Reflections on 2020, Society and the new Coronavirus

Every epidemic is additionally extraordinary, and each is a mirror that reflects the type of society it affects. Since years, we have a world that is more connected than ever before in history by global travel. However, this world has additionally surrendered to developing isolationism and xenophobia. We see a time when scientific research and the demand for news, the spread of an infection as well as misinformation, all occur at an impressive uncomfortable pace. China, the US and numerous nation-states to follow are compelled to barricade. While the economy breaks down, the contamination drops significantly. The pollution is reduced, the air improves. We are living a historical moment wherein certain biased, discriminatory belief systems and policies, with solid references to a trivial past, are reactivating everywhere throughout the world. And Coronavirus suddenly arrives to makes all of us experience that it doesn't need much for you to be in someone else's shoes. Now, we have all became the discriminated, the segregated. Europeans are now those who are stuck at the border. We are now those who carry the disease. Regardless of whether we are not to blame. Regardless of whether we are white, western, well-educated and we travel in business class. What are your values? Values are the principles and beliefs by which we live our lives and make our decisions, how we lead ourselves and lead others. The coronavirus tests our principles, values and shared humanity. Shared humanity - what is the value of a life in the society we live in today?

When we live in a stage wherein the development of our youth is, fundamentally, regularly entrusted to different institutions and figures, Coronavirus comes to shut the schools and parents are forced to find alternative solutions to provide regular education to their children. And with these solutions, the role and value of family rebuild such as education is rebuilt. While living in a society so dependent on profitability, productivity and consumption, the virus comes to force us to slow down. Now it can be hard to differ weekdays from weekends because the time no longer feels like a marathon. The run of 14 hours per day becomes a stop at home, for weeks. Now we relearn how to revalue the free time we have, time that is not based on an hourly rate payment. Time to be present, to live in the now. But do we still know how to live in the now? From inside our houses, we reevaluate the importance of our relationships, of our connection to others, our communication, and physical contact. Now, all we have is the “non-space” of the virtual, of the social network, which gives us the illusion of closeness. And easily like that, the virus takes away the true real closeness. Nobody can touch each other, no kisses, no hugs. How much have we taken these gestures and their meaning for granted? What are we being taught about what is important to us? What can we learn from this?

While we learn how fragile our environment, our political and economical system is, the only way out is reciprocity, the sense of belonging, the sense of community, the feeling of being part of something greater to take care of. Have you ever felt more part of a global community? The shared responsibility, the feeling that your fate depends not only on yourself but on everyone around you and on your leaders. Our leaders who govern us. Is this how we want to be governed? What is the value of the commercial capitalist system that falls apart while facing the surge of nature? What is the value of a system that yawns inequality and super-powered corporations, while shrinking the middle class? Instead of just waiting for things to go back to "normal", remember that the "normal" we had was not good enough. Take this time to wonder what we can learn from this, I believe we all have a lot to think about and commit to from now on. A lot of things are coming to the surface and I believe we can all be agents of a more significant positive change. Because now more than ever we need to look inside ourselves and with respect and integrity to one another.