14 May 2020
Social Distancing in Cumbria
Week 8
by Vic Leader
Two thirds of the way? 8 of 12 weeks? That’s how it was first described, how I placed myself to cope with my Social Distancing, Lockdown as we now say. That is just a way that humans use to manage the uncertainties of life, we make measurements, mark off progress. We inhabit a speck of dust in a solar system that is itself a speck of dust in our galaxy, itself a speck of dust in the universe.
In short we are insignificant in cosmic terms. Still we (collectively) behave as if we were masters; true that only extends to the speck we live on, planet Earth. We want to “save the planet”, although I am pleased to note that some have at least realised that our own extinction is what we really need to be concerned with; the planet is as safe as a planet can be.
All of this is ‘managed’ by nature, Nature. The capital “N” is important. It is another human trait to mark with a capital phenomena that are deemed most powerful. Nature manages us humans as well as all the other creatures on Earth. Virus is a creature (i.e. something that has been created). Humans are on a par with viruses. We don’t manage the virus, nature does, we manage the human response to it.
CV19 is a specific new virus that we have only just met. We are getting to know more about it but there is much we still don’t know. So our leaders, the governors and rulers across the globe, are managing our responses. Some will prove better than others, although, I suggest, it is far too soon to know which is which. So can we please lower our expectation of these leaders and start realising that we all have to play a part, guidance is guidance not rigid instruction. We each must use it to fit our circumstances.
This week I thought the sporting aspect of CV19 came more to the fore. We are looking at the international league tables; who has most cases, deaths, even recoveries (occasionally). Not helpful I think. Too many variables. Nature works according to responses, specific to specific circumstances. OUR responses to OUR circumstances are what matter to us.
I wondered how long the political/ media spirit of cooperation would last. Not very long before point scoring about how this or that should be done. Please, politicians keep your debates within your parliament and let us know the best answers you come up with. We understand they won’t be ‘right’ in any absolute sense, but that would be better than bombarding the public with alternative views that confuse. You can have your blame-athon later.
Media, please stick to reporting news. Your opinions and musings are all very well but unhelpful and confusing. Thank you.
I wanted to look beyond lockdown this week but will save till next.
Stay well, keep thinking, post-CV19 may be the greatest opportunity for change for a long time.
