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Privilege or Solidarity? A story of a twisted world

Af stud. mag. Belinda Hertlein

“We’re in III“, my friend seems to be a strong correlation in be- Kwaku (name changed to an alias due tween a World War and this state of emer- to anonymity ) from rural Ghana says gency: hopelessness and famine; at least laughingly on the phone. But really, he for many people across the globe which is at the brink of his tears. He is trying do not own much privilege in nowadays’ to hide it, yet I can hear his voice break- society. For some reason, it does not sur- ing over the phone. He is broken. The prise me that Kwaku made this compari- situation has broken him, so he tells me. son. I can only imagine what it must be It is shocking to me; my friend whom I like for an individual and a community have looked up to for years. A person so that relies on you in times like these, in a strong, it always seemed to me like noth- place where people do not have nearly as ing and no one can throw him off track. much privilege as in my hometown, for Kwaku is not only referring to this pan- instance; a rural place in . demic, but especially what this While my friend has to deal with press- of COVID-19 (or: Corona) has brought ing issues like famine and hopelessness, with it. people like me have more – one might It seems like he is choosing his words call them – ‘trivial’ issues. Yes, I have lost carelessly, but really, he is correct; at my job, lost my freedom of leaving the least partly. I am not saying that we are, house at any time, lost the chance to meet indeed, in times of World War III, but friends and have (accordingly) fallen into simply that there are people out there, in a depressive phase; with friends you can- this very moment, who feel like we are. not visit and phone calls with them you It may not be described in do not want to make due to anxiety and books as World War III because – techni- fear. It has been a dark time for me, and cally – countries are not fighting against I have only slowly managed to recover each other as seen in the first two World from it. All those things are true for me Wars. Nevertheless, the situation certain- and many of my friends here in . ly feels similar to many people – I as a However, so they are for Kwaku. Millennial must assume. We are in some I am sitting here, in my shared apart- kind of exceptional situation. Yes, one ment with two balconies, writing this could call it a state of emergency. There essay. Privilege. That’s what it is! This

45 is privilege, when you do not have to world negatively in times of COVID-19. worry about waking up tomorrow and Human rights are violated by ‘locking not knowing when you are getting a meal people in’, people are losing jobs, home that day. Or being physically and verbal- abuse is increasing, just to name a few. ly abused by local authorities such as the Even though the world is basically a police when trying to take a ferry to be shit show, there is hope. This situation able to get home. Yes, privilege indeed. of COVID-19 has the potential of awak- Compared to many others, I have peo- ening the world as few other situations ple to fall back on if the need arises. My have yet had. A situation, that has arisen parents, my sister, my friends. Yes, none out of nowhere, no warning, no sign, no of us is rich or has a lot of savings, but nothing. It could not have been predicted. we are financially alright. Something that This has the potential for a change. But is comes with privilege; something that not the world ready for that? everyone in the West, let alone the world, Let us look at few examples of events has. But looking again at my friend: what that have occurred within the last few privilege does he have in rural Ghana weeks and months, or, within the time where famine is slowly but surely ap- of COVID-19: 1) : young and old proaching? People are relying on him, generations come together to prove an both financially as well as socially. He is act of solidarity and community by sing- the stronghold of the family and extend- ing together on their respective balconies ed family members. and windows; 2) globally: individuals, Many things have changed during this companies and NGOs fundraise money pandemic, with many challenges along for both, local as well as international the way. Life as we have known it just recipients affected by this pandemic; 3) a few months ago will never be the same Ireland: people collect money to give fi- and return to normal. But what is ‘nor- nancial support to Native Americans af- mal’ anyway? Is it normal that no one is fected by COVID-19 to return historic looking out for each other? Is it normal act of solidarity; 4) Germany: a song that that we do not care about other people goes viral is being released in order to in other countries? Is it normal that we, fundraise money for people affected of Westerners, are sitting on our privilege COVID-19. Four examples. Four exam- with the majority of us not doing a thing ples of global solidarity. So, has solidar- to support people with less privilege? Is it ity really died? Has it not, indeed, been normal that we see ourselves separate in thriving? It seems that we have started to one world, always looking out for the dif- re-focus on what is one of the most im- ferences in peoples rather than the simi- portant characteristics in life, or at least larities? Is it normal to act solely narcis- should be (maybe even will be in a future sistically and ignore the needs of others? past-COVID-19-world?): solidarity. Has solidarity died? So, to answer the question “Is the This, so I feel, has been the situa- world ready for a change?”: yes! The tion just some little time ago. And yes, world is ready for a change, a change that there are many examples to look at the is necessary. This should be the message

46 in all this. Am I trying to see things posi- ask ourselves: What are we choosing to tively? Yes. Am I being naïve about the sit on? Privilege for ourselves? Or using current situation? I hope not. But there is that privilege to support people in a more only one way to find out, and that is by vulnerable state (aka solidarity)? waiting. However, even though the world is ready for a change, does not mean we can simply ‘let it happen’. We need to ac- tively work on the change. We cannot let Belinda Hertlein vandt med dette essay the chance pass by and hope for a new andenpladsen i Fagrådets essay-konkur- one. This is a straw, and we need to grab rence for studerende ved Det Teologiske it. We are one world. And it seems that Fakultet om at skrive om Corona-krisen this unprecedented almost absurd situ- fra en faglig vinkel. Vinderne blev kåret ation of COVID-19 has the potential to af et dommerpanel bestående af redaktør coming one step closer in achieving this. for DR Tro Christoffer Emil Bruun, lektor This may not be a war, as my friend ved Center for Afrikastudier Stig Breiten- Kwaku has described it, but war time stein Jensen, samt lektor og afdelingsle- hope moves through the streets, and po- der for Afdeling for Systematisk Teologi tentially through us all. Now, we need to Johanne Stubbe Teglbjærg Kristensen

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