Patricia Mukhim
It was Aristotle who said, “Man is by nature a social animal. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god.” We know for certain that we are humans and not gods; hence we pine for social contact. At the moment I feel very unsocial because Covid19 warns us to socially distance ourselves not just from friends and colleagues but from families too. I don’t think there can be a bigger blow to our neatly organised lives than this one. It’s embarrassing to have to tell a friend or family member who comes to visit out of concern that they should keep their distance. Suddenly the human touch is lost. The hug of a child for a grandparent; that firm handshake between friends are all things of the past unless we survive this pandemic. And in between all these social dilemmas and the severance of social ties comes the government which still has to deliver the goods and to govern.
Let’s face one bitter truth – no government in the world was prepared for Covid19. They were all taken by surprise which later turned to shock. Countries like Spain and Italy lived in denial until the pandemic overwhelmed the whole healthcare system and choices had to be made as to who needed more respirators. In short, some people had to be left to die in order to save the lives of others. India had a little more time to prepare for the royal entry of Ms/Mr Covid19 but I am not too sure if we can ever really anticipate the consequences of such a devastating pandemic.
It would not be proper for me to venture to comment on how other states are handling this medical crisis. We need to be looking at our backyards to see how our state government is handling this emergency which is now followed by a complete lockdown which will last for three weeks. One thing is for sure; the Government of Meghalaya is leaving no stone unturned to tackle this pandemic. Officials have been on their feet, and, I daresay very responsive to suggestions/requests from concerned citizens. Most officials I know have sacrificed their sleep over this issue because they had to be thinking one step ahead. And the dilemma is to decide what’s the best step to take to prevent a stampede, whenever the ‘stay at home’ diktat is relaxed, so people can procure essential commodities from stores, and yet maintain the social distance.
In all of this we have heard very little from the Opposition Congress in the state. This is an EMERGENCY and not a time to play populist politics. It will be reassuring for us the public to see all 60 MLAs coming together and working as a cohesive whole. Some truths are evident. Dr Mukul Sangma is not just an experienced politician but a competent administrator too. Above all he is a physician. He should be sharing ideas with the government on how to battle this crisis. This requires squelching of political egos and one hopes Dr Sangma rises to the occasion. Political consensus is imperative. The Opposition Congress and the ruling NPP+ coalition cannot live in parallel universes because there is just one universe. And this universe is ailing today. Together they have to address this monumental challenge.
We are now under a lockdown and there is panic all around. Panic kills compassion as much as a pandemic does. It is said that some disasters, like hurricanes and earthquakes, can bring people together, but if history is any judge, pandemics generally drive them apart. These are crises in which social distancing is a virtue. Dread overwhelms the normal bonds of human affection. Pandemics also hit the poor hardest and inflame class divisions. Gratefully in Meghalaya we have had the Marwari Committee come forward to distribute rations to the poor; the Gurudwara Singh Sabha at Shillong is providing cooked food; some churches are also doing their bit and many more will come forward hopefully. So humanity is not yet lost.
And yes, the medical fraternity (nurses, doctors, technicians and paramedics) are people in the frontline of combating the pandemic. They have always responded with admirable heroism and compassion. May they continue to serve humanity selflessly. The manner in which the private hospitals and nursing homes have extended cooperation is commendable.
What is of concern for administrators during these times is to keep crowds under check. People generally have a rebellious spirit that is on full display during this crisis. Even if the 80 or 90 percent of people who are able to do so comply with instructions to stay home and stay safe there will always be the 10 to 20 percent that won’t. Complete compliance is simply impossible. Some people just don’t want to feel controlled. They don’t want to feel afraid. They have been worn thin by the curfew followed by the lockdown. In fact there is always this group of humans that is just foolish, selfish and reckless and who don’t realise that they endanger not just themselves but others too.
At these times, a reading of Daniel Defoe’s book on the 1665 London epidemic, “A Journal of the Plague Year,” is sobering. Defoe says, “This was a time when every one’s private safety lay so near them they had no room to pity the distresses of others. The danger of immediate death to ourselves took away all bonds of love, all concern for one another.”
Covid19 is both a moral and physical disease. At our most vulnerable moments when we should be comforting one another and we yearn for the reassurance of family and friends and the solace of community, we’re hustled into isolation. At a point in our lives when we most desperately crave distraction, many of our recreations are off limits. All sporting events are canceled; so too all social functions. Even funerals are now lonely affairs of just twenty people. The pandemic is asking us to dig deep and stand strong even as it takes away some of the most essential tools for doing so.
And this social distancing is now beginning to feel like an ugly phrase – an oxymoron of sorts. How are you social and yet carefully distancing yourself from others? It’s almost like having to stay apart yet needing to pull together because the pandemic tells you to do so. Those connected by the internet driven universe can work from home. But so many others are losing jobs. It’s a cruel blow. And then in a flash you also realise it’s been a week since you met other humans. Its fine when the staying at home bit is voluntary but when the seclusion is compulsory and spans over three weeks then it’s a lonely and claustrophobic feeling.
Sure you have social media for company but for how long can an instrument replace human interface? And this had to happen just when I was trying out a social media de-addiction programme. But let’s look at the positives. There is a quick flow of information from the Government to the people. Doubts are quickly cleared by fellow social media users and we are able to somehow get over the boredom. This is the time when all the spiritual exhortation comes to mind – one of which is to be comfortable with oneself and with silence!
At this point we have no idea what will ultimately be asked of us after April 14, so we can’t know what new emotional muscles to build, how strong they must be and what pace to take. Like someone rightly said, “The etiquette of this pandemic is unwritten, and it’s brutal.” May we all survive and come out stronger!