The ‘infected’ public mentality

e exploitingman’s passion for being in thecompany of fellow human-beings.Social distancing as a major ‘prophylactic’means to keep the harmful effectsof the virus at bay has hardly found favourwith a majority of the public, withmany showing open defiance to the stricturesimposed.When, during any such situation -where the state is actively engaged incombating a health hazard - a preventivemeasure moves over from being a mandatorystep to an option, one can be sureabout the endeavor having lost its steamhalf-way through.Moreover, with the administrationleaving the matter of physical distancingto public discretion, one can be sure thatthe few months of enforced distaste for‘social proximity’ will only stimulate astronger urge among people to socialize.The scenes after the national lockdown,for instance.Recently, a farewell party organizedby a Russian girl for herself at a villa inArpora ended up in a brawl with a videoof the fracas going viral on social media.Closely on the heels of this infamousepisode, the Goa Crime Branch busteda rave party organized at Vagator andseized narcotics worth over 9 lakh.Such shocking incidents speak for thecallousness that has become an integralpart of the public psyche despite the dangersit poses for the society at large.Reports that others present at the Arporaparty were arrested for violatingsocial distancing norms becomes a bittoo ironic considering that with a partyraging on, it is difficult to envisage anysort of physical distancing.Even the Arpora incident does raisequestions as to how such a party cameto be organized post the prevailing curfewtimings and rules on large gatherings.Can an elite few still manage tosqueeze out ‘concessions’ from the authoritiesheedless of the health emergencythat the state is besieged by.Youngsters will never cease to amazethe older generation with their partyingways. For them, any and every occasioncalls for celebrations. With such abuoyant mood in evidence, it becomesdifficult to imagine the youth dissociatingthemselves from lively gatherings,the health-scare due to the pandemicnotwithstanding.When will people realize that the severityof the pandemic affords no onethe liberty to host parties. Lavish weddingceremonies and birthday bashescontinue to keep party-hoppers busy.Why the high-fliers, unmindful ofthe harshness of the times, even someof the most ordinary of individuals havenot been able to resist the temptationto invite people over to partake in celebratingsome joyous occasion or theother with them.What’s more! Pictures of the ‘gala’invariably invite the ‘likes’ of manyfollowers on various platforms on thesocial media. That is how relevant celebrationsare to the modern generation.Exposing them to the perils of thecoronavirus, these get-togethers haveinvariably proved disastrous for many.Yet people refuse to learn to act in accordancewith the demands of the timesthus endangering the lives of others.If such insensitiveness characterizespublic anguish over restrictions on socializingduring the pandemic, they areyet to understand the seriousness of thewhole situation.In spite of the general awareness createdabout the disease, it is difficult tounderstand how so many have deliberatelyoverlooked the safety norms prescribedand dared cross the ‘LakshmanRekha’.Life must definitely go on, but as hasbeen so categorically stated by manyof the more sagacious, ‘every individualhas to re-evaluate the priorities andchange behavior to become socially responsible’.But apparently following the guidelineslaid down with regard to COVIDhas never been a priority with anyone.Rather than being viewed as an essentialsafety aspect of the times, peoplehave found it to be cumbersome addonsto the already laborious stricturesthat they feel has made life these daysall the more complicated.It is as if the people are out to avengethe government’s diktats - and subsequententreaties - against hosting andpartaking in social gatherings and communityevents.Psychologists opine that the abilityfor people to assess risk has been along standing issue with public health.Mixed attitudes on face-masks and socialdistancing confirm that people donot perceive enough personal risk andlack a sense of altruism that is acute.It is all the more alarming to note thatthere is still a significant subset of peoplewho are not at all keen to follow the rules.Maybe this defiance to an orderlyconduct during these critical timeswhen the rate of infections refuses toreverse the current trend is born outof frustration - a disappointment thatstems from the realization that thecombined efforts of the global powersin containing the hazardous effects ofthe virus have not brought any solaceto the world.But has the world ever been accostedby a threat of this nature before - athreat to its very existence.In any case, since when has humanlife become so cheap that people areready to gamble it away for a few momentsof enjoyment.