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Experiences shared by society have different effects on individuals and, in some cases, provide a reason for self-reflection. The recent and not fully resolved COVID-19 pandemic can be used as an example where billions of people worldwide were affected, but the outcomes were unique for each person. The uniting feeling that the majority of people went through was stress a mental strain and tension that one feels when the situation seems too challenging to handle. I went through the last few years in a similar way to others I had to stay inside most of the time, and I was cut off from the world except for connecting with people online. Reflecting on this set of events through the philosophical concepts I have learned allows me to process how society has changed.
The first concept that can be applied to the experiences of restrictions and changes introduced during the pandemic is Descartes ideas about withdrawal and separation of senses from ones pure intellect. In his work on meditation, Descartes argues that withdrawal from the senses was a necessary part of moving toward the understanding of objects nature (Carriero 21). Thus, the philosopher suggests that sensory images created with the help of peoples sensations muddle knowledge. Looking at the reaction of many people at the start of the pandemic, this view of the senses as unreliable in achieving a deeper understanding of the environment is confirmed. The emotions that I and many others felt due to the restrictions put on society overshadowed the negative feelings toward the disease, which led to the mixed feelings about the pandemic and possible solutions. Similar to Descartes meditation, in order to approach ending the pandemic, I should have called my initial senses into doubt and reached for the innate understanding of the issue.
Another philosophical concept that can be linked to the described events is self-consciousness, introduced by Hegel. In particular, I want to apply the term sublation, which can be explained as a negation of a certain idea without losing it, synthesizing the original into the new instead (Hegel). As Hegel shows, sublation is not the process of disappearing completely, being replaced by another object, but a type of change. As such, the daily life during the pandemic changed completely, being put under new rules of self-distancing, wearing masks, taking precautions, and working or studying remotely. At the same time, however, the main parts of ones old activities were brought into the new routine, as the lives of people did not disappear completely they were reshaped to fit the new reality. In my personal experience, I did not suddenly forget about my friends, family, hobbies, and duties. Instead, I synthesized the new external influences with my needs and wants, which led to a routine that did not resemble my usual life but could not be considered completely separate from it.
Finally, one of Marxs fundamental ideas is alienation a concept that should be mentioned when discussing peoples experiences during the pandemic. The philosophers work is influenced by the hardships of the nineteenth-century textile or mine workers, but it is still relevant to modern employees (Marx). As a Hegel student, he discovered that alienation is the state of being cut off from ones essence, which has been banished to a place beyond ones reach (Marx). The outcome is living a life without the option of self-fulfillment, without the ability to become actualized, to become ones self. In my opinion, the concept of alienation can be applied to the growing popularity of remote education and work as it is a necessity in some environments, remote communication becomes a requirement rather than a choice of laborers. While many students are workers became more fulfilled with their new ability to stay home, they also could feel a growing pressure and the blurring of the lines between personal and work time. Similarly, reflecting on the changes in my communication with others, I recall that many people in my life talked about how they did not feel as though working from home reduced their work-related stress. Additionally, they felt more disconnected from their duties and lonelier due to the lack of informal peer-to-peer interactions that they had at work.
Overall, the pandemic has led many people, including myself, to feel under pressure from many external factors. I had many problems during this time, and it made me feel stressed and separated from the world and people. The philosophical concepts outlined above demonstrate that these processes can be interpreted as a part of human existence and as a type of change that causes much emotional turmoil. Such terms as Descartes withdrawal may assist one in reflecting on the events and separating emotional responses during the search for the truth. Hegels ideas of self-consciousness and the process of sublation demonstrate that a change does not equate to the complete disappearance of the old but a synthesis of new and old concepts. Marxs description of alienation applies perfectly to my experience with online and real-life interactions with other people, education, and work.
Works Cited
Carriero, John. Descartes and the Autonomy of the Human Understanding. Routledge, 2016.
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich. Lordship and Bondage. Marxists Internet Archive.
Marx, Karl. Estranged Labour. Marxists Internet Archive.
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