The lesson we are not ready to take

On By Inese, visual artist, writer and life sciences bloggerIn family, gratitude, health, life, lifestyle, social media

What drives today’s society

We all hope for some miracle to happen, although, not all of us even believe in miracles. We hope, there is some better life awaiting just around the corner, and when it’s all over: the silly crisis, the terrible virus struggles and suffering, the real life will restart. People, who can only feel comfortable with all the happiness components present, are definitely not well off. Hence, the protests, premature reopening of businesses and economy and extreme dissatisfaction resulting in depression, anxiety and loss of interest in personal life. It’s by far not about economy only, it’s a lot about human psychology and fears of unrests due to harsh living conditions, loss of income and tight restrictions.

Social show-offs

Our society lives in social media and thrives on showing off what they have, where they have been, how they look and how gorgeous they are. It’s like never ending competition of greatness which you, too, can achieve, if you just buy one thing or another, get one job or another or simply change your attitude. According to principles of full, meaningful, rich and happy life, we have to wake up every morning looking forward to our tasks and duties with a happy smile on our lips and be ready to tackle anything which is thrown at us. At the end of the day, we review it and fall asleep knowing that we did something great, useful, meaningful and important. This pandemic and crisis time puts it all to test.

Can you stand the test?

Do what you love and love what you do, right? Get rid of anything which makes you unhappy and dissatisfied. The problem with this attitude is situation like COVID-19 crisis. It is a time when you have to do what is necessary and required as opposed to what you prefer or like. Our attitude is such that we must have everything which is deemed necessary for a great life: comfort, help, support, hired hands to perform things we hate doing, lots of choices and plenty of money to cover it all. This situation tests a person on individual level and society as a whole. Can you honestly say you are fine with the results of this test?

Acceptance issues

Whether we want to admit or not, we live better than anybody before us ever had. We do not have that many time-and effort-consuming household chores, we can choose very many aspects of our life, including where to live, where to work, who to love, what to eat and what to wear and so on. While it is absolutely necessary to be in complete charge of our life, the emphasis on life’s sunny side only has created a distorted perception of life. According to happiness philosophy, there are no bad issues, and you choose only the best options for you. The current life situation doesn’t support that. The huge numbers of depressed, upset, annoyed and frustrated people show that they cannot accept the life as it is at this moment. Moreover, there is no coping mechanism in place.

It’s still the same and only life

The real life involves situations when we need to cope with accidents, disasters, losses, difficulties and struggles, as well as our readiness to accept a bad outcome, too. The global crisis shows that not only individual people, but also governments and entire countries cannot accept the reality and are short of coping mechanisms. The worst part of this is it’s not ending as soon as most of us would like it to. It’s a long-lasting disaster with many people losing their relatives, friends, grandparents and parents. This takes a lot of strength and a lot of willpower. While most of us were ready to accept the short-term inconveniences, the extended period of problems takes a huge toll. However, it is still our only life, we have to live through it. We can get back many things, but never time.

Celebrating Mother's Day

Although, nothing is as usual, we still honor and celebrate our mothers. Happy Mother’s Day!

Restricted Mother’s Day

This day is usually such a fantastic moment when we honor the people, who gave us life. While we have our mother, we are protected, guided and guarded from life’s most terrible issues. When the entire world turns against us, the mother is there with her support, smile and heart. She doesn’t care what everybody else says, she is your mother, she is always there for you. Mine at least was. I lost her last year, and it might be better for her not to go through these times of pandemic and our inability to cure old age people. You should feel very privileged if you still have your mother.

Long-lasting inconvenience

This will be a long-lasting inconvenience at the best and prolonged struggle with tragic issues in other cases. It is kind of sad that we need special laws and rules to make people see this situation for as serious as it is. While almost every site and ad say now to wear a mask, there are many problems with that. Simple fabric mask is like really nothing much. Masks should be single use only and disposable. In addition to mask, gloves and glasses are necessary, as well as a personal protocol for putting them on and taking off.

Have a good Sunday and enjoy Mother’s Day even if it’s over the phone or laptop, and don’t be short of kind words.

P.S. I just was outdoors and said to myself: it’s at least not snowing today. It’s May with winter weather this year.

29 thoughts on “The lesson we are not ready to take”

    1. Thank you. I actually meant it as an example of when we cannot do that because during pandemic, we cannot sort of pick and choose.
      The cause of widespread depression and anxiety is also sometimes the inability to accept reality for what it is. When somebody has positive illusions and feels that everything exists for the purpose of them only (like in narcissistic personality disorder) which many people nowadays do, they are not able to face the reality. They do not have efficient coping mechanism in place which helps to overcome mental discomfort, grief, traumatic experiences and so on. Society is not ready to accept discomfort at this time. We are seeing protests and dissatisfaction very often when the cause is objective, but the reaction is purely subjective and inadequate. I meant it ironically. Such sayings travel around Facebook and other social media sites, and while they sound great, they mislead people by making them believe they are in control of everything which they are not. Situation with pandemic shows it clearly.

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  2. theburningheart

    Are we spoil as a society today?

    You bet we are!

