About the future
Leliana Valentina Pârvulescu, PhD
Psychologist, Behavioral analysis expert
Will our lives be the same as before? Will we get out of this experience worse or better? The history lesson does not show us this, but rather shows us the risk. To get worse or with extra vices if we do not have vision and a lot of pragmatism. The feeling of being united in a single planetary destiny, the manifestation of empathy and goodwill, all these will be very difficult to understand for those who have to fight with material deprivation, loneliness and social degradation. This virus has highlighted the essence of what is specific to an individual, community or nation. We live in fear that it has already divided the country and the people during the pandemic. What will happen? How far will we get? It is obvious that it is not an isolated event, it is not a “black swan”, therefore we need to address what is happening as such.
Pandemics, like the world wars, did not have very good consequences, probably the pandemic we are facing will channel the consequences in an authoritarian version. The two absolute novelties of this pandemic are its truly global-universal character and the communication of global-as-a-pillar information, with consistent control over our lives. Therefore, the radical nature of the challenge is enormous and perhaps, for this reason, we risk oscillating even more between two extreme visions: the altruistic and the cynical. Precisely because we would very much like the result to be that of a transformative resistance, we still try not to confuse desire with reality and, therefore, we pay attention to expectations. Our compasses for the future, is subsidiary, culture, connections, training and a sense of responsibility, will be increasingly needed. Now I understand that sustainable development needs more research, more technology, and more skills. Therefore, it is about forming a new ruling class that we need to think about, as a need that is now a priority.
About the future
Without illusions, we must work together to build a new vision in a world that will be different. Because returning from the nightmare of contagion will exasperate our limitations. Inequality and impoverishment are likely to become a disadvantage that will not only be economic, but will also affect people’s dignity. The concept of general, in a broad social and economic sense, which is so dear to us, cannot be distracted from its original and literal character, that is, it cannot make us forget our primary instinct, that of having children, for the survival of the species. If for years women have stopped having children, it becomes a priority to reverse this trend with devastating effects in the future, creating the material and relational conditions to procreate must become a kind of fundamental human right.
It is essential to focus on the fate of a Europe prepared for the great crisis that awaits us, but not to forget its fragility in terms of rights, complete freedom on the one hand and denial of equality on the other.
To conclude, I return to the close confrontation I had with many colleagues and friends in the days of the state of emergency, in the debate of what is and what is not this historical period that we live. Therefore, one conclusion that always comes to mind is that it becomes essential to choose the priorities that for our country should be related to the theme of training and education of both a more prepared ruling class and a basic education for all, a posture, an attitude that we should also maintain, in order to promote the pact between generations that certainly requires knowledge and research, but also a greater sense of responsibility.
