Daily Times

I am getting invitations to visit places, since we have got the opportunity for holidays in the middle of the busiest time of the year. These ‘invitations’ are the indicators of our ignorance from the global pandemic. Nobody is taking it seriously. Memes and funny videos are in abundance. Social distancing is not in sight, food streets are bustling, and the closure of public gatherings is being received with apprehension. I ask myself about the reasons for this nonchalance.

There might be many. Lack of awareness is one. This lack of awareness springs out of our general lack of seriousness towards health issues. Traditional set ups, like mosques, shrines are functioning and preaching religious determinism as a counter punch to scientific truth. It is a case of tradition vs innovation, of predestination vs knowledge.

The government has closed down all educational institutions till April 5. In Khyber Pukhtunkhwa there is resentment among parents and private schools. Newspaper articles are being written in leading newspapers to express this displeasure, citing medicine doctors as experts. Schools even deified the government directive and remained open on Monday. The employees are happy they have a holiday, while the employers are taking it non-seriously too.

Misinformation is lethal when it comes to such huge catastrophes

This brings into play the usual mistrust in the educational system, especially higher education and private schools, where the so-called administrations consider the teaching staff less loyal to the institutions. Since no one was prepared to deal with such a catastrophe, improper responses are emerging everywhere. The Punjab government has to circulate another directive addressed to private universities not to ask teaching staff to come to the educational institutions.

Norms The culture of making fun of everything, a specific trait of social media, has desensitized people in Pakistan to the gravity of the situation. The reality of the situation is that the number of cases has risen from around 30 to 53 in one day, Sunday. People mostly travelling from Gulf and Iran are being tested positive.

But this is not all: passengers coming from London and the US have also tested positive in Lahore and Islamabad, respectively. But the use of authentic information is not the strength of Pakistani information seekers. We can all get relevant information through using authentic sources like the World Health Organisation. Instead of getting all sorts of useless, unconfirmed WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram news junk we can easily sign into fact based sources. You can use your social media accounts to get access to authentic sources. One also has to get into the habit of long reads.

Instead of repeating the same facts or fictions we should start reading the details. This will fill the gap of authenticity in our information void. Misinformation is lethal when it comes to such huge catastrophes. The fact that we are refusing to adjust to a new information culture is nothing wrong. It is very natural to avoid the truth conveniently, because of the fear of changing our persona. Or maybe the real us! But we have to understand the fact that this change in unavoidable.

We need to change our perspective. Even if it seems like flu, it is not the flu. It is dangerous, because it has no cure. And having no cure is a scientific fact. There is no conspiracy. If social distancing is advised, it is the right measure. If one has the luxury to work from home, one should take it seriously.

The employers should also understand the fact that it is in their best interest too. It might seem like fun at the moment. But we should know for a fact that faith healing, the power of a particular faith, or whatever we believe in, is not going to help. Only science can. And science is advising us to adjust to a human situation. Imagine if it were a war and all of us had to enlist for the very purpose of killing each other. Thank God, it is not! The whole world is being united to share information, to enhance transparency, and to get through the crises.

We are all in it. And maybe for the first time in human history we are not pitted against each other. We are creating a global fraternity to overcome a common enemy. So, the best way to be part of the solution is to be positive, be cautious, be scientific, and be responsible. And last but not least we need to be more generous and forgiving. Most of the people can’t afford to isolate themselves.

They have to work to get their sustenance running. We should think about them. We should be more compassionate, our government more humane, and we should also rethink the distribution of resources. We should keep in mind the fact that the earth has enough resources to feed the people living on it. It is the people who divest similar human beings from their right to live. Let’s be not among those. Let’s try to be among the ones who make life easier for others. This is humanity. Let’s be human!

The writer is Professor of Mass Communication, Forman Christian College, Lahore