My Review of the Article written by Ben Okri, a Nigerian novelist and poet --- "Fear of Covid-19 is a mental contagion – and that's something we can fight”.
In his abstract, Ben Okri attempts to get his warnings over fears through to the reader by drawing attention to the problem of hysteria that takes over people's minds, which sends in chaos at these uncertain times, caused by the Covid infection, sapping people's confidence in the future.
At the very beginning, the author contrasts the two mental states such as panic and awareness. As far as the awareness is concerned, it is a responsibility people have to take on for their actions in a particular situation.The writer illustrates his concerns by giving an account of his private chats with friends who told him that they experienced symptoms similar to those of Covid-19’s in them in next to no time after having watched or read breaking news upon the death toll rising across the country. Besides, the media hits all strata of society with a barrage of negative messages planting fears of the deadly virus along with panic in humans’ minds. With this, the writer wonders if panic is an exact leverage that can bring on a maniacal-like behaviour amid the whole population, and lead to the destruction of the health services in case all people are subject to a massive information attack during this plague.
As a matter of fact, nobody denies that people under the stress of panic can lack critical faculties to estimate a particular situation in a reasonable way. To illustrate my assertion, I’d like to cite a passage of this abstract that reads, ‘Panic is fear on steroids. With panic, sanity is lost’.
The author also tries to appeal to the nation in terms of employing critical thinking. He says that individuals are able to resist this epidemic crisis’ influence on their minds by themselves.
To go off on the tangent, I can’t deny the revolutionary spirit and the power of the fascinating writing style of the author who is a writer and a poet by his devotion, and perhaps a knowledgeable historian.
In the article, Ben Okri exemplifies his rationale by alluding to the times of WW2 when Brits showed their courage acting in concerted efforts. According to the writer, that, unfortunately, the nation does not possess now. As a matter of fact, the ability to act together at hard times has since been forgotten and solidarity feelings now have been replaced by commercial interests.
Charging up more drama, the writer prompts over a feasible climatic disaster at the face-front of which neither of us has privilege to safety; there is therefore no enclave here for ‘small-minded dreams’ any longer but for sensible behaviour.
Also, he assumes that people ‘have exhausted the planet’s goodwill’; yet, with such a depletion nature can ‘press the reset button’ for mankind’s wrongdoings. It reads as if it is about time to put the things right and ‘take stock’.
Taking stock, Ben Okri will look positively to the future if society changes directions towards a better life.
Thinking on….
Written by Erene I, 2022
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