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Thread: Horizons.

  1. #1
    MANICHAEAN MANICHAEAN's Avatar
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    Horizons.

    Horizons.

    If life begins at the end of one's comfort zone, then this was it. He was now into the 8th week of 12 in lockdown and self-isolation; embedded albeit involuntarily, in this strange new disease of modern life.

    If one was obliged to describe him, he was a person and face, of strong natural insignificance, though adorned in the first style of fashion. Halfway between boring and having potential.

    He had originally planned for long haul trips to exotic locations in 5-star hotels with cool crisp linen sheets and hot women. Now it was the very dog-day of inertia. You could not even get a taxi to the airport; and even if you did, were there flights, and did you have to go into quarantine upon arrival?

    It can be argued that occasionally the safest place for something is to be out of control; with the only veil standing between perception of what is beneath the desolate surface being your courage. You have to find out what you love and let it kill you. Let it drain from you your all. Let it kill you, and let it devour your remains.

    But in a mundane manner you are restrained by pure logistics, and thus he was obliged, under protest to remain within his personal bubble of existence. Reports on the TV, (now no longer Brexit), were all Covid 19, with increasing trends noted in mental health and domestic violence. But he lived alone, and in the conversation, he had with the kettle on Monday, he was bearing up well.

    Some benefits had become apparent. No more cold calls from Mumbai. Perhaps they were sick? Nobody ringing the doorbell when you were halfway through a bath. Less pollution and noise, apart from the birds who seemed to now start their morning chorus at obscenely early hours.

    The gyms were closed and so he dug out the Jane Fonda workout video with commendable aspirations and questionable results.

    Overseas, the pandemic seemed to reflect the mental composition and governmental status of respective societies.

    Russia had huge daily new cases, but few deaths? North Korea had none!! The Philippines had few deaths, but had immersed themselves between “end is nigh scenarios,” and copious pleas to the Almighty. The USA meanwhile was betwixt and between the drama of an entire nation polarized into political dualism, with horrific potential scenarios.

    Elsewhere he noted, that as has been so often the case in historical crisis, it had brought out the best and the worst in people. Small acts of kindness were in general submerged by the human imperative to sink to the lowest common denominator in man's prejudices and find a scapegoat. Mexicans and Muslims, blacks and those of the Jewish faith were out of fashion and the focus switched to the easy target of China bashing.

    He pondered, that if there was such a thing as the corporeity of the soul, why was it so lacking in logic and empathy?

  2. #2
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
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    When I read this story, I sensed some sort of boredom of the narrator, and I wanted to say some hopeful words to him but...

    The fact is that reality is very tough at present, specially here in Brazil were we have ascending curves of Corona-19. And I think in UK the situation is also not the best, even with the efforts of the disheveled Prime Minister.

    But we are, after all, in the realm of fiction, were almost everything is possible and the narrator isn´t devoid of resources or fantasy. One can always travel around ones room with Xavier de Maistre,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xavier_de_Maistre, and one can imagine landscapes as so many authors did. It is possible also to improve ones abilities in writing, cooking, home exercises and even room redecoration.

    And, most important, in these crazy times: by staying at home one protects one´s own and other lives.

    And tomorrow is another day.
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

  3. #3
    MANICHAEAN MANICHAEAN's Avatar
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    Hi Danik

    Thanks for the boost and the recommended reading. I will definitely pursue further.

    Regards the pandemic; I read that Brazil, especially Sao Paulo is in the eye of the storm at the moment. In the UK we seem to be past the worst and are on the downward curve, though the number of deaths is significant.

    I read the other day about the increase in mental illness caused by the various lockdowns and self-isolations, and thought myself sufficiently robust not to suffer in such manner. But an unwelcome general feeling of unease pervades.

    Apparently the psychiatric profession even has a name for it now, “temporal disintegration.”

    They describe this weird time, or trauma in our lives as "an infinite present," which feels pretty accurate. There are no future plans, no anticipation of travel or shows or events or celebrations. It's an endless today, never tomorrow. People lose track of time when the future is in question. The continuity from the past to the future is gone.

    Take care
    M.

  4. #4
    On the road, but not! Danik 2016's Avatar
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    Hi, Manichean,
    I am glad that UK seems to have passed it´s peak.
    Yes, we are in the eye of the storm, and one doesn´t know if we have reached the peak or if worse is coming.
    I know what you mean with "an in (de) finite present". It is a kind of imprisonment, albeit voluntary and in our usual environment, surrounded by our familiar things and with internet, something that is crucial for me at this moment. What I do in order not to panic, sometimes, is to think of other things, even irrelevant ones.

    Any one has his own defenses, I think, specially we older ones, who have lived through other crises. And there are those, who have to brave pandemics every day so that we can stay at home in safety.

    It will pass as everything passes,

    Take good care of yourself and stay healthy
    "I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
    Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row

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