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| Photo by Long Truong on Unsplash |
As 2020 draws to a close we can see close up the effects on capitalism and its seemingly sound foundation, but in reality showed the fragility of a system that many had taken for granted, with some sense of a safety net, to realize that for many it was an illusion, and showed the weakness for those who were seemingly adherents, especially those who were Black and Brown often, tethered to low wage service jobs, and who could often find no port for safety,, and risked exposure and death.
In America, the piecemeal health system, locally governed, proved inadequate as it attempted to grapple with the fragility, and inadequacy of systems that were not prepared to stem the tide of a new coronavirus, coupled with a national leader who feared that admitting reality would panic his people; and, ironically affecting those who were already panicking as death’s cold hand took their loved ones lives, leaving the dead to bury the dead.
Class systems in this country remained stalwart, despite objections as when reminded that not all people could work from home told us, “We’ll stay home so that they can go to work.”
This is an opportune time to makes us pause to examine these cracks and fissures, both economic, and social that can be healed, and made whole, not simply with the the vaccine, but also the will to change the systems, and roles, that have not worked, and the bravery to discern what can remain, and what can be discarded.
“We have a chance to do something extraordinary. As we head out of this pandemic we can change the world. Create a world of love. A world where we are kind to each other. A world where we are kind no matter what class, race, sexual orientation, what religion or lack of or what job we have. A world we don't judge those at the food bank because that may be us if things were just slightly different. Let love and kindness be our roadmap,” noted Johnny Corn.
We, as well as world leaders, must realize the infinite hazards of a world where people, even in America, are turning to food banks to feed their families;, and it is worth noting that in many instances these are families, who were previously donors, not clients.
Sadly, as the vaccines have been approved in the United States as well as the United Kingdom there are others in a rush to save themselves are buying in excess amounts, but are also jeopardizing third world countries.
Fear of course is potent, but also as Marie Curie noted: “Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
With that goal in mind, the need to understand the basics of the virus has been complicated by conspiracy theories, and a lack of basic science knowledge, indeed, what a virus is, to avoid hearing statements, such as ‘If you take Vitamin C you won’t get it” or “my kids eat well, really well, so I am not afraid for them.”
Acceptance is also complicated by a burgeoning anti-science stance that is tied to anti-vaccine behavior that in the past has increased measles among children, but now threatens to slow the progress towards policing the virus, if not completely eradicating it.
Preparing the way is also on the horizon, as scientists are banding together to harness the next virus, a string of which has plagued humanity since the Bubonic Plague, and now in the great beyond.
The old lyrics by Simon and Garfunkel, from “The Sound of Silence” have haunted us recently and are worth repeating:
“Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.”
Let it not be. There is the darkness before the light, said a wise man.
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