Page 14 - spectrum-volume-14-issue-7.pdf

14 2020 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 2

The Productivity Pandemic

PRIYANKA SRINIVAS

Coronavirus is the only
biological pandemic we are
dealing with, currently. However,
building up to shape an entire
generation’s work ethic, success
quotient and socio-economic
stability, there has been a
subtle but dangerous rise in
The climate clock during climate week, showing ‘productivity’. By definition,
the deadline and the lifeline we have been given. productivity is simple and
somewhat necessary to get by.
The Ticking Clock However, due to several factors,
productivity has lost meaning.
There is a newer connotation
ARPITA RAVI currently supplied from renewable that stems from a set of highly
sources. It boils down to good successful economic anomalies:
The year 2020 has been stressful triumphing over evil; we must the millionaires and billionaires.
for every human on earth, but aim to bring the green number
amidst all this, our callous to 100 before the red becomes 0. I n st e a d o f b e i n g t h e
and detrimental attitude has effectiveness of work done,
hurled Mother Earth towards We need action now more than productivity is now an unhealthy The guilt of having too much free time
a scary future. Humanity has ever before, as the war against cult tied with a flawed perception
been extremely careless in climate change looms over the of success which is strictly
their worldly pursuits and the battlefield, and only we can wealth-related. Any free time To protect our headspace, however,
consequences are, inevitably, change the outcome. Just last people obtain, they want to
ugly. We can see it in the rising year, Greta Thunberg emanated ‘invest’ into different projects it is important to let go of these
sea levels, alarmingly intense a ripple action worldwide by to increase monetary profit. toxic practices and realize the
hurricanes, increasing number calling out leaders who had This helps to normalize the
of wildfires across the world; promised to take measures sacrifice healthy practices such benefits of a hedonistic approach.
and this is just the beginning. to prevent climate change, as sleep, good eating habits
but did not deliver. The Paris and stable relationships for
The Climate Clock, installed Agreement signed in 2016 ‘optimal success.’ Since this idea After all, free time like this comes
for climate week (21st to 27th is a prime example of taking capitalizes on every minute of rarely. We should cherish it.
September 2020) in New York’s responsibility and acting to free time, lockdown has been
Union Square displayed some prevent a major threat to the the perfect time to promote this
daunting numbers in concert earth, and hopefully there will garbled sense of productivity. ‘an edge’ over other college status as an infectious pandemic
with some positive statistics as be more such implementations Many platforms that promote this students. In addition, students with negative effects on mental
well. In glaring red, it showed the rather than discussions. The message have a large student user are encouraged to balance an and physical health.To protect
time left before the earth grows time for deliberation has long base. Hence, toxic productivity unholy amount of activities to our headspace, however, it is
1.5°C hotter than it currently is, gone; it is time to step into the has seeped into student habits. In become ‘financially independent’. important to let go of these toxic
caused due to greenhouse gas fight. As Greta astutely put it, lockdown, especially, everyone practices and realize the benefits
emissions. In green, it signalled “We can’t just continue living has a need to do several online With many people adapting of a hedonistic approach. After
hope by showing the growing as if there was no tomorrow, courses related or unrelated to this toxic lifestyle in lockdown, all, free time like this comes
percentage of the world’s energy because there is a tomorrow.” their field of education to have productivity has earned its rarely. We should cherish it.

Shedding Light on the Unsung COVID-Heroes of 2020

SHRUTI RAMESH Lakh feeding the homeless in Mohd Anees Khan Ghori, Syed
his home state of Manipur. His Siddiq Ahmed, Gulnar Parveen,
The emergence of the novel team of over 20 volunteers has Ahmed Nadeem, Mohd Rafeeq
coronavirus took the world been working hard to raise funds Khan Ghori, Mohd Shameer,
by storm in late 2019. What to continue to feed the needy for and Mohd Ameer, have been
started out as a simple viral free since the lockdown began. distributing oxygen cylinders
outbreak quickly turned into a Shubham Dharmsktu has been for free to those who require
catastrophic global pandemic no less than a messiah to foreign medical oxygen but cannot
that has been holding the entire travelers stranded in India in afford it. They have also helped
world at a standstill. Frontline the wake of the lockdown. over forty students pay their fees
workers stepped into action at Shubham had started by securing and have provided medicines
once, and have worked tirelessly accommodation for some of these and ration for over a hundred
to aid victims and prevent the tourists in Delhi in March 2020 needy families.
proliferation of COVID-19. and has since received hundreds The names listed above are
While they’ve rightfully been of phone calls from other such just a handful from a myriad of
deemed “COVID-Heroes”, tourists, and has taken part in real-life COVID-Heroes. These
one mustn’t let the efforts of evacuating them safely to their heroes, who have stepped up and
ordinary citizens go unnoticed.
respective destinations. In led the fight against the novel
Between March and August Mysuru, a group of citizens - Dr. coronavirus, have set the bar
2020, cyclist Philem Rohan Javeed Nayeem, Dr. Shabeena for humanity extremely high Philem Rohan Singh has been providing at least one meal a
Singh had spent over Rs. 3 Jabeen, Prof Noor Ahmed Khan, with their exemplary actions! day for the homeless and needy since March 2020