How Will the Coronavirus Be Looked Back Upon?

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  A clergyman prays to ward off the Black Death, Circa. 1350

History is riddled with pandemics. Among the building of the Pyramids, the Renaissance, and the Crusades are the Spanish Flu, Smallpox, and the Plague. And as mighty as humans think we are, we never are prepared. Viruses are unpredictable and various – they come, as the Coronavirus has, at random periods and with frightening speed. They send nations into panic and economies into ruin. Right now, it seems we’re living history. But how will our history be told? How will the Coronavirus be written about in the history textbooks of future generations?

In the information age, history is much broader and detailed than it could have ever been. With the advent of the internet, through video, texts, emails, articles, etc, everything that happens is set in stone. The right to be forgotten, whether we like it or not, simply doesn’t exist. And although it’s of no question that everything happening right now is recorded, it is impossible to consume absolutely all of it. No matter how life-changing and devastating it may be, people in the future will have to perceive the Coronavirus in mere summary. 

Most of what we learn of history is synopsis. Napoleon marched through Russia, Brutus killed Caesar, Columbus brought Smallpox to the Americas. Of course, for the people involved, these circumstances were of massive and unfathomable consequence. Napoleon’s conquests spurred widespread European political discussion and sparked fear for many regular households; not to mention the hundreds of thousands of young men stripped from their livelihoods to fight in the ensuing conflict. Caesar’s death led to a multitude of bloody civil wars and the end of the Roman Republic, killing and displacing many innocent civilians. But mention of these details in history books is scarce, if existent. Although the coronavirus is bitingly real and terrifying now, it is unlikely that it will occupy much space in the culture or discussion of future generations. 

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  Napoleon begins his advance through Russia, Circa. 1814

And that’s an unfortunate fact. Because the Coronavirus pandemic is an instance which serves as damning evidence to the phrase “the only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history”. Pandemics are unpredictable, yes. The Spanish Flu killed tens of millions worldwide, the Broad Street Cholera outbreak ravaged the metropolitan center of London, and the Black Death took the lives of 1/3rd of Europeans, only to be ended with the invention of quarantine. Viruses evolve – it appears impossible to ever be prepared for such a sudden and mystifying event as a pandemic. But in the age of modern medicine and ultra-preparedness, the global reaction to Coronavirus is woeful.

The world economy has tanked, supermarket shelves are barren and restaurants are closed. Even in medically superlative nations like the United States, preventative measures have been limited to the mere suggestion of quarantine and basic hygiene, a suggestion which came too late to stop the disease from spreading across the country. Even worse, reliable information about the virus is difficult to come by. President Trump is (for the first time in many news cycles) stumbling and indecisive, often contradicting the explanations of Dr. Anthony Fauci – America’s top expert on infectious disease. Chinese media is spreading dangerously anti-foreign rhetoric to shift any blame away from itself, Americans are panicking and countries, hell even states, can’t come to any semblance of consensus regarding safety procedure or jurisdiction.

But the Coronavirus has brought positive changes, however small, as well. In the increasingly hostile and polarized political environment of the United States, it is refreshing to see Republican senators and governors adopting traditionally democratic ideas such as universal basic income and financial aid to deal with the economic stress brought by the pandemic. And the (albeit anecdotal) accidental environmental effects of widespread quarantine are evidence that pollutive human activity is surprisingly reversible. The newly-uncovered blues of Chinese skies and Venetian waters symbolize an inspiring hope in the constant fight against Global Warming. Furthermore, it is almost astounding to see countries practicing mutually beneficial foreign aid – non-toxic diplomacy is now hard at work in the age of Trumpian isolationism. 

