Karma Corona
On the eve of April Fools’ Day, 2020 this is my take
on how things will change when the business of the Chinese Virus get’s over – let’s
call it that, after all we do have Delhi-belly, German Measles and Spanish Flu.
I included, many of us men will emerge with
first-time beards and hands that now know how to deal with soap, water and dirty
dishes. The art of forced smiles and equally forced family conviviality will be
another great acquisition of these weeks of quarantine. We have also had long
and deep chats with the Man (or Woman) Upstairs. However, the cacophonies of
birds that inhabit each individual’s attic have not really helped and we are
sure our god will save us, while the other’s is dragging us on the path of
doom.
Well, all this is nothing new.
When the two world wars ended, they taught us one
basic thing about world affairs. That no matter how strong your military might,
at the end of the day, the stronger economy would win the war, if not the occasional
battle. This virus has taught us another thing, if the country’s health goes awry
several other things do too and this is an insidious enemy. It creeps up stealthily
and can drag you under.
In our country, this is what I think will happen:
In the short term -
The obvious: many businesses will take ages to
recover and many will simply go under. The leisure industry (tourism, event,
hospitality) will be among the worst hit.
Not so obvious: Polarities in the country will
sharpen. Minorities will be further isolated and the rich-poor, urban-rural divide
will accentuate.
Hardly looked at: It will give rise to a new movement
in the arts. Theatre, film, poetry,
painting will find a fairly distinct
genre.
In the longer term –
The economy will recover, but the polarities that
have developed, will remain. The migration that made thousands and thousands leave
cities, will see a return migration. Their villages cannot feed them, which is
why they had left in the first place. They will continue having to depend on
those who care nothing for them except the services that they provide and yet,
on whom they are dependent for their livelihoods and existence.
The role of the government will become even more overreaching. the monitoring and control mechanisms set in place during these times, will not be dismantled in a hurry - if at all.
The nineteenth century British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli had spoken of the two
nations of England – the rich and the poor. He said: “Two nations between whom there is no
intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits,
thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or
inhabitants of different planets. The rich and the poor.”
This, more than ever,
is applicable to our country – or should I say, the several nations that make
our country.
Across the world – this
may well mark the end of physical globalisation as we have known over the past
couple of decades. Countries will tighten their borders and turn more inwards. Unfortunately, that is the opposite of what should be done - more than ever we need to co-operate and share information.
And
as for China, it shall bash on regardless – the economy is too big, centralised
and they couldn’t care less.
As I said, this is
written on the 31st March, 2020. It is April Fools’ Day or All Fools’
Day tomorrow. We still don’t know of its origin. Among the many stories told of
its basis, most place this to the time when the Julian calendar that started
the year on the 1st April, around the time of the Spring Equinox,
moved to the Gregorian calendar that began the year on the 1st
January.
This left quite a few
celebrating a ‘new year’ when there was none.
