It occurred to me why a pandemic is worse than war. I’ve been reading Eric Larson’s book, The Splendid And The Vile, during which, in World War II, Britain in 1940 and 1941 faced relentlessbombing and devastation and still went to restaurants, bars and parties. They did this on bombed roads, homes with no windows and no heat, and traveled at night during blackouts causing frequent accidents. Tens of thousands of people died during this period, yet most importantly the socialization in Great Britain continued to lift up the spirits.
A pandemic is worse than a world war. In a pandemic, where a quarantine entrapped largely without socializing, the cases of depression and boredom in war may be temporary but in a pandemic it is permanent. In a pandemic we mourn for the loss of many common everyday activities that give life meaning and purpose. This is why it is so important to start new hobbies, learn new musical instruments, or start new activities in the service of humanity. When we lose our sense of personal purpose in life, we may also lose our meaning for living. Mental health problems are evidence of that. Our task in living during a pandemic is finding a new purpose in our lives in each day.
