In 1951, a movie came out called “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. To this day, it remains my favorite sci fi movie of all time.
A pivotal scene in the movie is when Klaatu stops the world; cars will not move, clocks stop, all machinery will not work, elevators stop between floors with people trapped inside. For one hour.
The professor asks his secretary is she is disturbed by these events.
“Disturbed? Professor, I am terrified!” she answers.
His response is “Good!!”
I totally understand his answer.
It’s what is happening right now, right here, with the coronavirus. It is unprecedented, most of us have never experienced this kind of situation in our lifetimes. Most of us never dreamed we would.
It is what is happening right now with people being killed by those they count on to protect them; police officers.
That wasn’t happening this past year.
Even during World War one and two, while people lacked a good many products, especially in Europe, everyone still had the opportunity to congregate with each other for comfort.
In Germany prior to and during World War 2, many people also feared military police.
Does this all disturb you? Does it terrify you? Then I echo the professor’s response: GOOD!!
Why do I see that as good? Because as a society we have become so self focused, so selfish, so entitled that we tend to forget that anyone else exists, let alone matters.
This entitlement makes us do, say, act and behave in ways that doesn’t help anyone, least of all ourselves.
Perhaps losing the ability to do what we want when we want to (not wearing masks, not social distancing, not getting the vaccine, buying guns to scare and terrorize others), will wake us up from our complacency and allow us to focus on what is truly important in life.
Maybe this (losing the right to gather in large groups, to not have the ability to easily purchase a gun) is what it will take to shake people out of their sense of entitlement that excludes everyone else.
I hope so.
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