“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” ~ Blaise Pascal
Disclaimer!
Before anyone pours scorn on me, I would clear my stand that I am in no position to edify or enlighten the masses regarding the facts and formations of Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. This is just an opinion blog, so let’s bury our hatchets and go ahead.
As I introduce you with the heading ‘Impacts of Coronavirus,’ let us talk about it on breadth and not in depth. This blog isn’t about going through deep recesses of Coronavirus, I ain’t scientist or doctor who could sermonize you with real infos about the topic. I have some realizations (true or not, time will tell), which I thought should share. Oscar Wilde writes that appreciation of literature is a question of temperament and not of teaching; meaning that the experience of literature is idiosyncratic to every individual. Similarly, crisis and tumultuous times have an idiosyncratic effect on every individual mind, which is different to every other experience. So, experiences and realizations could be different for everyone, this is mine. Let’s pore in. ~ crises realizations. This Coronavirus pandemic has been successful in locking down the masses in their houses. Whether this virus-spread is a human-mistake or a clandestine operation, it’s a question time will solve in coming months. But, the ripples have been created, they are spreading; fast and furiously. Almost major parts of our world are under lockdown. We humans who’ve built the places, are deprived today of visiting them, that too for our greater good. This time could prove insightful in future if we develop an attitude of introspection and responsibility. With no major work on hand, this is the time to observe nuances of our societies at leisure. First things first, in these times of crisis when everyone is at high risk of contagion, our health workers and defence forces are on their toes. In today’s times anyone can defer from their duties and anyone can sacrifice monetary benefits to save their own lives. In this hour of health crisis our health workers and defence forces are working tirelessly, not just out of their duties or payslips, but out of an innate sense of humanity and realization of their responsibilities towards their fellow countrymen. This crisis opened our eyes towards this ignored sect of health workers and in-country army called police forces. If anyone from these sectors is reading right now, anywhere in the world, then please accept my respects and deep gratitude and remember that we are obliged by your service. Today, unfortunately two things are spreading like forest-fires; Coronavirus and fake news. For the former, governments and companies around the world are working to combat it, but for the latter we have nothing to do. In fact, fake news of all kinds is circulating in market, ranging from imaginary people getting infected to all types of un-impactful traditional home-made medicines. News feeds and social media walls are just jam-packed with these misleading information. And what’s more saddening is that there is no shortage of people who will readily accept such fake information. This redraws the behaviour of our societies of accepting almost everything given to them in times of crisis. In this time of leisure, people should’ve actually tried to sit and figure out truth instead of succumbing to the falsehood. Daksh Tyagi in his book A Nation of Idiots (written on India) says aptly that, “given the right situation, people will buy almost anything, except the truth.” Fighting against fake news is like fighting against a covert enemy which resides in every one of us; fear + ignorance. Individual responsibility and an urge for better information could result as good weapons in the war against fake news epidemic. Another setback for our societies is the sect heartless people who in these times of crisis can’t stay put their selfishness and malign behaviours. All those who in spite of being quarantined run away or wander on streets, ones who behave in vileness with health workers and police, the poor and unprivileged ones who hoard food and other essential items in their houses which are meant for other needy people (like in Meerut slums), also the excited ones who in trying to prove their masochism, don’t respect the govt. orders and police orders and end up harming the general public. All of these afore mentioned types of people and the others who in an unnoticed way affect the society are the out-of-book culprits, for whom there is no punishment or counselling possible. These types of unbearable people exist in every corner of the world and will keep living in future too. The idea of social responsibility just doesn’t make sense to them, whether due to their parenting or schooling or wild surroundings, is unknown. Sometimes iron fist is the only way to control such decimators. Paradoxically, we have great human examples who work to help the needful and devastated in these hours of contagion. It’s just the matter of choices. They chose to serve and not sever. Unfazed by one’s future health and consequences, they stand and move strong to help others. World needs more of them and not of