What do we mean when we say, “Back to normal”?
Normal as in what we had before the pandemic? Where poverty and income inequality have people go hungry and without a decent roof over their heads, too often none at all? Where clean and non-toxic water is considered a luxury? Where corporations rule our economy? Where too many people are marginalized because of their skin colour, their gender, their place in society due to their income or lack of?
The pandemic has shown there is a serious need for redistributing wealth. We are seeing that governments can roll out social programs designed to give financial help in a reasonable time line. People have also noticed that something like basic income guarantee can be done and does address the income disparity prevalent in the “old normal”. (Please: studies show that this does NOT make people lazy!)
Suddenly COVID-19 struck and we didn’t have enough people to stock grocery shelves, clean toilets, do truck runs, work on assembly lines in food production, nurture each other (elder and child care etc.), do the basics of feeding and generally looking after each other.
We have been forced to rethink the value of “blue-collar” jobs; that these are essential and should be paid well; that these are worthy of being career choices.
Indeed, getting dirt under our fingernails is just as important as banging a gavel, applying a stethoscope or managing a corporation. This is what should be reflected in our “normal” — a “completely new normal”.
Edith Perry,
Millview