    I do not even were to begin, but media, movies, and the like, have transformed our World on a sort of Disneyland for adults look alike place, then a major upheaval as this crisis hit us everybody its in an uproar.

    In 1968 we were subjected to a pandemic no body paid attention, simply because there was no media as we have today.

    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1968-pandemic.html

    A million people died meanwhile we celebrate Woodstock festival, from 50,000 people, to around 200,000, but by the time the gates opened on Friday, August 15, more than 400,000 people were clamoring to get in. Those without tickets simply walked through gaps in the fences, and the organizers were eventually forced to make the event free of charge.

    The moral of the tale?

    No media no noise, most people, never found out there was a pandemic going at the time.

    Best wishes Inese. 🙂

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    1. There are definitely two sides when it comes to media coverage of everything. Maybe even more sides than two.
      I suppose when we do not advertise the numbers hourly, people might feel better, but, since it’s the only policy of nowadays that one has to be informed in the middle of night or taking a shower, they’d feel scared if they were left out of the news loop.
      I was thinking the other day that there are no doubt many benefits of using devices, having internet and everything being digital and electronic. However, we were so much better off and so much happier without it! I’m not saying I loved splitting wood for stove, but that was a good exercise. Do you think I really need to know every smallest detail about some disaster happening on the entire globe? I do not. We are informed and we should do just that: get the facts and then go and do all normal things we assume normal.
      The problems arise when we can see how everybody else is doing and we compare that with how we are doing, and there is always somebody better off, or maybe even more talented, or better looking, slimmer, more attractive, more successful and so forth. Not to mention richer and wealthier.
      As you’re saying, nobody knew about pandemic and nobody got scared.
      I know for sure, I had a better life. It had everything one needs and there were no doubts it is the best for me. Now, when I start to analyze, I’m not so sure where I even stand: somewhere between complete failure and average success which is actually the case with most people on average. We should be the happiest people on Earth, who ever lived, but the number of depressed people and people with mental disorders and anxiety is depressing, too.

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      1. theburningheart

        Well, what about being informed, but not be manipulated by the media, i do not want to be sound as a conspiracy jerk, those who see it all around, and send you warnings with some brainless stuff, but at the same time, to be aware most newscasters are paid to swing people’s opinion on specific subjects.
        So it all comes to the particular individual to be aware, and have some sense, of discrimination, between what is hogwash, and what is not, and act accordingly.
        The problem as we know, there is many who are at the level of almost total ignorance, and credibility, and the well known quote:

        “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”, is a law of propaganda often attributed to the Nazi Joseph Goebbels.

        But the funny thing, Goebbels used that line to refer to the Allied propaganda, not his own!

        So it all comes to our own discrimination.

        Best regards Inese. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Realistically, we could say it’s all manipulation.
        Its reach is absurd, and I do not believe there is too much following common sense.
        I just finished typing a material for European client about public relations, and basically, you could say people study for many years to turn things around and learn presenting anything as truth.
        I can see advantages coming from a country which was formerly in the USSR: you learn to clearly understand the manipulation. The drawback: you don’t believe in anything or take anything with a grain of salt.
        It does not harm ever to do one’s own research and be cautious about any facts or suggestions.
        I didn’t know Goebbels used that line. No surprise there.
        Thanks very much!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. theburningheart

        Coming to the US, as an immigrant, and being back at my country of origin, I can tell you I understand you perfectly, and not only that I can see more clearly the problems of my native country having lived outside of it for over thirty years.
        It surely helps you to see things in a new light. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      4. To be honest, I am very happy I have that ability and experience.
        This time definitely tests the fake values and also proves how meaningless they are.
        I suppose, the best thing always is to rely on oneself, like with food, cooking, cleaning, even dressmaking, and so on.
        I think we get to re-evaluate what we have and we absolutely do not need. However, the way universe has sent this message is really harsh one.
        Thanks very much! Besides, I did not know you were not in the States now, or are you?

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  3. Wise WISE Words Inese… well said.. I am in the moment and so thankful for all I have… And this is a time of great learning for all of us, Each will be tested in different ways..
    Mothers Day in the UK was back in late March, still in lockdown and we were in strict isolation rules..
    In days past communication was not as swift, so we would not get news bulletins 24/7 belched into homes… This works for the good as well as the bad… While information is vital.. It creates so much fear too, and fear lowers the immune system… Stress for those unable to work and who are laid off… My own family included within this.. As well as those who are also key workers daily facing the challenges of going to work…

    I am very lucky in that I have my gardens and allotment I can exercise in the fresh air and get vitamin D… So I am very grateful for all of my blessings..

    Sending love and well wishes Inese.. loved reading your thoughts ❤

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    1. Long time no see. Very nice from you to stop by.
      I am grateful, too, we have a place with a backyard and it is quite large. I just hope we stay here for one more year. It’s hard to imagine moving with all these restrictions. We moved in 2018, in 2019 and it is crazy to imagine would need to again.
      You are certainly way better off since it’s your own place and no moving threats dangle over your head. That’s a good reason to be grateful. I hope you are healthy and ready to tackle the world.
      I wrote this as a result of recent events here. This situation really depends on discipline and common sense, plus treating everything as potentially contaminated, like groceries, door handles, so forth. People are protesting the shutdown and grieving the loss of their loved ones and relatives.
      I think the border lockdown was way delayed. We could have avoided so much of this situation if everybody wouldn’t repeat in a parrot manner: the risk remains low. Until it wasn’t low, and people started dying.
      We are reopening some places right now and people get it as “it’s pretty much over” and “back to normal” which it by any means isn’t.
      Thanks for visiting! I will return the visit maybe later at night when I’m done with my current work task.

