Srijoni Banerjee
Independent Researcher. E-mail: srijoni.presi@gmail.com
Special Issue on Diseases, Death and Disorder, 2020
Abstract
The paper aims to analyse two kinds of social media posts and demonstrate how such kinds of responses expose our tendency to celebrate death. Firstly, those posts which claim that different animals have reclaimed their natural habitats. Secondly, posts which consider the pandemic as a curse or a blessing and human beings as the real problem. I will demonstrate how such responses are inherently egoistic in nature. To do so, they will be compared to two kinds of phenomena, Ecofascism, and Religious sacrifice. The concern regarding climate change will also be analysed as what lies beneath this concern is the fear of death.
Keywords: Christianity, Climate Change, Coronavirus induced death, Ecofascism, Religious Sacrifice.
In social media we find two kinds of posts demonstrating our tendency to celebrate death. Firstly, those posts which claim that different animals have reclaimed their natural habitats. Secondly, posts which consider the pandemic as a curse or a blessing and human beings as the real problem. Deaths are seen as sacrifices, at times, as unfortunate souls who are playing a mere part in the grand design to restore the environment and at times as necessary sacrifices for humanity at large; which, in a way, is like celebrating these deaths. The present article demonstrates how such social media responses resemble ecofascism and analyses this phenomenon of equating death with that of sacrifice keeping in mind the template of religious sacrifice; while paying special attention to that of the Christian idea of sacrifice. It will also try to expose the inherently egocentric nature of such responses.
When the world is reeling under the weight of Covid 19, we are trying to process the changed circumstances in our own ways. There are posts in social media that advocate positivity, even sharing tips for staying positive. Along with that, certain posts are attacking these posts and accusing them of being patronizing in nature. People are sharing their creativity and showcasing their newly acquired skills. People are trying to promote the importance of productivity using the platform of social media and correspondingly, these posts are also facing a backlash. According to those posts, putting productivity on a pedestal ignores the fact that not all can function well in anxiety and trauma; thus pointing at the lack of empathy. What lies at the heart of these posts is the fact that we are trying to interpret our changed circumstances and especially this unprecedented pandemic which has changed the ways we go on with our lives. We are witnessing changed social and political relationships. Mistrust has overshadowed social politeness. There are even confusions regarding the nature of this virus. Health protocols are changing day by day as newer symptoms are surfacing or newer ways of contracting this disease is coming to light.
Wishful posts are floating around several social media platforms where the pandemic is seen as a blessing, falsely claiming how the lockdown has made possible the return of the wild to those spaces which were wrongfully occupied by human beings. The posts either show that dolphins and swans have returned to Venetian canals or elephants roaming freely on the plains of China (Danita Delimont). Similar posts can be found which show different kinds of animals, in their specific habitats, roaming freely in spaces that were otherwise encroached by human beings. The National Geographic network has falsified such claims. According to them, “[t]he phenomenon highlights how quickly eye-popping, too-good-to-be-true rumours can spread in times of crisis. People are compelled to share posts that make them emotional. When we’re feeling stressed, joyous animal footage can be an irresistible salve” (Delimont). They are not just meant to lift the spirits of the readers as the creators also get gratification from the netizens; these posts are shared widely and receive a lot of “likes” and other reacts. These posts are, at times, unintentionally subscribe to the ideology of ecofascism. Michael E. Zimmerman defines Ecofascism as “as a totalitarian government that requires individuals to sacrifice their interests to the well-being and glory of the “land,” understood as the splendid web of life, or the organic whole of nature, including peoples and their states” (“Ecofascism” 531). According to it, “humankind is not a privileged species, but rather one member of the complex biotic community” (Zimmerman, “Threat” 208-9). Therefore, ecofascism promotes authoritarianism as one is coerced into a certain way of life, decided beforehand.
Secondly, there are posts that claim that the virus is a blessing and human beings are the disease. One such post from a suspended Twitter account, which goes by the name “ex-east,” asserted that “[c]orona is the cure humans are the disease”. The account falsely claimed to represent Extinction Rebellion, a climate activist group. The group later denied any association with the account. Another account, which goes by the name “Tom” claims that “[c]oronavirus is the Earth’s vaccine” and that we are the virus. One may question whether such posts are encouraging mass elimination of human beings as viruses are always meant to be purged and here the virus itself is compared to a vaccine. What renders it even more problematic is the fact that they are posting and sharing such kinds of posts by staying within the comforts of their homes. They are not ready to face the onslaught of the disease themselves.
