Release : 10.05.2020
Production : soydivision
Executive editor : Jan Thedja
Art director : Ariel Orah
Contributors : Elizabeth Marchetti, Lara Orrico, Irma FS,
I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back where, at some point, the theme veered into the pandemic and its impact on our lives. The conversation went on for a while despite a few excursions into other, more personal, themes. And at some point in the conversation I blurted out that I was prepared to experience another world war in this lifetime, but instead the next worst thing happened.
This week, 75 years has passed since the second world war ended. Berlin decided that it was going to be a holiday and the combination with good weather and the relaxing of social distancing meant that masses of people were out and about. And it put some things into perspective as well
Not only are we living in different eras, with different technology available, this pandemic also poses a different challenge altogether. We are currently not in conflict with each other (although there are attempts of political capitalization) and we still have our way of living (however changed or limited that might be). And I am not trying to underplay the seriousness of the situation (and to a bigger extent, my privileges), but we do still have a lot of resources we could mobilize and this a sliver of hope we could hang on to and we have to work with.
Humans are by nature creatures of habit and convenience. The pandemic has dragged us into a state of uncertainty, away from our comfort zones. There is no denying that we are going to face hard times from now on, with the breadth of the repercussions still a vague apparition in the future. And despite the fact that I am rather pessimistic by nature, there is a small part of me that is optimistic about the future and, so far, I can feel it growing day by day.
It is not every day that we get to take control of the path our life is taking. It is not everyday we get to influence the way society works. It is not every day we get to realize that we are, despite our effort to prove otherwise, a part of nature. It is not everyday that we get to redefine what it means to be human.
I hope you feel the same way.
Jan Thedja