despicable ones. Anyways, world thrusts forward on the responsible shoulders of such magnanimous people. Another realization is that how much we humans have been dependent on the speed of life. It has proved extremely difficult for us to sit idly in our homes without any active work. Just a couple of days of confinement and our minds and bodies have been popping up and down like popcorns to tread out. But that’s decryptable; since the dawn of industrialization, humans have found a strange ease and familiarity with noisy machines and continuous hummings. For more than a century now, we have been finding emancipation with continuous networks of machines and lately, the computers. This dependence has made it hard for us to get strayed from continuous cycles of work. We need work. We need busyness. This health crisis and a worldwide massive lockdown proves a point back home that work and busyness is a ‘basic necessity’ for today’s Homo sapiens. Immanuel Kant wrote, “Whoever refused excesses, got rid of deprivation.” Now, today when the excess is the norm, deprivation is in what? In having excesses or not having excesses, like in this period of lock-down? Anyways, this is just a realization after all. I don’t intend to prove anyone or anything wrong or right, but that’s just a thought. Debates on the perils of capitalism keep popping up every now and then whenever a top dog tries to con people with dirty business practices. Hundreds of blogs would fall short for such debates and just in the second blog the reader would opt to close off. So, sticking to the realization, it’s kind of strange to know how companies and their owners cash on these times of chaos and crisis. Recent example is of hackers selling data collected from Zoom app on the Dark Web. This example is about individuals or small gangs, but there must be top corporate moguls who with their teams would’ve found out ways for encashing on ‘opportunities’ in this health crisis. Businesses and services are essential, but for living people. Dead don’t drink beers, meaning who will companies sell products to if humanity wipes off? Thrusting businesses forward by including the overall benefit of society with brush strokes of corporate and social responsibilities should be the way. It’s better when the state, markets and communities leap together. Greta Thunberg must be sad and grievous watching the present health crisis around the world, but also would be a little happy and hopeful regarding the climate change induced as a result of abrupt stoppage in industrial works and pollutions. Worldwide lock-down have just started the replenishing of climatic degradation caused by us from hundreds of years. Actually, it’s just amazing that how fast the nature and climate can recover, and that too by themselves! Just a month of lock-down and the changes are undeniably visible. Skies have become clearer (maybe I could do astro-photography from my terrace now ;D), atmospheres have become more breathable, soils have started replenishing, and many other trivial changes. If a temporary stop in human activities can result in such massive constructive change, then why can’t we keep this process on! In 2018, world spent 1.8 trillion $ on military equipments. If every country can contribute at least a small part of their military spending or annual income for a dedicated climate replenishing fund then we could achieve such miracles everyday! It would be better if WHO (world health org.) officials spend millions on urgent issues like climate change and not on travelling (they’ve spent whopping 192 million $ till now on travelling in business-class facilities). So, knowing the immense potential of human + climate partnership in rejuvenating the nature during this Corona-virus pandemic, we should be religious of funding and supporting climate reversals in future too. And, also after seeing the unprofessionalism of WHO officials in the wake of this health crisis, it is important to seriously think regarding the reliability and eligibility of top dogs of such global organizations. Corona-virus isn’t a onetime crisis. Even after it presides, it will have repercussions on entire economies and societies. It is a tough time for humanity, to stand through an unknown problem. But, as seen in the past, we will fight and flourish. Though, our track record isn’t good at learning, we could still hope for a better future where we could recall Coronavirus and say with a sigh of relief that nothing like that harms us now. Again, this is just an opinion blog where I’ve inscribed my realizations during this pandemic. Billion minds have billion experiences and realizations, this is just one of those billions. In future if some robust realizations pop up then I will definitely use the mighty potential of internet and write a link blog to this one. Till then, my fellow human friends, stay safe, stay indoors, stay occupied and follow guidelines given to us from govt. & police. Together we can stand this adversity and you know what’s best?! We can walk successfully past it! With mirth & laughter, let old wrinkles come. ~ William Shakespeare With solidarity and empathy, let future come. ~ Us Date: June 22, 2020
Author: Rushang Shah