[W Forum] I Write Because I Almost Said I Envy Flowers

There is not a single mask left. Before coming to the United States, I didn’t pack any masks at all. In mid-January, I went to a supermarket to buy masks, but someone right in front of me bought two boxes of masks, and that was it. Since then, there has been no supply at all. The same goes for sanitizers. While the U.S. was taking it easy, the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from China spread to Korea and other countries. Shincheonji was not a new land, and an unexpected mask shortage occurred. I feel relieved to hear that the response is at least calm and steady.

In the western region of the U.S. where I am staying, there have been cases of community transmission without travel history, and the alert level has been raised. As COVID infections surpassed 100,000 cases in over 100 countries worldwide, the World Health Organization announced that the risk of a pandemic is high. However, they added the condition that this would be the first controllable pandemic. Ultimately, it will be controlled and overcome, but thinking about the many sacrifices that must be made in the meantime is frightening.

Invisible pathogens are scary, but what is even more frightening is the infinite spread of anxiety, fear, panic, mutual blame, and hatred. Fear arises from uncertainty and is amplified by selfishness. There are many who try to exploit this fear. Forces that want to use COVID for political strife create and spread fake news more terrifying than the virus itself. The role of responsible media becomes all the more important in such times. I am grateful for the sacrifices of those who are overworked leading quarantine, inspection, and treatment efforts, and I applaud the efforts to share information and prevent further spread. Together, we observe how disasters are handled in this unfamiliar land.

The future world will be one where the emergence of unknown viruses and disasters become everyday occurrences. Borders will be meaningless. This COVID crisis has thrown the task of imagining and preparing for this reality onto all political realities and each of us as individuals. What used to be events in novels or movies have become everyday life, and we have become the protagonists standing in the midst of disaster. Discrimination, hatred, and violence based on class and social status occur even in movies, but the protagonists of disaster films survive through wisdom, rational judgment, and the will to share suffering that shines even in crises. Like the ending of a movie, I hope this reality will end soon. When I change my perspective and think about it, I wonder who the protagonist is here. Is it humans, the pathogen, or the camera?

While having these thoughts, spring flowers are in full bloom here in Berkeley. I gaze quietly at the flowers that gather closely and raise their heads toward the sunlight, deeply feeling that humans on Earth are just one weak and imperfect species, and perhaps the most selfish species. I envy the flowers. Thinking about the survival of each person on their own, I wonder who the real protagonist of this Earth, which humans share with other species, is. Properly imagining a sustainable future requires a fundamental reflection on coexistence. That coexistence is not only among humans but also between humans and non-human animals and plants, and all kinds of microorganisms and viruses.

The current crisis is a strong warning against human-centered civilization. It means that things cannot continue as they are. Therefore, I humbly put aside the human position and think about what we should pass on to the next generation. The Earth where we all breathe and live together. A path of trust and coexistence in the community, not fear, exclusion, discrimination, or selfishness. For that, what is each of us doing now? In this strange world where masks and distancing have become more important than rice, I write this while almost saying I envy the flowers. What are we learning as we go through this disaster? How will we change?

Jeong Eun-gwi, Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.