I read recently that certain Indian celebrities were trolled and even made to apologize for posting pictures of themselves enjoying with their children / leading a life of privilege while millions were suffering during this horrible COVID19 lockdown. Talking to friends about it, I realized that even they had stopped posting happy pictures of food and their family life because they were hurt by comments pointing out how others were suffering right now.
I disagree with that line of thought.
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| Breakfast a few days ago was pancakes with passion fruit syrup and kiwi fruits. |
COVID19 is the latest of what has been a never-ending stream of disasters - natural and ideology-induced - that has plagued millions in India alone. The people who can see these posts are those who are themselves privileged to have access to an internet and can afford to spend time on frivolous social media apps like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. People like you and I. The ones who suffer the most today are the ones who have least access to these 'luxuries.'
The difference between COVID19 and the Australian bushfires or a religious pogrom is that this time, it affects you. That is all. And so, suddenly, what someone else does is seen as a privilege even though they have been posting these pictures for months during other disasters.
Mainstream media as it exists today is divided between inciting hatred and showcasing suffering. My whole 'Heroes of Kindness' series where I actively search for and showcase kind acts by normal people around the world originated from the fact that I gave up on the media showing positive stories.
Now, more than ever, the world needs positive posts.
We need the funny baby pictures, the flawed & fabulous cooking attempts and the pics of bygone vacations. We need pictures of families together and anecdotes of how couples met and fell in love. We need TV show reviews and childhood pictures. Dog pics, cat pics, even pet snake pics - we need them all. And oh yes, we need the memes, silly and smart alike.
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| Home-made mini cheesecakes - kiwi, passion fruit, mango and mixed berries. |
For you, it may be nothing. But for someone, this may be the only positive thing that see all day on their timeline. Yes, it is a vicarious living but it is enough to get someone through one more bad day... to hold to till good days come.
I know. Because I am a living example of that.
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| What positivity would you get seeing pictures of me bearing the scars of a tight suffocating N95 mask as I look after people in the ICU, wondering if they will be alive a week from now? |
Understand this - showcasing your happiness while mocking someone's pain is definitely wrong. Showcasing your happiness is not. There is a clear difference.
Authors note
Earlier posts I have written for Wordless Wednesday include:
02. Have You Ever Had Pain During Surgery? (Medical)
03. Beautiful Desserts (Food)
04. A Dish I did not Expect to Like (Food)
05. What Show is this Dog Watching?! (Pets)
03. Beautiful Desserts (Food)
04. A Dish I did not Expect to Like (Food)
05. What Show is this Dog Watching?! (Pets)
06. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie (Pets)
07. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning (Philosophy)
08. What if Gods were just Advanced Aliens? (Religion)
07. Pavlov's Classical Conditioning (Philosophy)
08. What if Gods were just Advanced Aliens? (Religion)
11. What is Your Favourite Coffee (Food)
12. 2 milliliters (Medicine)
13. What is an Amuse Bouche (Food)
16. The Unique Bubble Nest of the Betta Fish (Pets)
17. The world needs positive posts during the #COVID19 lockdown, not less (Controversial)
Rightly said Doc. There are all sorts of people in the world and one cannot please everyone.
ReplyDeleteTime is such that one needs to take care of self and when we talk about health it also means at mental and soul level. The SM is full of fun, lively posts and its kind of keeping many motivated and busy.
Just like there is two side of a coin, there is another side of the situation too. We all know of it and many are doing their bit for them in whatever capacity...... but like they say "everyone has a life to live"
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what you wrote here. People need to laugh or at least smile to bear the hardships of life. Even if they are not aware of it, they need to see beautiful and good things.
With our blogs we can do a lot in this regard.
I'm glad you visited my blog and gave me the opportunity to meet yours.
Health and joy!
I'm so glad you wrote about this, Roshan and it's an honour that you choose to express so on #WW. I had seen your post on the same on Social Media and it made so much sense.
ReplyDeleteI had seen some of those patronising messages and yes, they did make me pull back too. Not so much on social media as I don't post a lot there, but otherwise.
Thanks for writing this note. It helps to hear the other side of the story and that too, from a person from the health care fraternity, toiling in the hospital day in and day out.
Can so understand how food, or any happy pictures, a light moment here or there and a memory are the only glimmer of hope.
Stay safe Roshan. Keeping you in my prayers.
https://natashamusing.com/2020/05/speeches-with-the-skies-and-trees-wordless-wednesday-wednesday-wisdom-natasha-musing/
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