These corona policies resulted in gradually normalized, yet still “surreal”, measures like global lockdowns and curfews, trampling of people’s rights and liberties, increasing inequality, divide and conquer, segregation, and recently even discrimination and “medical apartheid”. Something like “covid passports” in several countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and recently also the Netherlands, where I live, is now required for simple entry into free public life (bars, restaurants), and hacks at the roots of liberal democracy as we know it.
A sad and disturbing period, also because the “infection risk of a severe and deadly virus” narrative of the international governments, seems to be believed widely, or at least upheld as accepted fiction.
Many say these governments are elite-driven, negative forces “against the people”. They assume mass control goals by a wealthy elite, with a hyped-up virus/pandemic as excuse, or pretext.
Others (at least in their public statements) believe such strict, undemocratic measures might be unprecedented in liberal democracies since Fascism and Communism, but are necessary to deal with a pandemic and the dangerous Covid 19 virus. Simply said: some think it is about power and/or money, some think it actually is about health.
I am not going to walk that well-trodden path of these hopelessly opposed stances – even if involving reality or true facts (with few “true” facts on the side of those who think it is about health, and more plausible, yet difficult to prove, facts on those who think it is about power).
In reality, if it is just a control plan based on lies, it can be considered “too much honour” to dignify it by having it become the main subject of conversation: “cold” and tense themes like disease effects, virus infection, infectiousness, IC capacity, and so on.
More important I consider now the attack on and limiting of democratic values through corona policies in once liberal democracies like the Netherlands or France. These were built after all successfully, though with imperfections, since WWII, and these changes in them touch us individually, our way of life, how we move in our societies. It changes our lives, whether we want to or not.
The gradual nature of all these policies are suspect, but also obscure that by now we must conclude: since March 2020 we have lost control over our lives vis-à-vis the state and politicians, due to this corona crisis. This cannot be denied. Most harshly and humiliating for those not submissive enough to take the experimental "vaccine", but requiring "a pass" to go to e.g. a bar, restaurant, or museum, should be questioned also by the now newly privileged vaccinated, even if their ego is caressed.
Gathering freely as humans, travelling freely, even going out to a restaurant or bar (requiring covid passes/codes in some countries).. all has been made problematic, through some kind of “commandment politics” by “tough” politicians, giving their statements suddenly - in tone and content - as “closed” and “final say”, as in Fascist or other dictatorships.
GLOBAL POLICY MONSTER
In a sense, it made us as individual humans feel more powerless, especially as this Fascist “final say” and "definite" tone political leaders use nowadays in once democratic countries – from Macron in France, to Rutte in the Netherlands, Merkel in Germany, Trudeau in Canada, and Biden in the US -, seems part of a big “global policy monster” which for individual citizens seems impossible to fight. Or even leave out of one’s life.
Yet.. I argue it only seems impossible. I return therefore to the first sentence of this post and the word “detachment” for a philosophical concept. There must be a spiritual way to detach oneself from this – in essence – psychological war - , and I think this detachment is necessary.
The totalitarian nature of the policies, show especially in the “behavior” ordinances for citizens that oddly became commonly accepted: when to gather, how many people in your house, where to work, how to go out. Using “fear from infection” worked apparently wonders, even in “free” societies.
The gradual nature of this corona hype, hid from plain sight that the focus is always negative: both tone and content. Commandment/ordinnances rather that consolation, threats rather than advise, division rather than unity.
Against this seemingly unbeatable foe of negative energy, I think a spiritual approach, or rather spiritual “detachment” or disconnection can help us humans maintain balance and positive purpose. Especially because of much of it is “fear-based”, thus irrational.
First of all: how can detachment be defined?
DETACHMENT
In its philosophical sense, the Wikipedia article on Detachment, contains some interesting things , but is too limited in scope. It restricts philosophical “detachment” to Eastern religions in Asia, notably India, China, and Persia (Buddism, Hinduism, Bahai, a.o.), and Christianity, but excludes e.g. Africa, and the Americas.
Detachment might be best known in its Zen Buddhist meaning: being detached (unstained) by one’s thoughts: not to be harmed mentally and emotionally by them.
Also interesting is Detachment in Hindu thinking as “living in the moment” (focusing on the task at hand). Both in parts of Buddhism and Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Detachment is connected to being “free from lust or passions”, being available solely to God, related to the lambasting of “temptation” in the Bible and Quran.
These are mentioned in that Wikipedia article, but ignore therewith many other equally interesting faiths and spiritual beliefs in this world, such as in Africa, among Amerindians, or African American ones, like Rastafari, or Vodou.
AFRICA
Focussing on belief systems in some African cultures one can find Detachment in this philosophical sense in some way, but indirectly through “spirits”.
The Igbo in Nigeria know the concept of “Chi”, a spirit/godliness belonging to an individual. While connected to a higher encompassing spirit or deity, “almighty creator”, the “Chi” itself is individual, and therefore represents one’s own godly, spiritual essence and destiny. It is an initiating and animating force. The detachment lies in its independence from all else: the material world, and societal demands, while indirectly connected to higher deities, or ancestral spirits.
