"We don't call it 'social distancing,' because what we offer here is not only food, it's human connection, even when we must stay physically further apart." This statement was made by the Rev. Dr. Anna Pearson. She is the rector at the Church of the Holy Apostles, which runs New York City's largest soup kitchen. Because of I work with my local Food Not Bombs chapter (which I have discussed previously), I read with interest the New Yorker's April 6 spotlight on how the kitchen, which has not … [Read more...]
To obey or not to obey? The logic of social distancing
Arendt often quoted Shakespeare, and paraphrasing Hamlet – one of Western culture’s greatest procrastinators - is apropos for my sense of ambiguity right now as to whether to obey…or not to? In a previous post, Katy noted how the Covid 19 crisis represented a time for courage. Across the world, we have seen courageous, and irresponsible, actions from leaders and others. But it is not so much courage that I have been thinking about. Rather, it is obedience. In her essay “Personal … [Read more...]
Social distancing, loneliness, and friendship
I've been listening to Canadaland's isolation interviews. When The Globe and Mail's Robyn Doolittle was asked about the strangest thing that she had done that day, she replied that it was doing her normal job as an investigative journalist, working from home (where her partner and young children also are) on stories that have nothing to do with COVID-19. Like many, I feel constantly distracted by COVID-19 Dolittle's comment resonates with me. I feel odd working on a series entitled "At Home … [Read more...]