Avdhesh Jha
The world with terror of COVID-19 having the power and
strength to attack the human body, mind and soul is in critical phase of health
and hygiene. In this 21st century, when the human ambition and
strife leads the human mind to far of galaxies and planets; directly or
indirectly, this micro COVID-19 has affected the whole world in such a way that
the world is shocked and shattered with its terror. The fast spread of this
virus has attacked the human existence and its harmony but human is no less to
raise itself in any situation. China, the first infected country, with its readiness
to control the virus strongly adhered to complete isolation and thus recommends
isolation to the world. The lessons from China depicts that with due care and
strong adherence of control on movement by each individual, this virus can
exist no more. China did it and still adheres to it with utmost care and
severity and on the same lines, to avoid any similar painful event. To avoid
similar situation, well in advance India posited controls with lock down. Every
event has two sides and so has this event. This painful and panicking event is
not at all good but this terror and trauma of the human mind and world has also
added to the human, society and world. Whether the cognitive, psychomotor or
the affective domain of human, COVID 19 has impacted each domain and all types
of human health. Whereby it has threated the human existence, it helped the
human to ponder on his requirements and achievements. The little COVID 19 with
its spurious and speedy reach to the world affected the human as an individual
physically, mentally, morally, ethically, emotionally, socially, economically
and spiritually whereas it affected the world with respect to development,
economy, socialism, ethics and spiritualism but simultaneously it added to the
spirit of the human and the world and led to the rethinking for its development
and the real requirements.
With the observations from the revealed data depicting
2-4% mortality rate, COVID 19 is not the only dangerous one but yet as of now
the world treats it as the most dangerous. Along with its extreme contagious
capacity, the media as a tool of technological development and its reach and accessibility
to each home and individuals across the globe is the reason of the terror
created in each human mind. Whereas the ignorance, fake ego, reputation and the
lack of control of human mind is also responsible for the reach of this virus
to every part of the world even the human bitterness lead with arrogance,
hatred, discrimination and difference within the society is responsible for the
spread of this virus. The COVID 19 because of the technological development,
ignorance, lack of control of mind and bitterness proved to be the mightiest
just because of its transmission speed, rapid multiplication, its contagious
ability and fastest spread, its ignorance among the people, authorities and
government and the inefficiency of the system to setback the COVID 19 which created
the hype and exaggeration of COVID 19 and turned this situation as the battle
and even worse. It is this hype and exaggeration that turned it as a grave
battle which seemed as a world war and at a later stage turned as a war against
humanity. In a way, the lack of preparedness of the system added to the spread
and transmission of the so called mighty and gigantic little corona. It was
this time that presented the ability of the human towards the different types
of human health. It was observed that most of the people suffered from physical
health and others suffered from emotional and mental health. The COVID 19 with
its negative energy and power created lot of differences and enforced human to
keep away of human. When the sympathy and empathy was required, the human
driven by the force of their safety and security and ignorance about its cure
turned weird and selfish. Whereby the infected and the sufferers might have
been looked upon with mercy at most places they were treated as the species
endangering the humanity or as if the COVID 19 itself. The lack of medical
facilities rendered the human helpless and even forced the government to turn insensible
and cruel towards many. This turned to be the time of politics for many
merciless inhuman newsmongers who abused the technology and added to the uproared
fake news which spurred with all its might because of the individuals spreading
it by sharing it to many without its authentication.
Whereas a little of common sense, care, courage,
caution, control, discipline, patience, hope, selfless action, trust and humane
was required in most cases it was turned to need gratification carelessness, restlessness,
recklessness, uncontrol, indiscipline, impatience, despair, selfishness,
distrust, and being inhumane. The mad-self started with the fight for life but
soon because of the poverty and the unsatisfied needs for existence turned it
to be a fight of livelihood for the satisfaction of their basic needs. This
need oriented people suffering the terror of poverty, ignorance, illiteracy,
lack of understanding of value of life and lack of basic needs had only choice
to join the fight for the satisfaction of their basic needs. Its pity the
number of such fighters was huge enough to turn this fight as a war and thus
willingly they opted, joined and supported this everlasting, all time existing fierce
war without any weapon and if at all it was only their spirit to survive.