Similar personalized spirits among other (higher) spirits can be found in other African peoples as well, such as the Akan in Ghana, the Yoruba, and the Bantu. All have this implied “agency” for each individual human, which also can be understood as “rising above”, disconnection form worldly affairs, as well as an “inner strength” or “fire”. Or indeed Detachment.
Even the concept of “cool” in the African aesthetic – to which I devoted an earlier blog post – is related to this detachment.
RASTAFARI
This African type of “detachment” found its way into the African Jamaican spiritual movement Rastafari, originating in the 1930s, now well known through Reggae music.
The “Livity” spiritual concept – of which there is also a Wikipedia article – is certainly relevant here.
Livity is according to that Wikipedia article:
“Its essence is the realization that an energy or life-force, conferred by Almighty Jah (God), exists within, and flows through, all people and all living things. This is seen as the presence of Jah living within humans, and is often expressed in Rastafari vocabulary as "I and I", where the first "I" refers to the Almighty, the second "I" for oneself.”
Later on:
“In Rastafari philosophy, Livity can be enhanced by intense prayer and meditation (often enhanced by sacramental cannabis use), adherence to an Ital diet, and perhaps most importantly, loving behavior toward others.”
The remarkable similarities with the mentioned Igbo concept of “Chi” (and similar notions among the Akan and Bantu people) shows that this must be an African retention, mixed with Christian/Biblical influences.
It also shows an idea of “detachment”.
Spirit possession cults and beliefs in Africa and the African Diaspora, such as those in Vodou, Santería, Kumina, or Winti, are ways to connect with ancestors for sure, but their very “possession-like” or “trance-like” character – often through rhythm and drums - forms an escape or detachment by itself.
RECONNECTION
It is, then, a reconnection with one’s spirits within – or ancestral ones -, but when “reconnecting” one apparently felt disconnected before. Too attached to the worldly and material. To "the system".
Since the drastic and ineffective “lockdown policies” were stubbornly chosen internationally since 2020, this also meant a limitation of culture and the hospitality sector, and an increased focus on home life, avoiding people, especially by those very afraid.
This increased loneliness and mental problems among many groups, largely due to the lack of “outlet” or stress relief, or even the togetherness and consolation of other people with similar lots.
In this confrontation with oneself, in such a tense time, I think a positive and spiritual detachment is crucial.
Power politics and fear are negative, yet strong, invasive and polluting forces that can take over minds, limiting a clear view on things.
The detachment in all senses seems necessary, whether from Zen Buddhism, the idea of “living in the moment”, to African, and other ones, simply to escape monotonous, tense themes like viruses, infections, and such – “hyped up” –, and related politics and power games.
Then to look within oneself: at first detached from passions and worries (as in Buddhist and Christian interpretations), then finding what really makes you tick, what are your unique needs and qualities (as in African interpretations).
Here, the “African” concept of an individual “inner spirit” or “inner divinity” – yet connected with ancestors – really can be helpful in maintaining own pride and agency. Detachment with a purpose.
Labi Siffre sang about it in the fine song “Something Inside So Strong”, while African American author James Baldwin in an interview interestingly said that however oppressed and limited – and damaged - by historical White power structures: these will “never have ME”..
The world needs this individual pride and agency. This also in light of cultural differences. Chinese culture developed through time as collectivistic, rather than individualistic, making a “social credit” system, probably not loved, but accepted there more easily.
CONDITIONS
The corona policies, especially the digital “covid passports” made many fear similar plans in Western democracies, as it introduced external conditional aspects to one’s behavior. Conditions by other forces, beyond our control.
In my opinion, history can largely be seen as wealthy elites, fearing - and therefore controlling and restricting - the poorer majority, and their possible rise or rebellion. A "control state" seems only a more totalitarian "solution" to this long-held "fear of the masses".
This very idea of another party being able to place “conditions” on your behavior as free individual, would seem absurd and morally unacceptable – as it should be considered – when you know that inner, “divine” strength, your right to agency. Living and not being lived. Ruling your own destiny. To say it with a cliché: “believing in yourself”.
The long-upheld Christian and Islamic idea of a “God in the sky”, apart from humans, limits human agency, also toward such unprecedented political “control” goals, and therefore seems less helpful in maintaining one’s own strength. The same applies to a quite naïve "blind" trust in authorities, that is still common, though not universal.
We need to “detach” from that entire system through our own energy and agency, I think, before the “control state” and patronizing, demeaning “social credits” systems goes any further than it already has, and then “roll it back”, toward true humanity.
This is best done by having faith in one’s own spirit of capacity, of self-study, intelligent thought, despite outside pressure, “shaming”, or “fear-mongering”. Independent self-confidence. True independence requires courage.
In short: this type of detachment helps in my opinion in “opening one’s third eye”, realizing the self-ridiculing absurdity of the undemocratic, rights-trampling policies, and also in presenting an alternative.
This alternative is an individuality detached from - in the "Zen" sense - materialism, including all man-made oppressive/freedom-taking structures, but also aligned to all living beings and nature (and natural immunity!), and the ancestors, - as in the African and Rastafari senses, or in the Bantu concept of Ubuntu: human through other humans.
A good way to deal with trauma, and revive culture, togetherness, and social living, as a way out of this dystopia..
