Reading this essay reminded me of a conversation I had with my mother a few weeks ago. She said in the early days of the pandemic, she would sit by her window and watch children play downstairs or ride in their bicycles. Often they chased after one and another in the staircases of the apartment. She enjoyed their loud exuberance. Now she does not see or hear any kid. They are staying in as instructed by their parents. Whatever their source of entertainment is likely solitary now. She said she feels most sorry for the little ones who had a couple of years robbed of their childhood in a country where the system already makes a carefree childhood unattainable.
The author of the essay argues that the pandemic has made private affluence more visible:
Capitalism pushes us towards private affluence. We aspire to acquire our own things. Shared things are seen as second best, something of an inconvenience. Politics responds accordingly, prioritising economic growth and ‘more money in your pocket’, rather than shared goods and services. So everyone has their own lawnmower while the grass grows long in the park. People get their own exercise bikes or rowing machines, and the gym at the local leisure centre starts to look tired and under-funded. The wealthy pay for childcare or hire a nanny, but the early years nursery closes down.
The wealthy have been able to create many layers of insulation from the ills of the pandemic. Their kids have not been victims of lost learning opportunities. Private affluence was able to plug the holes created by covid.
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