To better understand the way of thinking under such
circumstances a research was conducted to study the impact of COVID 19. The
objective of the research comprised to study the thinking process of the
individuals undergoing crisis, study the stages of thinking process for the
crisis management and to study the impact of the crisis on human, needs, media,
health, economy and humanity. In-depth interviews were conducted in four groups
with about 200 people. Based on the satisfaction of basic needs as such food,
water, clothes and other life requirements, the research sample was divided in
two groups – one who were self-suffice i.e. had a stock to satisfy their basic
needs and others who suffered to have a stock of basic needs. The model thus is
based on the assumption that the society is divided in two groups - with stock
of basic needs (WSBN) and without stock of basic needs (WoSBN) which turns to
be the limitation of the model. It was observed that the lack of psychology,
social and human factors impacted the life badly. This mix of these impacting
factors may be termed as Psychosomane. A mix of the word’s psychology, social
and human; Psychosomane relates to the interrelation of social factors,
individuals thought and behaviour and the aspects of humanity on the way
towards being human. The analysis of the thought process showed the presence of
different characteristics in both the groups which was presented in hierarchy.
Whereas the hierarchy of WSBN presented security, assurance, acceptance,
adjustment, aweful for law, caution, common sense, care, control, discipline,
patience, courage, responsibility, hope, trust and lead towards humanity; the hierarchy
of WSBN depicted insecurity, worry, rejection, maladjustment, fearlessness of
law, risk, need gratification, carelessness, uncontrol, indiscipline,
impatience, restlessness, helplessness, despair and distrust which lead towards
just being inhuman. Unfortunately, this battle against COVID 19 which started
for life, only with the lock down turned to be a battle for livelihood because
of which many lost their lives. Accordingly, the psychosomane characteristics
were categorised in different stages of psychosomane crisis of two conflicting
forces. Howsoever when an individual reconciles in a particular stage, they
enter into other stage with two conflicting forces. Overall, the
characteristics with similar virtue, like reasons for cause and like
determining factors were placed in same group and accordingly the following stages
of psychosomane crisis was presented in hierarchy (from lower to higher) as
follows:
Hierarchy of Psychosomane Crisis
1. Security Vs.
Insecurity
2. Preparedness
Vs. Limitations
3. Assurance Vs.
Worry
4. Acceptance Vs.
Rejection of situation
5. Adjustment Vs.
Maladjustment
6. Aweful of Law
Vs. Unaweful of law
7. Caution Vs.
Risk
8. Common Sense
Vs. Need Gratification
9. Care Vs. Carelessness
10. Control Vs.
Uncontrol
11. Discipline Vs.
Indiscipline
12. Patience Vs.
Impatience
13. Courage Vs.
Restlessness
14. Responsibility
Vs. Helplessness
15. Life Vs.
Livelihood
16. Hope Vs.
Despair
17. Pleasure Vs.
Pain
18. Confidence Vs.
Conceited
19. Trust Vs.
Distrust
20. Commitment Vs.
discontentment
21. Humane Vs.
Inhumane
In this fight with the virus, people started with the
idea of security with positivity towards life but only a few reached towards
end. Those with life and the ability to survive because of economic support
ended up at live vs. livelihood. Others because of lack of economic support
ended up with helplessness and some of them even loosed life. At this time
there were only a few who behave normally and ended up with humane. It was
unfortunate that the crisis started with selection of life but many had to
think for livelihood and many lost their lives. In any situation, the
collection in the form of donation has turned very common but simultaneously we
should also think for the people around us who with their hard work have been
striving for live.
Impact of COVID 19 on human: The
most terrible impact of COVID 19 was seen on human. With the lockdown was
posited several controls and the same aroused several questions. The curiosity
didn’t allow the human to keep away from the media and news whereas the
livelihood didn’t allow many to rest at ease. It was only this situation that
asked the human to think of life and livelihood and most people selected life.
The fear of the control forced the people for hoardings and the shops turned
empty within hours. The slave of the need, requirements and the necessities;
the human; took all that what was required and even those that was not
required. Capitalism proved to be a motivating factor and people bought all
that what money could buy. The quick and unexpected decision by the government
and its vicarious presentation by media and misinterpretation by people created
a chaos. Capitalism spurred and livelihood requirement hailed for those who had
money. But the poorest sight was for the poor people and the daily wages
workers. They also loved life but left with nothing, neither the livelihood nor
the stay, these poor people chose to move back out of fear of dying by starving.
It was this decision that created lakhs of people taking risk and ultimately
joining the shelter homes. It proved that more than corona was the fear of their
existence in the lockdown.
