Hope is a subjective phenomenon that is not present at uniformly in all human beings.
Hope ascends from our inner self but certainly is dependent on external factors too.
It is transcendental in nature and attracts human attention at the time of crisis.
Crisis carries pain and suffering, and hope is the only thing preparing us for facing the realities of dark times.
It makes hope experiential in nature that tests our capacities to hold onto our problems and resolving them,
Pandemics and Epidemics have shaped human history and impacted the psyche of mankind in different ways,
Narratives of enduring cases of epidemics connect us to the state of adversities, and the importance of ‘health and medicine’ emerges as a discipline for curing diseases,
On the other hand, the constant struggle of survival is imbibed within the phenomena of ‘hope’ keeping us alive for ourselves and our close ones.
Sociology and Psychology are disciplines which focus on the normative and socio-political implications of the term ‘Hope’,
One’s socioeconomic position, level of consciousness, and most importantly one’s mindset impacts one’s mental and physical compositions which assist in overcoming a catastrophe.
Certainly, pandemics do not differentiate individuals on caste, class, religion, and community, but society internally grade individuals and positions them into a set of hierarchies,
A singular sin which is grappling all of us today is accepting the notion- ‘I don’t know, we don’t know and I am unable to say’ and saying it to yourself standing in front of the mirror and to others as well.
Our anxieties and insecurities do not let us accept that- the challenge is not only to fight this invisible enemy but is to question where are we going wrong while building our conscience and having a pseudo optimistic blindfold in front of our eyes.
Our anxieties somehow lead us to be impervious to the victims of COVID 19 which further stigmatizes them. But, we all fear that someday we could also be the carriers or the sufferers of the virus.
Hopelessness and pessimism in the history of world pandemics added burden in the form of psychological trauma which I am sensing nowadays;
There is a decline in our value systems and our solidarity is breaking.
I wonder what attitudes we will have towards each other once the lockdown is completely lifted and we retrieve back to our respective domains.
Do we socially boycott those who sneeze and cough publicly? Do we question every one sitting or standing next to us if they are a carrier of Corona? Will masks and hand sanitizers become a trend and fashion, apart from the necessity of accepting someone in society?
These questions emphatically haunt me as once we are out and are apprehensive about what we are going to confront in this changing world,
For confronting this changed social world, why don’t we focus more on our self-reflexivity and prepare ourselves to be cautious yet grounded with warmth and compassion,
We don’t need self-regarding vigilance to fight this virus with and any upcoming pandemics if there are any.
Speaking sociologically, the social structure of any society and web of interactions happening in that very structure components requires consensus and inter-dependence on each other, that will be the basis of ‘hope in humanity’,
Without social interactions, our identities have no value. You construct identity in the reflexive and reciprocal zone marked by the presence of ‘others’,
Endure and understand your fears, we don’t fear dying as much the fear of dying alone and isolated and this is something which we all agree upon.
Give it a thought.
Be humble and serene, the world is not ending!
-Bhawna Shivan
Bhawna Shivan is an Assistant Professor at Department of Sociology, Bharati College, DU. She is pursuing Ph.D. from CSSS/SSS, JNU, Delhi. Her interest areas include caste and mobility, identity and popular culture, and social science research studies.
