The sound of silence
Now that it is clear for most (even in Berlin) that the pandemic is still here, the biggest worry in Europe seems to be how Christmas will be spent this year. I am sure that a lot of people in a lot of countries are out of options to spend, be it quality time with friends and family or money, but who cares as long as stores are open and we dance along. Forget about actual daily social isolation.
What I know is: workers, unemployed and retired people alike are suffocating in Portugal already - again, which was to expect as the country barely recovered from last financial crisis (that was 2011 by the way, when insane austerity measures were forced by Troika on these same people aka tax payers and their public services to be left half dismantled, including education and health systems). Restaurants, cafés, bars, clubs and hotels are going bankrupt; there are people doing a hunger strike in front of the Parliament right now. I don’t know about the future of theaters, cinemas or book shops: tourists won’t care so much about those and Portuguese governments never did. Some less than others.
Isn’t it obvious that it might be a good ideia to rethink consumerism and tourism worldwide before next global catastrophe? Covid-19 is not a spontaneous accident, it’s just the planet’s way to tell us that we are doomed if we don’t change fast and for real. The more distracted and eager to go back to “normal” might want to have a look at Amazonia or Australia to remember that.
I can’t keep dreaming of a classless, borderless society in which its members are able to think, create and communicate feelings and ideas with each other. I see the growing amount of delivery boxes by the trash alongside with never ending superficial exchange, basic self promotion and pointless discussions on every possible social media... and loads of silence on what really matters or is truly felt.
I want out.
I am so sorry for next generations.
“Rooms by the Sea”, Edward Hopper, 1951
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