In what has become a New World Order in strange times of involuntary separation and solitary confinement yet global interconnectedness, our ability to stay positive and resilient directly defines how capable we are to navigate a situation which is all about sink or swim and the survival of the ̶ mentally ̶ fittest.
The key factor conducive to human happiness right now is, as I see it, interconnectedness and the regular contact with people who matter to us and who we are now suddenly and unexpectedly able to reach out to at the mere touch of a button (trigger-happy can now be reinterpreted as being exceedingly keen on connecting electronically). For the first time in, dare I say, human history the whole world is free to talk regardless of time zone. That is both mind-boggling and exhilarating!
We must make the most of it, use technology to our advantage and reach out to individuals who are far away yet close and who now speak a common language and share common experiences no matter where they are in the world. Within the limited space of our own homes and our own four walls, little does it matter where we live or come from. What matters more is how we interconnect as humans ̶ irrespective of race or ethnic belongings, how we show empathy and that we care by finally leaving that message or making that phone call that we had a tendency to postpone under the distorted belief that we were too busy to do so. We are not, nor were we ever, too busy to show we care and that we are right there with our loved ones in thought, spirit ̶ and word. The current era of electronic and cybernetic un-distancing allows us to verbalise our sentiments and step into each other’s both virtual and physical realities through Zoom or Skype. Our new isolationist present grants us an optimal opportunity to be there with each other; distant, yet close. We must make an effort to interpret and tap into each other’s emotions and see what is really going on behind those eyes, offering each other direct support across physical divides and distances through a single gaze and words of solidarity and encouragement.
The media right now and around the clock is consumed by this new situation and we could easily let it consume us, too, on an individual level; allowing it to take over our mental space, and losing our sanity along the way. Instead, we must make concerted efforts to come together; taking full advantage of high tech advancements to achieve this collective, humanitarian goal.