These two types of posts show how an idealistic view of ‘Life’ is celebrated and adulated without any concern for actual lives claimed by this disease. When “land acquires mystical properties” (Zimmerman, “Ecofascism” 531), extreme measures are taken to protect. This is similar to Fascism as it thrives on the promises of providing an ideal living condition to those who think that they deserve it, thus driving out those who are aliens in their eyes (Zimmerman, “Threat” 209). Thus death becomes an important prerequisite that helps to restore the ‘ideal’. These posts ignore the fact that those worst affected are not the ones who actually contribute to the destruction of nature. They are rather helpless actors in this system which thrives on inequality. Gal Gadot, in an Instagram post, states that “[w]e are in this together”. Similar kinds of messages, by affluent people, are circulating on various social media platforms. It betrays a privileged worldview and a lack of empathy. This pandemic has instead aggravated the inequalities which were already there. World Economic Forum cites the UN World Food Programme which says that “[t]he coronavirus pandemic is projected to raise the number of people suffering acute hunger this year to 265 million”. If required actions are not taken, it could give rise to, as David Beasley said, “multiple famines of biblical proportions” (BBC news). Whenever we lend any form of virtual support to a post like this, we tend to reorient ourselves to the good side and justify deaths as a necessity. Both of these kinds are misanthropic. The second kind of posts also resembles ecofascism as sacrifice becomes an important component in ecofascism. When we tend to celebrate the return of the wild, the focus is shifted from human beings and are seemingly less provocative as they just wish an idealized way of life for the flora and the fauna of any place. There has indeed been a sharp decline in pollution but it actually causes more harm as this shows the amount of effort which the environmentalists need to give to achieve this state; this sudden halt cannot be a solution. It can only give rise to authoritarianism. According to Jennifer Hijazi, “the notion that COVID-19 is helping the planet is misplaced and potentially harmful, according to experts and activists. That can distract attention away from bigger policy solutions, and in some extreme cases it dances dangerously close to authoritarian ideologies”. However, the claim that human beings are the real virus, seems more direct.
This tendency is very similar to the discourse of sacrifice which is more or less, present in any kind of religion. It shows how sacrifice is ingrained in our psyche. Adrana Destro and Mauro Pesce point at the fact that Christianity is based on the sacrifice of Jesus. Even the sacrifices in the Old Testament point at the final sacrifice of the son of God. The “decisive function in the forgiveness of sins” is “attributed to the death of Jesus Christ.” This is not just the case with Christianity as a “comparative study of religions” has revealed that “[w]hat in the past was defined as sacrifice is present in various cultures in a great variety of forms” (152-3). According to Mark Juergensmeyer et al, “sacred texts do not just pronounce but describe forms of religious violence, such as sacrifice and warfare; these accounts are found in the Jewish Torah, the Qur’anic surahs, the Buddhist sutras, the Christian gospels, and the Hindu epics. Thus sacrifice and its resultant violence is a common thread in every religion. Sacrifice helps to transfer the burden of responsibility. The burden then lies on someone else. This gives a false sense of security that someone is bearing the cross for me.
An analysis of Christianity becomes more interesting as it is centred around the figure of Jesus, the meek and faithful son of God. A close look at the verses dealing with diseases (Jeremiah 33:6, Psalms 103:3, Psalms 107:20, Exodus 23:25, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 and so on) in The Bible shows how people are cured only when they are ready to place their trust on God, unconditionally. In such cases, God mostly manifests through miracles. Jacques Derrida, in The Gift of Death, talks about Jan Patočka’s idea of sacred and responsibility, where Patočka is of the opinion that this mystery comes with a sense of responsibility, which emanates from the knowledge that someone sacrificed for them (3). Some posts also ask everyone to promise to act differently as the Earth is getting time to heal herself. Thus we can see such posts, often unintentionally, subscribe to this idea of sacrifice. Biblical sacrifices point at the limitations of our ability to comprehend. The pandemic has forced us to face a force beyond our comprehension or rather control.
It is interesting to note that such concern is not directed towards nature but for the future of humanity. Environmentalists have already warned us about the melting of glaciers and how this may activate dormant diseases. According to Jasmin Fox-Skelly, “[c]limate change is melting permafrost soils that have frozen for thousands of years and as the soil melt, they are releasing ancient viruses and bacteria that, having lain dormant, are springing back to life” (BBC Earth). Certain posts also claim that this pandemic will help in delaying this future. As I have stated previously, if we think that this pandemic is helping the cause of the environment, the entire fight against climate change will be derailed. Therefore, ironically, the concern is centered around human life and such posts are concerned about the lives of those who are privileged enough to stay away from what they consider as a blessing. Therefore, instead of misanthropy, what explains such posts is our egoistic and egotistic nature. There is an inherent tendency to place ourselves above anything else. We try to envelop this with greater ideals. However, when a pandemic like Covid 19 lays bare the mortal limitations of our life, such ideals are often pushed back. Such kinds of posts are inherently paradoxical as they encourage collective resilience while ignoring the differences. The desire to escape death is actually a celebration of death. There is also a possibility that these responses are a result of denial or ignorance. The fear of death or even dealing with the probability makes one think of an alternative where others will be sacrificed for the sake of one’s own life.
However, this does not mean that one should reject this notion of togetherness, completely. Empathy can be a probable answer. Lady Gaga in an interview questioned the notion of togetherness and called it “tricky” (Evan Ross Katz). In her opinion, instead of ignoring the inherent schisms in our society, one should look for ways to help, in whatever capacity possible (Katz). There is a possibility that such posts are shared in an attempt to make sense of a disease which is killing and infecting people at an alarming rate. Most of us have never faced any pandemic in real life. The knowledge gained from reading books and watching films cannot match with the harsh realities of life. Thus, when the element of imagination is removed, one tries to compensate that with a different kind of imagination.
References
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Srijoni Banerjee received her Master’s degree in English Literature from Presidency University, Kolkata (2017 – 2019). Presently, she is a part-time faculty member of the Department of Basic Sciences and Humanities at Techno International New Town, Rajarhat.