Pandemic? Or Dem-Panic?
The hardest part of this Dem-panic, is the apparent inability for people to feel safe, loved and prepared. The worst part, is that they are being driven by fear. Stocking up on toilet paper, indicates a childish fear of not being able to meet your most basic needs. In fact, I read somewhere that the stockpiling of toilet paper in a crisis was indicative of the child-like fear being experienced by the masses. They’re rushing to hoard necessities, not as a means of survival, but as a way to cope with fear. And, that fear is contagious. It spreads quicker than the disease that incited the panic, in the first place. When people are afraid, and then see others, who they normally see as quite competent, and capable, also afraid, they panic and begin to feel helpless. When people feel helpless, they feel that child-like lack of control, or lack of strength; inability to protect themselves or others throughout the crisis. Hoarding supplies, gives them a way to feel in control of the situation, to a degree.
Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist who was best known for creating ‘Maslow's hierarchy of needs’, had a theory that, every human being has the same needs. “Deficiency needs” and “growth needs”. Deficiency needs being the most fundamental, like; friendship, and love, security and physical needs. That, if these deficiency needs are not met, people will feel tense and anxious. That, if our most basic needs are not met, then we cannot meet the next level, or “growth” needs. Maslow believed, that our needs were essentially the same or similarly comparable to that of our instincts; the physiological, security, social and esteem needs are deficiency needs, that are highlighted at a time of ‘survival mode’. The ‘growth’ needs, are at the top of what he created as a pyramid, coming from a desire to grow, as opposed to that of a feeling of deprivation. Suggesting, that if the bottom level needs; or the fundamental needs, are not met at each level of this pyramid, then the next level is not achievable.
The most basic needs being; air, food, water, shelter, sleep, and of course, as we’ve seen with the latest panic-purchasing trend, excretion. The next level needs being; security, resources, health, employment and property. Then, love, friendship, family and a sense of connection. All of these needs being, what we need to survive; particularly throughout a crisis. The basic needs have to be met; food, water, shelter, excretion, if we are going to be quarantined for an indeterminate amount of time. When people panic, the first thing they do is shop for and stock up on the things that will meet these needs. You don’t see anyone buying a bunch of DVD’s to watch and candy to eat throughout their quarantine, unless; a), they already have all of the essentials they need to meet their basic needs, or b), they are trained not to panic in crises, such as these.
The next level of needs being, safety needs; security, resources, health, employment and property. When everyone has stocked up on essentials, and realize that even more time may be necessary in quarantine, or that the crisis is potentially much worse than was initially thought, people re-assess their needs, and respond accordingly. So, a second wave of panic buying ensues. They’ve bought up all of the masks, hand sanitizers and everything that they thought would prevent them from getting sick, but they realize that they still have to prepare for the inevitable social distancing, or self-quarantines that may be imposed. Then they’ve stocked up on and have food, toilet paper and cleaning supplies to get them through quarantine, but then they realize that they also need; medical supplies, in case they get sick, other ‘resources’, like the DVD’s, books, candles, batteries, etc. that might be necessary, and that they cannot just go out and shop for, if a longer self-isolation period is imposed. So, a third wave of panic buying, and so on and so on; until all of the resources are depleted for those who either, didn’t panic, those who couldn’t make it out of the house to shop for these resources, or those who didn’t have the money to do so.
And, all of those who have stock-piled and hoarded resources, are now sitting at home saying, “now what”. That’s when the next level of needs; also, one that is seen as a fundamental need, is apparent throughout a crisis. Friendship, family, sense of connection; something that is a more difficult commodity to come by when, in either self-imposed isolation and, especially in quarantine. Oddly enough, and something that those engaging in fear-based ‘survival’, at the moment, some of these needs could actually be met through the selfless act of; sharing of resources, assistance, and (true and helpful) information, with others. By becoming a helper.
In fact, by becoming a helper throughout crises; instead of panicking and selfishly hoarding resources; you not only have the ability to meet any and all of your deficiency needs, but also, the next level, or ‘growth’ need, like respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength and freedom. By becoming a helper, instead of panicking and going directly into survival mode, one can meet their own needs, while helping to meet the needs of others. If someone picked me up a four pack of toilet paper, while I was quarantined, I would be certain to ask if they needed any of it for themselves. Everyone that does something for someone else, instead of themselves, throughout this crisis, will have their needs met, in some way because of their selflessness; which will lead to them earning the respect and esteem of others, and their own self-esteem and respect. In other words, by not panicking and being driven by fear throughout this crisis, people will be able to meet both their deficiency needs and their growth needs, and will come out of it with more than just survivor ability. Survivor ability, seen throughout other pandemics, like the 1918 Influenza pandemic.
The difference between the 1918 Influenza pandemic, and this crisis is that the flu pandemic was worsened by a lack of availability of resources, of medical technology and of the inability to spread the word to others. At the same time, it was likely lessened, by the lack of availability of technology with which to spread misinformation, fear mongering and panic. The difference, was also, that in 1918, community still existed. Not just a ‘sense of’ community, within a fellowship or tribe to which you belong, but community as a whole. People who lived in close proximity, went to the same church or belonged to the same clubs, were not just neighbours and members of the same fellowship; they were family. The thought of not taking care of each other, wasn’t prevalent like it is today. Their survival skills were more honed and there was more cohesiveness throughout crises; because they were a community. There was no such thing as hoarding resources for oneself or one family. They took care of one another.
So, unlike this dem-panic, the 1918 flu pandemic may have seen a great number of premature deaths, but it also saw people knowing how to live, while they still had time to do so. It saw people coming together to help each other. It also saw a sense of community that we’re not seeing on a global level right now. It saw, people meeting both, their basic, fundamental, ‘deficiency needs’, as well as, their ‘growth needs’, throughout a time of survival. And, it saw them, helping others to do the same.
I've seen us come together like that. I've seen people's response to crises, on a global level. I've seen people spread love to others who have been through worse than what we're going through now. But if you've really looked at those crises, you'll see that these responses were from people, otherwise not effected. People showing compassion for one another; from a safe distance. They cannot do that this time; everyone is affected. So, everyone is thinking of themselves; some, thinking of others, as well but ultimately, knowing that they are also at risk. What can we take away from this? Should we not be seeing this as a lesson? That, in order to meet our needs more effectively, we need to do so from a sense of community? That we can do this; that we simply need to be driven by the helper spirit, versus from a place of fear. We need to stop panicking. Stop thinking of ourselves. We need to help one another, instead of living selfishly. We need to live, as we are meant to live to get through this; as a family.