Twenty twenty one was a tough year. Here’s my take on how it was:
- The pandemic has changed our lives forever – from the ubiquitous face mask to the crazy angkas shield, the need for constant testing to the heated debate on vaccines, Covid-19 has impacted on our lives in such a scale and so short a time more than any other disease in the history of mankind. It has brought disruption, uncertainty and new fears like no other. And like any crisis, it has been a source of opportunity for some to consolidate more power and wealth unto themselves. But it has also given us a glimpse of how we as a people can overcome this great challenge. In particular, the experience of the community pantries and efforts of various groups to push for a more comprehensive, effective, humane and participatory response to the pandemic provides are shining moments.
- The virtual world has become real – virtual classrooms and meeting rooms, online shopping and work at home arrangements forced on us by the pandemic have fused the virtual world of the internet with our everyday realities. What was once the realm of gamers and social media addicts have become part and parcel of everyone’s world. This uber convenience and hyper living comes with a price. Its impact not only on the economy but on social relationships and mental health will be profound, to say the least. Especially in the post-truth world of social media, where narratives and virality matter more than facts, our lives are likely to get more disconcerting. It’s both exciting and frightening.
- TikTok is life – in a world battered by climate change and the pandemic and overwhelmed with too much information, the truth has been reduced to a 20-second clip. Some say if you’re not on TikTok, you don’t exist. All of a sudden, long walks, long talks, spending time doing things together seem like a memory from a distant past. If it’s not done in 20 seconds, bye.
- Democracy is in peril – well, we already actually knew that. The combined failures and disenchantments of the post-EDSA regimes enamoured Duterte to our people. But with the son of a former fascist dictator and the daughter of a wanabee dictator now leading the presidential and vice-presidential race and promising to continue the legacies of their fathers, it will get worse. Unless we get our act together, it will be another six years of tyranny. Maybe it’s time to put on my pink facemask.
- Home still matters – in the face of so many upheavals in our lives, home is still where the action is. As a parent of two teenage sons, I feel that more than ever, the home has become a battleground for the right values and outlooks necessary to survive and navigate our changing realities. Nothing new in this except that with the virtual world invading every inch of the house – from the bedroom to the bathroom – home and family life has become a bigger challenge. In the era of Goggle, what can you teach to your kids that they don’t already know? I guess your life experience. And what better way to share this than telling them stories and living by example every single day starting at home, when we’re not on our gadgets.
*featured photo courtesy of Reuters, Nikkei Asia website
Teddy Casiño 