Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Keep Calm And Don't Spread Hate Like A Coronavirus

Since the start of 2020, the Covid-19 viral infection has cast a pall of fear all over the world.

The Hubei province of China is in lock-down. Italy has followed suit. New cases and deaths are rising at an alarming rate in South Korea and Iran. Elsewhere, governments remain vigilant. Companies are drastically cutting down on international travel and conferences. Those in recent contact with infected patients prudently resort to self-quarantine.

The root cause of the disease remains unknown. No vaccine has been discovered. Some experts fear that symptoms only develop days after infection, hence increasing the risk of unsuspecting carriers passing on the virus. Fake news continually exacerbate public panic.

Worse of all, the disease has stoked the ugly side of humanity...


Keep calm and self-quarantine

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio


* * *

Some people that I know of have been tested as positive, or under quarantine pending results.

I feel their pain and suffering. I wish them all a safe recovery.

It is natural for rumours of them being infected to spread around like wildfire in private chat groups. Some have expressed concern and sympathy.

But to my utmost horror and disgust, the word 'karma' has been bandied about. Some have welcomed such rumours with glee.

Seriously, how sick is that?

It's fine to dislike other people. It's fine to feel vindicated when karmic justice is served in a narrow sense. It's fine to revel in our enemies' defeat.

But to wish ill will upon a person?

I'm sorry, that just crosses the line. People catching virulent diseases has nothing to do with 'karma'. It's one thing to wish for someone to get caught and punished for a wrongdoing they committed (karma). It's quite another to wish for that someone and his whole family to catch cancer (curse).

Sickening, absolutely sickening...


* * *

In The Dark Knight, the Joker delivers this chilling monologue to Batman:
"You see, their morals, their code, it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble... When the chips are down, these... these civilized people, they'll eat each other."

I want to believe the Joker is wrong. I want to believe in the ultimate good in humanity. I want to believe that humans will stand for each other in the face of a common adversity.

But this Covid-19 phenomenon has cut deeply into my faith.

On the bright side, I now know how despicable some people I know can be. I don't need such negativity in my life. I better stay away from them like a plague.

In time, this wretched Covid-19 plague too will pass.

Till then, let us keep calm, stay positive, and spread the love...


1 comment :

  1. thanks for the information and god with us against corona virus corona new

    ReplyDelete