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  Clear waters in Venice’s famous canals

But these changes are temporary. After the dust of Coronavirus settles, we could easily witness the resurgence of the political maelstrom of the 2020 elections, which has been largely set aside for the time being. When populations begin to leave their homes again and travel, now-clear skies and canals will surely be re-polluted. And it’s just our luck that while the positive effects of Coronavirus are temporary, the negative effects may not be so. Despite worldwide efforts to support suffering businesses, it is unclear whether the economy will truly recover, at least in the near future. And China’s anti-American propaganda, which is dangerously reminiscent of North Korean rhetoric, destroys the last remaining hope of preserving a healthy and strategic relationship with the communist nation. Not to mention the thousands of Coronavirus casualties, causing irreversible damage to families and communities all over the globe. 

The coronavirus pandemic will not be remembered fondly. Most likely it will be summarized, as it should be, as evidence of a world unprepared, politically charged, misinformed, and frighteningly fragile in the face of unexpected disaster. We can only hope that our story is learned from and never repeated.

Five Historical Hobbies to Pass the Time during Quarantine

You probably have a great deal more time on your hands now than you had a few weeks ago.

That might be a blessing or a curse.

For many quarantine stuck people, it is a curse because they simply can’t figure out what to do with all their new won time.

However learning something new is always a good idea.

Therefor, here are five hobbies that people in the past used to pass the time.

1. Sewing

Sailor Sewing a Signal flag while Sailing to Sierra Leone March 1942 on board HMS Alcantara photo by Cecil Beaton

In the past, people did not have all the technology that we take for granted. They had to pass what little down time they had their own way, using a variety of different methods. For most of human history, people did not buy clothes off a store shelf. Instead, they made their own clothes, or paid a tailor to make their clothes for them if they were wealthy enough. Sewing, especially hand sewing is a craft which requires a great deal of time, a resource that Covid 19 has granted many people. If you look up “Historical sewing patterns” and you will find many free and low cost patterns to practice your sewing. If you have a low budget, synthetic materials may be your only option, but if you have more to spare, it may be worth it to look up the materials that people used to make clothing. Common materials used in historical clothing are cotton, linen, silk, wool, and satin. If you work hard enough at it, you may even become skilled enough to sell your historical clothing for profit.

2. Calligraphy

“Arizona war worker writes her Navy boyfriend a thank-you-note for the Jap skull he sent her”, LIFE photo of the week, May 1944

In the old times, writing was an essential skill. With the advent of the typewriter, and then the computer, this skill has become completely useless. However, it is still an enjoyable hobby for the historically minded person. There are many resources online and at your local art store that can teach you. One fun way to do calligraphy is with a quill pen or similar calligraphy pen and ink. Low cost calligraphy supplies can be found both online and at many art stores.

3. Learning a musical instrument

Louis Armstrong playing for his wife, Egypt, 1961. (Colorised)

With few exceptions, all musical instruments have been used for hundreds, if not thousands of years. The Ocarina, a musical instrument featured heavily in the Legend of Zelda video game series, has its origins in ancient middle eastern civilizations. Some unique and interesting historical instruments include: The Ocarina as mentioned above, the harp, the medieval lute, and many more.

4. Historical games

German officers playing cards wearing gas masks, WW1 (Colorised)

In the past, many games were played to pass the time. Nine mens morris, tic tac toe, card games, chess, checkers, etc. There are online resources availible that can allow you to make your own historical games using modern tools, or you can also buy pre made games from certain sellers. Think of playing a historical game with your family instead of booting up your game console or smart phone.

5. Reading a book

A man floating in the Dead Sea with a book and an umbrella, Palestine, ca. 1920

Lets be honest with ourselves, many of us don’t read as much as we should. Reading is a hobby that has been around for thousands of years. Where once it was a luxury restricted to the educated upper class and religious elite, now everyone can read if they put in the effort to learn. Here’s a list of my historical books: Dante’s divine comedy, Plato’s Apologies, Ovid’s metamorphosis, Virgil’s Aeneid, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Shakespeare’s many plays and sonnets, Julius Caesar’s The Gallic war, and many others. Go buy a book and get reading!