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Part 11: Why are we planning to go back to “normal” anyway? CONTROL
Definition (Control): the power to influence or direct people’s behaviour or the course of events. If you control the narrative you begin to start to build momentum to control the outcome. If it’s in a positive way then it benefits the masses. If not then it benefits a select number of people. When I wrote about respect in the last post I thought it was a moment to acknowledge how a lack of empathy was evident from authority who took it upon themselves to play with public emotions in many ways during recent months. The contradiction of “giving freedoms” to the public during the pandemic is also confounded by the acceleration…
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Part 10: Why are we planning to go back to “normal” anyway? RESPECT
We were told one thing but it turns out it was not true. So was it 1500 deaths in one day in the UK from Covid-19? Was it over 1000 deaths 22 days in a row? What, instead of 909, 800? Who knows? Does one human life matter to the powers that be? Health Manager: “Yes Sir, 1425 people died today” Minister:“What did you say? Around 900?” Health Manager: “Er, no Sir, 1425” Minister: “Could you round it down please?” Health Manager: “Er…down?” Minister:“Yes please! Oh never mind, let’s go for 900 today, thanks!” So, how exactly did it play out? Grandparents, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends…I mean, if you…
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Part 9: Why are we planning to go back to “normal” anyway? CHANGE
Definition (change): an act or process through which something becomes different. I was having a chat with a friend last week and he said, “make it clear what your opinion is!”. I smiled. He knows full well that one thing I want is change. Not just a change of the narrative but tangible actual change. The resistance to change never ceases to surprise me. During lockdown I’ve seen pubs open, clean haircuts and hairstyles on people that could only have been done at a top hair joint, grand picnics of thirty plus in the park and much more. Could we not just pause during a health crisis? Yep, the economy is…
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Part 8: Why are we planning to go back to “normal” anyway? PANDEMIC
Definition: pandemic (of a disease) existing in almost all of an area or in almost all of a group of people, animals, or plants: What do I write about this week? It’s the question I asked myself. There was an air of let the dust settle as I got around to writing this post. I realised that was an easy route out just because I felt a type of mental exhaustion. I’m sitting behind a desk on a comfy seat doing what I enjoy, a bit of writing so why stop? At the same time I cannot dismiss the fragility I’ve felt due to recent events. I only started writing this…
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Part 7: Why are we planning to go back to “normal” anyway? SILENCE
Definition: a state of refusing to talk about something or answerquestions, or a state of not communicating: I remember it more every time I recall it. You could say I was ‘shy’, although it’s not a word I like to use or think is positive to describe a child who was not extrovert. Wayne was my best friend at school for that period of time when things just “clicked”. I cannot even remember why but I do remember the feeling and how we played together at play centre after school. We liked to show we were “ best friends…and boys”. I was always envious because his Dad worked for some…
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Part 6: Why are we planning to go back to “normal” anyway? COMMUNITY
Honesty I thought I would switch from topic to topic in this blog series but realised that current events far and wide have had an influence on me and the lingering thoughts on the murder of George Floyd by a police officer last week in the US is still raw. For now I will continue with a focus on COMMUNITY closer to home but it was important for me to acknowledge this. Simplicity It was just so simple, stay at home. The month of June is where the complications begin. From schools to restaurants to live sport across the country and the world, “normal” is making a powerful comeback. The…