I Am Not Essential

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 A big part of the absurdity that surrounds me is the way businesses, people, and experiences are being labelled "essential" and "not essential". One reason why this disturbs me is because a couple of years ago I jotted down a rough idea for a story that I never got around to writing. The story was that some kind of disaster was looming, and people had been categorised into "valuable" and "non valuable". Those who were valuable were taken away and saved, and everyone else was left. This is a chunk of draft I wrote down. 


I cannot make this up. Some of the reasons I had written down were: mental health problems, learning difficulties, and type of job considered unimportant. Basically, everyone who is currently suffering due to lockdown were the ones who my imaginary government considered "non valuable". Even in 2017, this idea was so wrong to me that it fitted an evil power-grabbing establishment. 

The way that Covid deaths are suddenly more important and more focused on than any other deaths, aside from being completely illogical, is the precursor for this new hierarchy. Why is the suffering of "non essentials" suddenly acceptable? People who are afraid of Covid-19 have every right to be so, but when did it become our responsibility to sacrifice everything - our jobs, relationships, fitness, mental stability - just to slightly decrease that fear? I have never blamed my catching an illness on ANYONE but myself. Even if I knew exactly who I'd caught it from, I would consider myself responsible for my own hygiene and caution levels. And I'd like to know when this stopped being normal. 

For anyone reading this who's in the "not essential" boat with me, I'd like to remind you that it's just a label. Small businesses are essential - they prevent monopolisation, they produce less waste, they support employment and GDP. Hair and beauty technicians are essential - they give people confidence, they help maintain the smaller aspects of physical health and cleanliness, they boost mental health and relaxation. Charity shops - I hope I don't  need to explain this one. And anyone else I haven't named - you go out and contribute to society, you have people you care about and are essential to them. Please don't let anyone tell you otherwise. 

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