consciousness. You can see it now in the militias occupying state capitols calling for "freedom" and an end to "tyranny," while Trump fans these flames on Twitter. Meanwhile, states are left largely to their own devices.

At its most brutal, and of course most material in the lives of average people, American workers are being browbeaten yet again for the economic calamity to come. It's them who should take responsibility for themselves. They should have saved more money. They should have somehow predicted this. They should be taking care of their families. They should expect nothing from society, in this way formed as an other and not as something which the individual is a part. 

Many across the world have realized that the time for solidarity and mutual cooperation is now and are beginning to reject this transmitted Americanism. The problems we face in the 21st century are so dire and so existential that this is the only true solution. From the threat of climate change, nuclear war, pandemics, and much more that unfortunately face us, the world must come together. If America is unwilling to adapt, then it has no right to lead on these values, or at all.

The world is taking notice and realizing that the latter is a superior cultural element and that the hyper-individualism embodied by America will only lead it collectively into suffering. While America may have Hollywood, pop music and the English language, China has pioneered solidarity in a way never seen before.

If America, with its cultural mythology surrounding the individual and decentralized government, is to be understood as the main ideological center for this "every man for himself" response, China can be seen as the paragon of mutual cooperation.

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