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      1. Good to know you are ok.. And yes we are fortunate in that we have our own home… We are just in the process here in the UK of slightly lifting restrictions.. While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are still in lockdown… We will see how things work out during these difficult times..
        Was lovely chatting again.. ❤ Take care..

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      2. Thanks for your nice comment Sue!
        I am sorry for responding so late. I’ve been busy with painting and garden work.
        You are the boss in your own house and can do whichever pleases you.
        I suppose, every country tries to reopen. It’s going to be long struggle before we get a vaccine, if we get it at all. They were unable to create a vaccine for other coronaviruses, maybe this time, we will get this done.
        Stay well and healthy!

        Liked by 1 person

  4. In our own case here, we have come to terms with the change in life due to the virus. There are positive aspects to it, scaling back, increased frugality, being home more, and paying closer attention to small things. I can’t dwell on the news, but try to stay informed enough for whatever we might need to be aware of.

    What will come at some point is the failure of the power grid, and how long it will be out. It is quite vulnerable, and hackers have already been at it. That day will come. How well we fare without the grid will be the real test.

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    1. I know that if you are not in a crowded area, you’re better off. I was sure, you’d be doing fine.
      Your farm is a nice to place to spend time in isolation.
      I believe the weather over there is nice, too. We just hit the cold record, it was the coldest May temperature on this day since 1939. It feels for a while like winter again, but we are getting warmer soon, hopefully by Friday, there won’t be minus degrees at least.
      I just finished typing a research publication for client in Europe, and I have come to conclusion that the jobs I don’t want at all are computer jobs. It’s horrible. I will try to avoid computers, laptops and typing even more. I rarely use phone, there is no problem with that.
      We are open for all kinds of disasters. It’s always good to live on the ground floor with separate entrance and land around, possibly with some vegetation. That will allow surviving way better.

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  5. BillboardVagabond

    Hi, Happy Mother’s Day to you too. Can’t stress enough what we need to do when it comes to the lockdown. Thanks and much appreciated for sharing

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  6. today I had to learn about some politicians and virologists who got threatened by some maniacs because they were for a lock-down
    unbelievable, what some people are willing to sink down to!”
    you’re very right, people don’t like inconvenience, but how irresponsible and insane some people are willing to be is just amazing

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    1. We haven’t gotten that far yet, but there is a huge dissatisfaction with the preventive measures. Some controlling officers were attacked verbally, maybe even physically. It’s somehow understood that the virus just goes away or the vaccine works and we are all fine very soon, like next month.
      It’s going to be a lengthy period with all kinds of nonsense.
      Facebook is really bad. People post there some completely out of line announcements and then fight among themselves just because they are wrong about everything. We are seeing a big wave of misleading promises and also literary simple dumbness, uneducated guesses and assumptions which cause only friction and have no base whatsoever. I would love there was more simple scientific explanations available for the public because they read some silly guesswork by somebody, who pushes their own concept, and that just takes farther and farther into mystic fields of foretelling the future which isn’t bright by any means at the moment.

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      1. yep
        that’s how it is and that’s why I’m usually just on fb once a years saying thanks for the birthday-wishes
        I recently published 2 posts on CORVID-19
        one about asymptomatic people and one about selenium
        would be interesting to here what you think about that

        Liked by 1 person

  7. krish

    Yes…COVID 19 has set new norms of life…the way if life has changed over past few months…naturally no one was prepared for the pandemic and the effects…even the best of the nations have been found wanting…slowly we are coming to term with the reality…the virus is here to stay and life may not be as it was…we got to adjust…and find a way forward…instead of protesting and trying to go back to the old again…

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    1. Coping with this global situation also reveals that most people nowadays do not use common sense and do not apply it. If we are waiting for somebody to point out what we have to do and give exact protocol for every step, we are already too late. I thought it was enough to have scientific evidence about mechanism of action of this virus, and then we pretty much know what to do. It was announced how it spreads very early. Later, it was made known that this virus causes extreme blood clotting. Numerous articles describe its structure and the way it binds to receptors.
      I was watching on TV how people just get together in crowds, on a beach near Toronto in Canada, not to mention beaches in the States, like Florida, etc., nobody wears a mask, nobody tries to keep any distance, so, we are looking for a trouble.
      I regret seeing how in the States it is not about conquering virus. It’s such a politicized situation there. Well, and numbers show that it’s simply unacceptable. People also like to blame everything, but this time, it is our personal attitude, response and the level of care we take. When everybody pays attention to warnings, observes restrictions, numbers go down. Basically, in this situation, there is a lot every single person can do to stay safe and keep others safe. The question is whether they are willing to.

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