Internet memes are everywhere. You could even say they are a form of communication. The best memes are simple, hilarious and go straight to the heart of their subject matter. Before I had endometriosis surgically removed, memes got me through some sleepless, painful nights. (If you’re a fellow ‘endo warrior’, you may wish to check out Facebook’s Endometriosis Memes Community, for no-holds-barred hilarity.)
There are quite a few Tom Hanks memes out there. Some of the most recent say things along the lines of, ‘Tom Hanks has coronavirus – not cool!’ I’m on board with that: definitely not cool. Tom Hanks, if you’re reading this, I’m wishing you and your wife a speedy and safe recovery.
It’s not just Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, though. Around the world, new reports keep appearing, of people in various high-profile roles who have tested positive for COVID-19. In Canada, in Spain, in Iran, in the UK, in Italy, in Australia – there’s no end in sight, not yet. In Kuwait, meanwhile, the Adhan (Islamic call to prayer) has been amended. Instead of “Hayya’ala al-Salah” (Come to prayer), muezzins are now calling, “Al-Salatu fi buyutikum” (Pray in your homes), an amendment which historically applied in times of extreme weather. Worldwide, thousands of people, whether famous or not, rich or poor, old or young, are contracting coronavirus (I’ll just stick to calling it coronavirus; it’s easier). Across the globe, people are having, or choosing, to isolate themselves as much as they can from human contact. Even in this modern era, we humans are so vulnerable, such fragile beings. Aside from practising basic hygiene, self-isolation is the one thing any of us can do, to try to protect ourselves and others. Ironically, it’s the one thing which currently unites us.
Coronavirus is crossing all of our imaginary barriers: borders, nationality, language, you name it. It’s having a field day right now, trampling all over human-made boundaries, that we think divide us; such as status, politics, religion, or money. These boundaries only divide us if we allow them to. Coronavirus certainly doesn’t care about them. They are figments of our collective capacity for invention, and the virus is proving to us that we should be far more concerned with multiplicity than with the multiplier effect. Coronavirus is the great equaliser, and we could be learning a lesson from that. Once this is all over, though, we’ll probably just go back to talking about the economy and Strictly. Panem et circenses.
Mind you, money still does make a difference, even though it shouldn’t. The sad truth still is that those who are currently wealthier and healthier (the two often go together) are more likely to survive this pandemic and recover from its effects, than those who are not. The more financial reserves you can draw on, the more capacity you can draw on; to buy and have food, water, medication, sanitary supplies, sanctuary, space. The healthier you are, the more likely you are to survive, even if you do contract coronavirus. Fairness, it seems, is just another human invention.
And yet: as ever in times of crisis, there is hope and beauty in humanity. I saw a video clip online today, filmed from an apartment block in Italy, where someone was blasting Frankie Valli and The 4 Seasons’ Can’t take my eyes off you across the empty streets. Above street level, on the surrounding balconies and rooftops, local residents were out partying and singing along. All it took to unite these complete strangers in this Italian city was music. At least, I think it was Italy. But it could have been anywhere – it takes so little to unite people. No matter how high the ivory tower, or how low the gutter; on some level, we all need each other.
That clip will stay with me for quite some time. And now, I’ve got the song stuck in my head: “You’re just too good to be true, Can’t take my eyes off you…” But I’m also wondering: is simple, human unity, like the unity displayed in that video clip, too good to be true?
There is another Frankie Valli song that, for me, captures what it is to be human. To Give was written by The 4 Seasons’ Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, and performed by Frankie Valli, in the same era as Can’t take my eyes off you. There’s no way I can hope to summarise its lyrics, or their meaning; but, if you want to read them, I’ve copied them below. Maybe you’ll agree with me that they are breathtakingly beautiful, timeless, and wise.
To Give (The Reason I live)
To give is the reason I live
To give all I can give
In return, for the life that I earn
I was born as a part of the plan
With the heart of a man
With a will to survive
And I believe
Everything on this earth
Having meaning and worth
Made of concrete and air
Is to share and to feel
Justify I exist
To describe on the list
Of someone
With a place in the sun
Here I stand, reaching out for the sky
Till the day that I die
I must give all I can
When I go
I’ll go out empty hand
Leaving dust to the land
Just the soul I have found
Leaves the ground.
Π