Amid chaos, there is opportunity. — Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The military has a term for our world today: VUCA: volatility, uncertainty, chaos and ambiguity. Chaos seems to be the rule of the day of late, but while most of society is working hard to find their footing, there are those who not only seek out the uncertainty, but thrive (and profit) from it.

Criminals have long taken advantage of unrest and instability, knowing that people's attention will be diverted and their defenses down during uncertain times. This leaves ample space for the less altruistic among us to move in and manipulate a situation to their benefit. And if you can't imagine someone profiting from another's suffering, then consider the run on toilet paper and hand sanitizer that happened within the first lap after the COVID-19 pandemic began. In times of chaos, it's everyone for themselves.