«Never before have the roofs of people’s houses been closer to one another, as they are today. And never before have people’s hearts been so distant from one another, as they are today». This was written by Antonios Samarakis in «Hope Wanted» in 1954 and no-one since was able to describe using the Greek language the stiff price paid for the transition to mass society.
With the subsequent rise of the digital society, this quote kept its timeliness, echoing now the ever-growing problems of social cohesion and the lack of «authentic» and «sincere» communication between individuals.
Today, 66 years and a pandemic later, it is interesting how one is tempted to anticipate the possibility of a complete reversal: Never before have people been – instructed to be – so far apart; But never before have there also been as strong a sense that we are all in this together, that we accept the need to act on a more collective basis, recognizing the value of solidarity.
Obviously, we do not need to hurry, nor do we need to conclude that «Hope has been found». But it is certainly interesting how a special situation obliges us to change course. Temporarily? Might be. But everyone can judge, evaluate and – possibly – determine their priorities and logic for the next day. After all, it is a matter of perception.
