The existence of the human being always makes sense in the square of relationships with others. Hence, the need for the human being for the “other” as a spiritual, social, and cultural entity can be seen. In one of his essays, Mexican creator Octavio Paz says, “Human is nostalgia for community.” All the heaviness of these days of self-isolation comes precisely from this primordial “nostalgia” as he describes it in “Dialectics of Loneliness”.
Author: Bardhyl Zaimi
It is already clear that from this crisis created by the corona virus we will not be able to get out so easily. Despite the optimistic tones for an opening at the European level, it seems that everything will go very carefully, calculating the potential risk of another spread that would further prolong the isolation. A fatigue and an impatience to end the isolation is unlikely to be so easy, for fear of another outbreak remains like the sword of Damocles over European and world leaders.
There has been no shortage of global conflicts over the origins of coronavirus and the carelessness that China has shown as a state in managing and blocking the virus. The US president has repeatedly criticized China for spreading the virus, while international media have reported on the possibility of the virus spreading from the laboratory to Wuhan. However, the virus is already present and taking lives, while the World Health Organization has called on governments to take steps to prevent it.
Across the globe, self-isolation is already seen as a way to prevent the massive spread of the virus. Infections around the globe mark difficulties depending on the time of onset and spread of the virus in a country. In general, all countries have taken isolation measures, while Sweden is an exception to this rule, which has been satisfied with lighter measures, although there have been debates on the most rigorous measures that the government should have taken.
In recent days, many European governments have announced easing restrictions, but not earlier than early May. The European Union, meanwhile, has come up with an opening plan, which envisions easing precautionary measures, which would be finalized in the spring of 2021. It seems that European and state leaders are fully aware that a possible opening requires a lot of care, and a well-thought-out plan, which will be implemented depending on the presence of the virus and depending on the situation that will be created in the meantime.
One thing remains certain that there will be no spectacular opening, one as a triumph over pandemic, but rather a gradual opening with many analyzes and many institutional reflections that will permanently follow the oscillations of spread and the degree of infection of the corona virus. It also remains certain that the world will not be able to function in the normality we are used to for a long time. This pandemic has already changed the normal course of events, thus creating a new global reality that requires a completely different behavior of the human being in this reality. People are rushing back to the old reality. They seem tired of this situation, while economic projections speak of a decline and a confrontation with a global economic crisis.
It already seems that long self-isolation has created a serious psychological situation, which is being followed by a feeling of permanent loneliness. The human being always makes sense in the square of relationships with others. Hence, the need for the human being for the “other” as a spiritual, social, and cultural entity can be seen. This crisis has interrupted exactly this relationship with the “other” that in a normal situation, the functioning seems unnoticed, but in a situation, deprivation takes on essential meanings for human existence. There are always two states of existence in man, the tendency to be alone, to be separated from totality, and the tendency to establish a connection with the “other” in the sense of a spiritual and social relationship. In one of his essays, Mexican writer Octavio Paz says, “Human is a nostalgia for community.”
The whole ponderosity of these days of self-consciousness comes precisely from this primordial “nostalgia” as Paz describes it. Of course, the world remains much more complicated in its relations, especially in the political, economic and social spheres. However, the essence of self-isolating sadness rather comes from the lack of relationship with the “other” as self-realization in public space, in the social and cultural space of freedom, as we know it through democracy, through free movement of people, ideas and goods. This normalcy has already been hit by the pandemic, and the return of these reports requires deliberate strategies, public policy, which will be at the height of the risk that could be repeated in another cycle of spread.
Undoubtedly, not all this global entrepreneurship can be done without the help of science, without the help of comprehensive analysis of the virus to know its nature. Most European countries have warned that a possible opening will be in harmony with the recommendations of the world of science, despite all those studies that create a realistic perception on the evolution of pandemics and risk avoidance.
Faced with the threat of a virus still completely unknown by medical science, the world is showing constant care, respecting the measures, but also making efforts to pave the way for life, normalcy as much as possible. An almost epic battle between human impatience and scientific answers that must take this entire situation created by the corona virus. However, in all this planimetry of commitments based on the new reality created, there has been no lack of false news, through which an atmosphere of disregard for pandemics is created. This creates a potential risk of dementia to violate the measures and thus prolong the period of self-isolation that currently remains the only remedy to avoid infections.
While the time of self-isolation is unfolding before us with many unknowns, people’s impatience and carelessness can be a problem in themselves, especially for societies that fall prey to various conspiracies that jeopardize the risk of the virus. It will still take commitment from everyone to raise awareness of the real risk, but also to create another awareness of a gradual opening announced globally.
Also, the government of North Macedonia has already announced that from the beginning of May there will be mitigating measures for the citizens. The technical Prime minister has announced a concrete plan for a gradual opening in May. At a time when the country has been under restrictive measures for almost two months, a large number of people are already on the brink of extinction, while companies have announced that they are facing great difficulties. Undoubtedly, the economic dimension remains vital in this whole situation and the government should have a more concrete plan for this. Macedonia’s economic capacity remains small to respond to the social decline of its citizens, and this is a matter of great concern to the people. Closing requires government care, effective measures, which do not seem to be at the right height.
We all have “nostalgia” for community, as Oktavio Paz puts it, and that makes us more sensitive, more impatient during this period of self-isolation. However, the square of social and cultural life can no longer be the same and we will eventually have to comfort ourselves with this fact. Undoubtedly, in no case by surrendering to the alienation of self-understanding in the sense of human relations, because the human being can always be creative to overcome any imposed situation and create human connections in various forms, as it will have to create them during this sad period as we face an enemy that threatens everyone’s life.