Today is day 10 of #LockdownSA2020 and a lot of people are still not following the coronavirus social distancing rule. It seems like “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone." This is a quote written by the French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, almost 400 years ago, but still relevant today. The news is filled with stories of people being arrested for defying the lockdown order. Why not stay home? Are these people invincible? Could it be that some people are just afraid to sit quietly in a room alone with their thoughts? According to Pascal, we fear the silence of existence, we fear our thoughts, or dread boredom and instead choose aimless distraction.
Living under lockdown is not that simple. The homeless have nowhere to go. Poverty can be seen as almost working with the virus. As South Africans, we find ourselves in situations that we could never have imagined. Adjustment comes with uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. We all have to exercise some level of patience and understanding. A behavioural expert said one of the many reasons for the reluctance to stay home comes from extroverted people or those emotionally dependant on others. Whatever the reasons for ignoring the lockdown regulation, we must remember that lives are at stake. By staying home, we can save lives.
I recall friends and colleagues complaining about the lack of time to spend with the family or practice a hobby. Well, we are now stuck with loads of 24-hour days. We have enough spouse-to-spouse time, and parent-to-child time to keep those emotional chins off the floor and smile.
Finally, there are ways to deal with being on lockdown. Just a few clicks on social media reveals hundreds of ways on how to cope during this time.
#LockdownJournal
#COVID19SouthAfrica
#21DayLockdownSA
No comments:
Post a Comment