The only question that matters right now: Do you need any help?
(English tanslation: there is a disclaimer below)
"It is still way to early to take conclusions from the Corona crisis. The There is one thing I can say. This crisis, shows who we are at our core, as people, and as a society.
Not, 'homo economicus', but 'homo empathicus'
Every solution we are presented with is based on cooperation. Cooperation between hospitals, in Den Bosch and Breda. Cooperation between scientists form The Netherlands, and all parts of the world.
No one, is talking about the importance of competition to get out of this crisis.
Everyone, young and old emphasize the importance of solidarity. Of taking responsibility together. No one is talking about personal responsibility of entrepreneurs, and employees, who are without an income.
It is clear, now more than where. What the crucial professions in our society are. Nurses. Teachers. Cleaners... There is no shortage of shareholders, or managers, or CEO's. Yet, there has been cut back on these crucial professions, while shareholders and CEO's, only got more.
Who has heard anyone say in the past week, that the economy is more important that our health? It is abundantly clear, that the people we care about, the health of our society, is more important that economical growth, and profit.
Social distancing is hard for many people. We hate having less social contact. Or not being able to travel.
An arm around you, the embrace of people that care about eachother. The unexpected introduction, to a stranger.
We don't miss the fight, and the middle finger when we're stuck in traffic.
We are all worried. We all know somebody who is older. Or rather a young person, who is ill, and because of that , extra vulnerable.
No one is complaining about Muslims, or Christians. About whether someone lives with a man, or loves a woman.
If there is one thing this virus teaches us, is that we are all people. And when it really matters, we are all vulnerable.
The applause from yesterday evening, was touching and beautiful. But also a little painful.
The people we all collectively applauded, have always been the beating heart of our society.
Finally, they got the recognition they deserved. We must also give them that, when this crisis is over.
It is very important that we praise and support these heroes that keep our society alive.
But they are not the only ones, that are in dire need of our support right now.
The first messages came to me, from people, who could not stand by their terminally ill family members in these times.
The first messages got to me, from funerals. Where people couldn't hold each other's hands.
We are doing everything we can to solve this international crisis.
But we cannot forget all the crises on smaller scale.
People whose treatments were cancelled.
People who cannot go to the psychologist, or psychiatrist.
Who see their social, or financial aid vaporize.
People for whom being bound to home is terror, because of their home-situation.
Forget survival of the fittest. Survival of the kindest. That's what this is all about.
We need to help each other. Support each other. Listen to each other.
Because for them it can feel, like the light has stopped shining. Like the world around them has gone dark.
And for all those peole, I will light, starting tonight, a candle in my window. Because for these people too, may the light never die out.
This virus, isn't a Chinese Virus. Or a French virus. Or a Dutch virus. It is a worldwide pandemic.
We are all in the same boat, on the unpredictable sea of what we clinically call Covid-19. And we will all, in our own way, have to grow with the oars we have.
The question we should all ask each other is not,
What is your political colour?
The only question that counts right now is,
(Disclaimer, this is said about The Netherlands. I know some situations described don't apply everywhere. I used a different video I couldn't share to translate, whereas the one above has been edited, and some parts were cut out, that I did wrote down below.)
