It has been a while since an event disrupted the whole world like the Covid-19 outbreak is doing now. I mean, we as humanity – and much more as a modern age society - have not experienced such a stressful situation since 9/11 or every Black Friday shopping craze. I don’t want to tire you with details of how this disease began or spread, as I’m sure you already have read many fake news sites and articles and I do not want to further expand your misinformation.
But this occurrence has been a great learning experience. So, please join me in the list of what I have learned thus far from this pandemic:
1. New words and phrases
Like with everything new that takes over the world, there are new words and phrases that we learn, proving there is always room for intellectual advancement, regardless of the situation.
So, in the past we learned words like Ed Sheeran and Kardashian, now we learn about ‘social distancing’ and ‘self-isolation’. They are not exactly new phrases, but now, instead of a weird hermit living in the mountains who uses chopped wood to make a herbal tea while digging a bunker in the snow to prepare for the end of the world, these phrases describe a responsible member of society.
2. New meanings and understanding of the world
Up until very recently, I’m sure that everybody knew what ‘washing your hands’ means. It turns out that we didn’t really know or practice the habit.
Now, we may not have abundant clean renewable energy, flying cars in our city airspace, widespread super computers and virtual reality that actually works, but at least 2020 is the year that we learned how to wash our hands and when.
It turns out that using a public toilet for number 1,2, or 3 and then rushing directly to Starbucks for a latte is for the romantics who would like to go back to the innocent age of the Black Death and the Bubonic Plague, when things were simpler and people lived closer to nature - in any way imaginable.
3. Many people still live in the romantic ages of the past
Yes, it is 2020 and it has been a while since we made amazing progress in science and in the understanding of the universe.
We know what diseases are and how to treat them (most of the time), we went to the moon, we sent probes to the distant planets of our solar system and in the depths of the oceans, we are deciphering the microscopic and the quantum world and also know that the thunder is not caused by an angry Zeus. But not all of us…
It turns out that many of our friends, neighbours, and fellow citizens know better. They know what zodiac sign Covid-19 is (Scorpio – this can kill you too) and the pandemic can be easily explained by the retrograde movement of Mercury. Also, others know that believing in God (always the correct one of course) will protect you from contracting any illness so practicing collective rituals where you sing and praise the God is essentially essential. This is very closely related to the next point.
4. Things are never what they seem to be
Scientists and experts can inform us all they want about the virus and how it spreads. But that cannot be true, as apparently, they are hiding the Truth from all of us, fooling the gullible sheep that roam the world.
But not everyone is gullible, and this is the great mistake of the so-called experts…
It is very obvious that every human with Asian-looking eyes brought the disease in the West. They released it from their labs, put it in 5G antennas and now sit back healthy, with their really old Nokia phones, congratulating each other on their success via painfully hard to type SMS. Yes, we got you and your evil conspiracies figured out.
5. We have the great leaders that we deserve
This feels a bit like cheating, as we didn’t really need the pandemic to know this, but the virus crisis showed everyone how great our leaders are.
They know better than the scientists, they can confidently suggest to us cures like the Lupus drug or a lemon cologne, and they want to keep us prospering by giving us the opportunity to help the economy going and growing - a little bit of cough can’t stop progress. Good job everyone!
6. People like to see the positives
A couple in India named their twin boy and girl Covid and Corona.
The children were born during this whole thing, and the parents justified their choice by saying that this pandemic brought out the better nature of people, that everybody started volunteering, helping others in need, and essentially brought us together in spirit – and they named their children this way as a reminder of the best in human nature.
Since the disaster of World War II made us understand that it is not nice to conduct genocides, to use atomic bombs on big populated cities, that racism is not the best of ideologies and maybe we should use diplomacy, come closer as nations and create organisations to help prevent wars, famine, illnesses, etc., I think I’ll name my future child Hitler.
7. I need a garden
What it says…
8. Music is good under any circumstances
Not a lot of explanation needed here as well.
Music is very important for humans and I am sure that not a single day goes by that people do not listen to some music. But having a bit more time at home, you get the chance to discover new things and bands, refine and add to your music collection, pay a bit more attention to what you are listening to and not just have it as a background for your other activities.
And since the deliveries still work, here is what I’m getting next.
9. The world is more connected than ever
This is made more obvious as well.
A disease in China is not something that happens far away, as the world is essentially a smaller and less isolated place. Technology has helped bring us all closer, and this can mean that it is easier to catch a deadly virus from far away or find a Russian bride more easily than the mail.
You can also get products from anywhere in the world quickly and with less effort. In times like these, this is very important and the people who are out there delivering food and goods, who ensure we stay safe, who risk their lives taking care of others in need, are long due more recognition and respect. And I hope they will get it after this passes as well.
I think we still have a few more new things to learn by this...