A high level meeting of administrators is in progress, in complete secrecy. Those who have been briefed by the High Command are briefing others. Together, they plan supplies of essential goods and services, disinfection of public places, enforcement of law and order and other related matters.
Locked inside tiny apartments is a bewildered populace, worried about their day-to-day survival. Will they get back to the same lifestyle they have been used to? Will their planned vacation happen in winter? What are the authorities doing to keep them comfortable?
They are responsible citizens who follow rules, work from home, watch TV, surf the internet and then desensitize themselves. They play games on their devices, solve puzzles, participate in inane social media challenges and strongly defend their way of life. They need the dope. Reality is depressing. For how long can one listen to grim forecasts about the economy or mourn a collapsed social life?
Back in the meeting, the convenor says, “Keep them busy. It gives us time to plan the next moves. Let them not know that the lockdown will continue for several weeks, maybe months …”
I wish this was fiction, something on the lines of George Orwell’s 1984 or Animal Farm, but it is not. This is very real.
A few years down the line, we will remember our past life as BC (Before Corona) and AV (After Vaccine).
In the AV part of life, we would have documented medical research, experimental administrative measures, corona-inspired literature and human experience stories. Human Experience Stories will dominate if the current trends in storytelling continue. Everybody will have a story about how they rose to the challenge and managed to return to a semblance of normalcy. I can visualize videos featuring my neighbours, telling me things I did not know about their lives.
Can we do something to change the narrative?
Can we be in a more centralized place where people interact on a single plane, instead of umpteen social media groups?
Can Palava News be that platform?
I read about a doctor in America, who has become a local celebrity with her daily tips on living in a lockdown. We have plenty of experts in various fields – medicine, technology, finance, cookery, art and music who can offer guidance. Many people may be learning how to set up a Zoom Call for work or Google Classrooms for their kids. Can a few people not teach from home?
A few suggestions to start with, till it evolves further:
- List out all suppliers of goods with their location, contact details and mode of delivery
- List out services for repairs and maintenance, online learning, financial planning, counselling and advice
- List out delivery channels
- List out volunteers who help in organizing medical help, supplies, healing and counselling
- Provide a platform for residents to mention their needs. Suppliers or volunteers can get in touch directly.
We need to constitute that team with technical, domain or administrative expertise to deliver this dream.
I am sure the system will evolve into a new social fabric – not divided by fancy names of societies, but a determined population united in difficult times.
I see it happening, people helping each other, but the effort is scattered.
If we can organise it, put it all together, 2021 AV may have brilliant stories of human experience – etched in this gated community called Palava City. There will be a model worthy of being replicated in other communities.
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