With the concept of social distancing and the
multi-faceted rumours about corona added with the infections of the
differences; the distrusted people with the fear of their endangered life
removed all the household workers which staked the life of these household
workers yearning for their livelihood. The infections of the presentation and
mis-presentation; the interpretation and mis-interpretation turned viral and created
a chaos and humanity came to a standstill with no one for none and none for even
anyone. It impacted the human to avoid face to face socialism, sharing, caring
and added to people suspecting others as corona positive, treating others as
untouchable and looking every other with prejudiced eye. It enabled many to invest
time, exploring other opportunities especially in education it spurred with online
classes. It further added to family togetherness, thinking about real need
positing the question as such how much we need, what is truth, how useful are
the materialistic pleasures etc. For India COVID 19 added to spreading
religionism, spiritualism; cherishing the time with what you like. The concept
of work from home in most cases was abusive because young children expect
parents to help them accompany but parents were busy reporting their offices
creating a negative impact amongst the children. Nonetheless, COVID 19 added to
the homeliness, family togetherness and oneness. Those who had work from home were
troubled with reporting and generating business whereas others were busy to think
and strive about how to spend time mostly with TV news, social sites, calling a
friend on phone, or with giving their presence to net flix and prime video etc.
Whereas removing the workers without caring for them was a problem for the
workers, it also turned a problem for each family and also a boon because it
was only this time when each household had to work on his own which in turn
added to their physical health and to their attitude towards their worker.
Impact on needs: With
complete lock down and the opening of only a few essential services, COVID 19
let human have the opportunity of survival with restrictions. COVID 19 posited
strong controls. Those who could control their habits restricted their needs
and proved themselves powerful others had to pay a lot for their habits. These
payers boosted the market for their needs and nearly most of the people
satisfying their needs earned huge profits. COVID 19 presented different facets
of human with collectivism, hoarding, black marketing, profiteering etc. but
there were some who served the society neutrally. Whereas the virus presented
the threat, it was sad that even this situation was looked upon as a business
proposition which presented the poor picture of inhumane by the human. It
presented the degradation and devaluation of values and humanity.
Impact of Media: With
infomedia, in this era of science and technology, media is the backbone of the
society. Media is a source of guide and information. And thus, it has the responsibility
to validate the news before sharing. Because of the popular social sites
keeping the people busy to share the information, today most of the people have
turned a media man but without any sense of duty and responsibility. The
competition amongst the newsmongers to be the first one to share the news and
picture created a chaos as the messages were mis-represented and mis-interpreted.
These newsmongers created a chaos by sharing the news without any facts and
validation which created misfodemic. Misfodemic here means misinformation
epidemic. The reporting of the same news about COVID 19 created a terror and
trauma amongst the people who kept updating themselves with the virus and its
impact on the society. These were the one to consider everyone suffering from
corona and looked upon them with hatred. A little irresponsible behaviour by
the newsmongers of the social sites and some media created several problems to
the innocent people from the community. Not restricting the misfodemic to the
community, it created competition among the rulers and ministers to use the
social sites and news channels to post themselves as the first one to take
steps. It was pity politicians took this tragic event as opportunity of popularity.
Social sites were the one to add to the misfodemic which further added to the
mis-interpretations and forced people to take the steps which were strongly
prohibited. COVID 19 thus presented a huge virus infecting the people at large with
distrust and thus promoting the uncurable misfodemic at the cost of trust
merely for small and temporal gains against humanity.
Impact on health:
COVID 19 cursed the human health badly. Not restricting to physical health and
death, it impacted the mental, social, emotional, economical and spiritual
health of human. The misfodemic was not restricted to the human but reached the
societal health and cursed the mental, social and economic health of the countries
within and amongst their partner countries. To help the people follow the lock
down, most of the countries tried all that could attract the people to keep at
home and thus follow lock down. This gave the opportunity to promote culture
and spiritualism with the popular TV shows telecasting it again. Indeed, it
added to culture and spiritualism but it’s unfortunate the goodness remains for
a short while whereas the misfodemic was working all the time affecting the
societal health and damaging the human health for which there could hardly be
any vaccines. Its pity, with this most common and most dangerous misfodemic,
having the capacity to harm the generations with its infection, there is no
hospitalisation, for the wound is unseen but the unseen wound has its deep and
stained marks on body, mind and soul. Because the symptoms of this infection are
not described medically there is no hospitalisation, no seriousness and so no
chance for any vaccine.
Impact on economy:
The repercussion of COVID 19 brought complete closure to the industry, business
and trade and thus impacted the economy negatively. There was no individual and
no country that was left without the impact of this virus on its economy. The
economy with respect to GDP maybe addressed and compensated sooner or later but
the impact of the suffering of the people and the country and its impact on
happiness of the people and the country could hardly be economised and
compensated at any point of time.
