Thursday, April 30, 2020

Another DiaRMO Entry

1am: To slumber
530am: Rise for sahur
630am: Prayers then a light reading of the Quran
730am: To bed
9am: To rise, spend an hour scrolling through virtual reality
11am: Read, watch netflix, settle work e-mails
12pm: Go down to play with the cats
1pm - 5pm: 11am, Photography, Reading, Netflix, Work
6pm: Exercise (?) Go to the shops to buy food for dinner.
730pm: Breaking of fast
830pm: Prayers
930pm: End of prayers, rest, munch
1030pm: Repeat

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The MCO (or RMO, as I've been dedicatedly calling it) has been extended to 12 May. Despite this, my new job requires me to show up at the Ministry of Tourism every Tuesday and Thursday, starting the new month.

In all honesty, a part of me wishes that it be extended indefinitely. I am thoroughly enjoying the time spent at home, with adequate rest, with people I love, well-fed and comfortable, in these past 2 months. I have found pursuits that challenge me. While I do miss socialising and dining out, I've been trained well enough to live without it.

Which brings me to ponder on the subject of the New Normal, and its relations to the global community and culture at large. In the first month of this RMO I was pretty in denial, throwing away my "see you laters" freely and optimistically. Two months in, after several readings and musings, it has sunken into me how my generation's culture will be shaped post COVID-19.

How will our jobs look like in the coming future? What is New Education? How do we navigate the perimeters of mental health and socialising in this next coming years? What are the global trends in jobs? Will there be a shift in political culture towards a more democratic landscape as society depends more on 'menial' jobs rather than grand leaders?

In my cocoon of middle class comfort, the drastic affects of these thoughts have only been felt on my periphery. My father, a university lecturer, has initially struggled with conducting online classes. My mother, an extrovert, had spent a few days sitting on the couch unproductively, wrapped in a cloud of moodiness. My brother is debating whether or not to continue working, as his boss, the owner of a gadget shop, contemplates to open its doors to make some income.

Outside the confines of my immediate home I'm aware of all those that are being evicted, admitted, fined, and let go. Today, one of Malaysia's giant publishing media house, Blu Inc, has shut down operations, putting 200 people out of work. In Penang, there are hotels closing every day. On the news, more people are requiring financial assistance, food supplies, and jobs. This pandemic has affected economy, industry, culture, in a way that has not been lived on earth for the past century.

Interestingly, one of the few things that has remained undisturbed throughout this ordeal is society's access and attitudes towards the internet. Everyday there are still memes, silly videos, works of art, thoughts, and news being poured into virtual reality. Aside from pandemic updates, cyberspace has not really been changed. In fact, it has become more relevant as the masses migrate to its platforms for work and entertainment, but I digress.

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