The COVID-19 pandemic surprised the world when it started spreading as spontaneously as it did. The pandemic affected people’s mental and physical health and forced governments to create restrictions to control its spread. Therefore, philosophers such as Slavoj Zizek set out to explain the dynamics around the pandemic and the restrictions that ensued. He addresses how capitalism cannot care for the majority’s concerns when crises occur. He delves into critical theory, pop culture, and psychoanalysis to reveal the dynamics of knowledge and power.
One thing that stands out about the book, Pandemic 2! Chronicles of a Time Lost are the pop culture references that compare the pandemic to apocalyptic films while creating clear distinctions between the films’ apocalyptic themes and the pandemic’s non-apocalyptic nature. The distinctions highlight the selfish nature of capitalism amidst significant tragedies. During the pandemic, many people were anxious and pessimistic about the possibilities that it created. Therefore, a significant number of people started comparing the Covid-19 pandemic to apocalyptic films, which Hollywood also developed to reflect the mindset of the majority at its peak. In one of the quoted films, Soylent Green, a group of old citizens are put to death through painless means, which they chose over living in the post-apocalyptic world where a majority of the population lived in suffering. In real life, such a proposal would not be considered as older generations still compete to sustain comfortable lives. Many wealthy capitalists that strive to maintain the ideologies of contemporary capitalism are old, thus highlighting a significant difference between the films and real life.
Another apocalyptic film the author compares to the pandemic is Kevin Costner’s The Postman. In the film, the protagonist discovers a mail carrier’s uniform, which he puts on to take up the job associated with the uniform. He delivers mail across the scattered villages, attracting others to the cause and restoring some of the systems that worked before the apocalyptic destruction. In real life, the Covid-19 pandemic crippled many systems, but it highlighted the underlying structures of these systems and how they were designed to benefit only a few people. Unlike the people in the film, many real-life civilians wanted the systems to be reformed and restored, which proved difficult since capitalists used their resources to maintain and even increase their advantage over the majority. The author highlights how in real life, capitalists suggested that a united front against the pandemic would significantly damage the economy and society these efforts aim to appease. Thus, highlighting a major problem with regard to people’s perspective on humanity. In most apocalyptic films, many people unite to survive the effects, but the pandemic only exposed more horrors with regard to people’s ability to care for others. The author highlights how the pandemic was unique, thus the need for films focusing on the unprecedented effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was illuminating to read about the people against the strict measures enforced by the government and how, beneath their strong opinions, was the fear of accepting reality on its terms. The Covid-19 pandemic came during increased and extensive internet access and use, leading to a high rate of misinformation being spread across the major social media platforms. Discerning between facts and conspiracy theories became a challenge for many, who also faced anxiety and were susceptible to the lies such as the one indicting governments of enforcing strict lockdown and social distancing measures for their power schemes. In reality, these stringent measures had to be adhered to considering the cases of infections and deaths. As much as people wanted to show concern for the working-class community that lost many jobs, they only had two choices due to capitalism’s failure to foresee such tragedies. The author compares the working-class community during the pandemic to coal miners working in dangerous mines to make ends meet.
It was also illuminating to discover some major themes the pandemic ignited in the media, which has influenced many people’s ideologies. Surveillance capitalism was a significant topic amidst the pandemic, whereby corporations and governments would monitor human activity. The use of drones in nations such as China revealed a sample of what surveillance capitalism should entail. Also, the scientific concept of the brain-machine interface was discussed extensively, whereby human beings would be linked to each other through neuro-link technology. The author highlights how these concepts threaten independent thinking by forcing humans to think homogeneously.
One good example the author cites is the film, The Matrix, whereby the protagonist is asked to choose between the red and blue pill, representing harsh reality and oblivion, respectively. The author also refers to a family in the Chernobyl documentary which refused to leave an area with nuclear rays. The family was unaffected, thus assuming that they chose the red pill. The Covid-19 pandemic came with similar paradoxes, as people defined reality according to their perspectives and experiences.
The author’s stance on the working-class community’s choices amidst the pandemic’s peak comes off as insensitive. Stating that most people had a choice between starvation and Covid-19 infection is similar to the capitalistic mindset that leaves no options for the poor unless they have something to offer. The article was meant to make strong arguments against capitalism and its greedy nature; thus, justifying such a predicament conveys a message of indifference.
In conclusion, the authors address the effects of Covid-19 by applying different elements such as pop culture references, critical theory, and psychoanalysis. Films such as Soylent Green and The Postman portray unity amidst the chaos, contrary to what the pandemic inspired. Misinformation was spread easily, and people ignored the reality in the cases of infection and death. The media spread stories about the threat to autonomy due to neuro-link technology and surveillance. People also started making illogical arguments based on their experiences. The greed in capitalism should not be justified as concern for people’s well-being should be prioritized.
References
Žižek, S. (2021). Pandemic! 2: Chronicles of a time lost. John Wiley & Sons.
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