Impact of humanity: With
the wild messages spread by the newsmongers, peoplr abhorred talking vegetables
from the vegetable vendors not only creating huge losses to them but also prompting
them to starve to death. The people out of their fear and helplessness took
huge risks and some lost even their dearer members which would remain a
lifetime tragedy and pain for them. Its sad on the part of the society too that
missed its duty and pledge towards humanity. Whereas the posited lock down of
COVID 19 with the imposed control was an opportunity to assess the patience,
perseverance, creativity, duty, responsibility and commitment of an individual
towards their family, state and nation; COVID 19 also posited thinking about real
need, how much we need, what is truth and how useful are the materialistic
pleasures. Because of misfodemic and thus the lack of patience many people
suffered and many had to pay with their lives. Most people, most countries lost
hope and went in despair. Indeed, it was the loss of humanity, humanity
suffered because of the inhumane humane. The lust for power and greed for
richness slayed the humanity and human (in the name of COVID 19) slaughtered
both human and humanity.
Pros and cons of COVID 19: COVID
19 questioned the medical and psychosomane readiness of the countries to face
such a situation. It threatened and challenged the developed countries boasting
about GDP with the best infrastructure, instructional facilities, human
resources, industrial development and technology that were hardly able to cope
up with COVID 19. It prompted the countries to assess their health and medical
facilities and its related infrastructure. With COVID 19 were posited several
restrictions as a precautionary step. Whereas some self-locked themselves,
others were forced by the system to lock down and follow the lock out. Indeed,
this imposition was a terror for the people. Several were panicked with lock
down whereas some behaved wise. Unfortunately, people took a long time to
understand why system forced the closure of schools and colleges for students.
Although this step was not well understood by the managers but it created new
opportunities for many which initiated the application of technology to
education. With several threats as such ability to bear the stress of lock down
and its control; the stress of the meetings about the economic betterment of
the organisation; the unending debate about the effectiveness of the online or
virtual classes; expectation of the authorities from the teachers to prepare
the case study, research papers and innovative lessons etc.; mental health of
teachers and employees; the stress of the mental health and its worth to write
papers and do much in this panic situation;the mental health of the people with
different SES; miscommunication; stress of fake news on popular social sites;
politicisation of the news and creating differences; the trauma of the daily
wage workers and its possible causes and outcome; the mindset of the people
towards other fellow beings; stress of being human to anyone coughing and
sneezing; the stress of ability of being human at the idea of risking life; the
stress of the idea of our development with respect to our own health etc.
posited a lot to the society and its balance turning it more unbalanced. Such
an unbalance urges for rethinking about the luxury, leisure, high GDP,
technological development and best infrastructure as indicators of development.
It further seeks clarification if even the society of the developed country has
the capability to safeguard its human health and societal health to this
pandemic.
For most of the employee - the backbone of the
organisation; this debate of the organisational heads caring for their
organisational economic well-being vs. those caring their employees’ health
arose. The terror of reporting twice by the employees even in teaching field
along with the proof of work done was a horrifying mental state. The debate
about fake news, the social sites abuse, politicisation of news, self-publicity
at the cost of corona terror, declining humanity were very common but just
remained unanswered. Such situation asks the society to assess if humanity
prevails and that if economy is the only need for human development? It also
questions the physical, social, mental, emotional, aesthetical or spiritual
health of the societal members and asks to check the same when we are self-locked.
With increasing terror and trauma of COVID 19, even though the honourable Prime
Minister of India emphasized humanity without fear of economic consequences, its
pity that institutes are busy following their protocols selfishly, some of
which has affected and impacted the name and fame of country badly. COVID 19 awakens
us about poor medical infrastructure and facilities and lack of preparedness of
the countries towards this situation. This pandemic proved that technology can also
be an option to education.
Most of the countries have
their own history of freedom. Yet we have failed to understand the importance
of freedom and so still we are not free. We are the slaves of prevailing
inequality, differences of color, race, religion, gender, power, capitalism,
technological development etc. Each minute some powerful is killing the
humanity and so we are still not free. The tiny corona challenging the mankind
has proven its might now and all the mankind is suffering. The race of proving
the worth with materialistic development initiated by an ignorant is now the
race of the world because of insecurity amongst the others.
Any country is the land of
people of passionate love, and faith. Today technological advancement is not a
major issue for any country rather expansion and its reach to all, is
important. Rather than Bullet Train Project the humanitarian projects are
important. Rather than the investment in high speed train the countries need
the investment for loving and caring heart and brain. The issues for upliftment
of declining humanity, life and its safety are important. The small corona posited
a lot threat and shackled the world and all its aspect. It questioned the
developing countries and the mankind about its so-called development and
challenged the readiness of the world for any such sudden event and cause. Infact
it has awakened the world. It rests up to us, how we take it.The attraction and
run for creation of tallest statues as wonders of world are just becoming a
tourist sight and will remain meaningless with pictures in the mobile phones.
