Living Amidst an Apocalypse

This is an apocalyptic moment.

No, I am not referring to an apocalypse in the sense that the end of the world is nigh. People have predicted that before and have been thoroughly disappointed. There are those in every generation that think the end of the world will happen in their time.

So, no, I am not predicting the end of the world. No, I do not think COVID-19 will be the death of us all. Far from it.

But I do think this is an apocalyptic moment.

‘Apocalypse’ is a Greek word that, for the sake of simplicity, means ‘revelation’. Again, not like the Left Behind version of revelation. Revelation here means to uncover or unveil something that is already existing. Revelation gives us a clearer vision into the way things actually are. An apocalypse is a moment where we more clearly see the truth of our reality.

And I think this moment in time is an apocalyptic moment.

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COVID-19 has spread throughout the world, becoming a pandemic rather quickly, and has effectively caused many countries to cease life as normal. People are being forced to stay indoors, away from work and loved ones, and has interrupted the lives of so many of us. It is a storm that has swept through almost every country, causing global panic in the hopes of saving as many lives as we can.

This is a storm that is affecting every person, but it has not affected every person in the same way. It is one of the revelations this apocalypse is unveiling: that there is gross inequality in our global society.

Think of it like we are all in boats on the ocean. When a storm rolls through, things are going to get rocky no matter what boat you are on. The ocean is a force to be reckoned with, and COVID-19 is the storm we are all trying to survive. Even though we are all experiencing the same storm, suffering from the same winds and buffeting of rain, but some of our boats are better and more secure than others. Some are on massive ships, afforded the safety of being in a large stable structure, able to remain relatively safe. Others are on rafts, exposed to the elements in all of the worst ways.

We are all living through the same storm, but we are not all experiencing it in the same way.

The poorest and most vulnerable around the world are suffering the worst from this pandemic. Many people are unable to work from home, who did not have an income large enough to create a savings in the first place. Many people have pre-existing health conditions that put them at a higher risk of fatality if exposed to the virus. There are many who do not have access to healthcare because of a multitude of reasons and have been unable to seek the care they deserve. Communities of color have been affected at higher rates because of various systemic issues that uniquely affect their communities.

At the same time, the richest have had easy access to healthcare, testing, and already had enough money to survive. Many rich do not even need to go into work to continue to have an income, able to work from home or not even have to work at all. Politicians who we are all waiting on for crucial support go on long breaks for their own safety all the while continuing to get paid while absent.

Let us not be confused here: this is the way the system was designed in the first place. The rich and powerful have always thrived, even amidst tragedies. The poor and oppressed have always suffered, even when things are “normal”.

This is an apocalyptic moment because many of us are beginning to see the gross inequality that has always existed. The pandemic we find ourselves in right now is revealing what was already the truth of our reality: that our systems have been designed the benefit the most powerful and disadvantage the most vulnerable.

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None of this is fair. It never has been. We should be angry.

But I am hopeful that we can begin to see with eyes anew. Perhaps we can begin to imagine a new way of life, one where everyone can benefit. To live in such a way that only a few can thrive while the many suffer is ridiculous, and I think we are beginning to see that our system is unfair.

No, the system is not broken. It is working exactly as it was designed. The beautiful thing about systems, though, is that they can be changed.

Perhaps we can dream together, my friends.