With the world facing the COVID-19 outbreak, a lot is unfolding each passing day. With so many people infected and deaths still counting, many are still either not serious or are busy condemning China for allegedly manufacturing the virus. Dr Li Wenliag, a thirty-four-year young Ophthalmologist from Wuhan Central Hospital tried to raise the alarm in the early days but it fell on deaf ears. It’s just like Catastrophic theory. What if the virus was detected at the initial stages? Instead, why not to stand united as one planet & work unanimously to fight it.
As of now, it is indeed a question of existence of humankind! To stand together is the need of the hour.
We can see scenes of scarcity of necessities all around due to hoarding and panic buying. The so-called developed countries of the world generally projecting themselves as superior stand exposed by their unruly behavior. The continents which have always claimed to be the most superior in cultures & mannerism are behaving the most uncivilized. Hoarding more than it is required, not thoughtful of even Senior Citizens. This is nothing but sheer insatiability to reserve more & more. It seems we've still not heard nature's message. This world order just doesn't support times of distress as making profit cannot be the only aim of human life. It seems, humankind's priorities need to change!
Humankind has come a long way in its evolution. We are an extremely intelligent species who must rise above selfish interests, work together for a greater good and sustainable development in tandem with nature. The current pandemic has a very special message for us. It gives us a chance to ponder upon the way we want to live or else nature has its own ways to show its might. A question ponders me every time I open social media with alarming news of Corona Pandemic. I wonder if we, ‘human species’ will change our ways after saying final goodbye to this deadly virus. Will we behave like responsible citizens of this globe in future? Or as they say, ‘Old habits die hard’. In these difficult times, we need to retrospect about the obliteration we have caused to Nature but have we stopped the blame game?! Are we still not trying to score the brownie points? Do we not try to prove with statistics that a particular country has better preventive measures & the medical-aid?
The total sphere has been frozen by the Coronavirus but it has taught us to behave like human beings. We are back to basics-home- cooked food, doing errands at home, exercising, praying & respecting nature. Those who would mock over the trivial issues of casteism, of hiring maids as washing toilets was below their dignity are cleaning the pots & basins themselves.
Corona has played a positive role in binding people across nations. Communities are working together to help people raise their Oxytocin. Social media is playing a key role bind people together. World Economic Forum has launched the ‘Songs of Comfort’ Campaign to help people cope during lockdown. It is a platform for singers worldwide to help people cope with anxiety caused by Coronavirus. Similarly, fitness, food, health, beauty & a lot more pages are available on social media to help people use their time judiciously. Thus, there is a consistent effort by the human race to help each other in these tough times.
We have now learnt the biggest lesson of sustainable development which no formal lectures or books could teach us. Judicious usage of resources is clear to human race, but for how long?
We leave one bad habit and cling to another. To while away our time, we mindlessly overuse internet. Let’s learn from this pandemic. It’s not only an opportunity to reset the Earth but also to reset our goals, aspirations, desires and thought process. May good sense prevail!