The need is valuing the value. The nations can just boast of its development on
the basis of its economy and GDP but for the fact this doesn’t indicate the
real development. The real development lies not in giving the concept of Global
village but lies in turning this concept practical and real. It should not
remain a concept to study but be converted to real situation to feel and enjoy.
All we need to do is to manufacture humanity, to produce and consume humanity,
develop equality. To reach Mars is not tough but to add and prevail humanity
and be prepared for any such situation is real development.
The furious and grave COVID-19 pandemic may look to be a serious matter
as of now but along with it has entered more furious, more grave and most
dangerous virus of misinformation which spreads without any control across the
globe within no time and impacts the world negatively misleading each one with
the differences that creates distrust towards each other and turns each of them
more selfish, lonely and inhuman. Like the fast spread of the corona epidemic
termed as pandemic this fast spread of misinformation, maybe termed as the
misfodemic is the most dreary and scary. Unaware of the facts and its cure, the
people keep loitering with the false information and keep surrounded with its
spread and reach troubling themselves with nothing, for nothing. The power of
social sites, science and technology is much required here to let truth prevail
and the fake or the false to perish. Whether it is physical, social, mental,
aesthetical, economical or spiritual health of the human, this misfodemic with
its ease of reach and access to all human endangers each type of human health
and harms it badly creating distrust all around. This in turn infects the
society. Thrilled falsehoods full of wild conspiracy towards a caste,
community, society, state, nation and other countries are the waves that fill
in the air to damage the mind and thought process of all those inhaling it whether
knowingly or unknowingly. Media and people say it’s the videos that getting
viral but for the fact it’s the spurring abundant envy, jealousy and hatred spreading
and getting viral and infecting the people mentally with such a strong impact
as to infect several generations. This is the time science should be awakened
strongly, technology supported social sites should spur with dissemination of facts
infecting the human with lessons of love and humanity, and most importantly the
developer of the viruses of the differences be punished without any mercy.
The impact of this pandemic on the human mind is severe. I am sure, this
pandemic will end soon but I am afraid the consequences might be very tough. Even
after the end of this pandemic, it would be difficult for the parents to send
their ward to school. There are chances that many of them will change their
idea of lavishness and will restrict their needs. It may lead to abhorring the
brands, less outing, less show off which may affect the economy badly.
Socialism may also be affected and impacted and people may choose to limit
themselves only to a few by restricting the size of family, relatives and
friends. Although human has the benefit of boon of forgetfulness but till the
individuals forget it will take not less than a year to turn the things normal
and socialism is such which once affected is likely to create the walls
permanently. Precautions are must but precautionary measures should not be an
attack on the livelihood of the hard-working people because they are the equal
member of society and their progress or regress will equally affect us. The
messages must be must be softly and smoothly. Necessary care and precaution
should be taken that any message should not affect any innocent. Sooner or
later, the vaccine of COVID 19 maybe found and maybe one or two doses of this
vaccine will develop the stamina to resist the disease but the virus of
distrust created by the misfodemic cannot be healed, cured or vaccinated by any
medicine. The only way is preserving the trust, developing the trust and
transmitting the trust for one and all irrespective of the political, economic,
individual selfish gains whether for power or position of an individual or the
country. This trust should exist within and between the individual,
communities, states and countries. It’s only this trust that can add to
humanity and turn world a true global village. With a hope that trust prevails
and humanity hails, I am sure each home will be quarantined with COVID 19 but I
hope and wait for the world where each home and mind are quarantined with the
fastest virus that create differences amongst the human and endanger the
existence of humanity on this beautiful paradise.
With a hope of best for the mankind, appreciating and paying tribute to
all those who have supported this fight against corona directly or indirectly,
I am sure this article will enlighten the potential researchers and the society
as well it will help us all ponder about the real idea of development which
starts with the health whether physical, social, mental, emotional, aesthetical
or spiritual and ends with humanity.
References:
Acknowledgement
I
am grateful to Dr. Asha Thokchom, Dr. A. K. Kulshrestha, Dr. Bharti Venkatesh, Dr.
Rajesh Sharma, Dr. Rajshri Vaishnav, Dr. Lalima Singh, Dr. Rajesh Gupta and all
the people under the study for their valuable information and support.