Since the Covid-19 pandemic, people have time on their hands because of the forced quarantine for most of us.
I don't know about you but I've had lots of time to do things; start new projects or pick up old ones, but I haven't done anything and I know a lot of people in the same position. Why is that? I have no idea, but for me it's probably that I'm simply lazy. Of course I could say that I lack motivation (which is true) and need someone to push me (which is also true), but sadly, I fear that laziness is my true vocation. I have been inspired by those parents who have stepped up to the mark and taken over their children's education. I am in awe of those that sit for hours with jigsaw puzzles (I do love a good puzzle but only when I feel in the mood) or diamond painting (I can't get my head around that as it drives me crazy just watching someone do it). I am envious of those that can knit/crochet/sew (not enough though to want to practice to get good at it). Please tell me that I'm not the only one who sits around all day simply doing nothing of much importance (well, apart from eating of course, but that's a different matter entirely - isn't it?).
The year has been one long slog. Those working in vital employment have risen to the challenge over and over again and are to be commended for their work ethic and diligence. There has been food shortages, panic buying (what did people think they were doing when buying all those toilet rolls?) and people claiming there is no pandemic. Of course we have a culture of blame too. Probably the hardest thing to overcome has been the mental issues that Covid-19 has wrought. Even the most stout hearted must have at some point began to feel cut off and despondent that nothing will be the same again. I have definitely felt the isolation and grieved for the loss of physical touch (I love giving - and accepting - hugs, and have missed them), not to mention that living alone brings its own set of problems at a time like this. I am not the greatest fan of Facebook (but sadly addicted to it) but without it I would have lost the plot entirely. That, and Netflix (I don't have a television), is what has kept me sane during this year. I've not had the greatest contact with anyone other than my siblings (Zoom calls are good but would be better if I didn't have to see myself) and the mind begins to believe that nobody cares. It's so easy to fall into the depression that loneliness can conjure up.
A complete change of subject.
I want to talk about something that was in the news (not quite so recently - but I had an accident in September and this is the first time I've been able to resume this blog). Adele (the singer) was in trouble for wearing her hair in Bantu Knots. A woman (I have no idea of her name) stated that it was cultural appropriation for a white person to wear something that is normally only for people of colour. What a load of rubbish! No wonder the world is dying through political correctness; soon we won't be able to do anything without someone screaming that it is sexist, racist or anything else ist. I could understand it better if Adele was being offensive; I simply thought she was being understanding of another cultures heritage - she was, after all, virtually celebrating the Notting Hill Carnival.
Let me waffle a minute about the Black and White Minstrel Show which ran for twenty years in this country (1958-1978). This went out on prime time television every week and I remember watching it with my family. Did any of us think that it was cultural appropriation (or even racist)? No, because we didn't think it was either of those things. Of course attitudes have changed since then and I will neither condone or condemn something that was considered okay at the time (because it is a contentious issue and this is not really the place), but I never got the impression that it was mocking black heritage and to be honest, there probably wasn't that many black entertainers around at that time, also bearing in mind that there is still a disproportionate number of white actors to any other ethnicity in the entertainment business. Let's move past that and ask the question, is it cultural appropriation for women to wear trousers (we all know that men like it to be known that they wear the trousers), for Asian women (amongst others) to lighten their skin colour (what I would give to have a beautiful colour rather than a white that is definitely not peaches and cream), for people (mainly female but a lot of men too) of all races to dye their hair blonde (thus causing true blondes to cry into their drinks that they have been culturally abused and not as dumb as historically presented)? Do I need to go on? What about singing; I have a song book full of "Negro Spirituals" (it's an old book) which I love, and learnt from when I was a child; is this appropriation or an act of admittance that they are great songs and worthy of sharing? In the same book there is the Song of the Volga Boatmen which surely should only be sung by men who row on the Volga? Shouldn't we look at this copying as a compliment rather than something that it is not?
If we cannot get past the constant bickering, political correctness and contention, how on earth are we ever going to survive in a society that makes us afraid to speak, dress or do anything that might be construed as incorrect or bad by some members of the human race? I don't know about you but I don't want to live in a world that puts so many constraints on us for simply being.
There are many things wrong with this planet and it's inhabitants, and many things that should be changed, but let's concentrate on the big issues like cancelling world debt, poverty, wars, deforestation (I could go on but would probably run out of space before I ran out of issues), rather than things which may be annoying but not life threatening.
I do recognise that there are some people who deliberately act in a way that is offensive to others, and these of course must be considered and dealt with, as required.
Promised that I would get this blog post out before Christmas. Now if I could just remember how I managed to post the last one on Facebook so that the link worked.
Have a wonderful Christmas and I will see you all in 2021, which although it may get off to a dodgy start, I feel that things can only get better, they certainly can't get much worse than this year.
Until the next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment