Page 9 - Updated Spectrum-volume-14-issue-4

2021 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 4 9
2020 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 4 9

Living in a Dream New Year, Better You

SHRAVYA SHARAN A person who is purported SHRUTI RAMESH There is no
to have MD may experience
The world, through a child’s extremely vivid daydreams The year 2020 will undoubtedly better evidence to
mind, is full of wonder and with their characters, settings, go down as one of the most
possibilities. Their minds are plots and story-like features or intense and eventful 366 days prove that with
free to conjure up a world perform repetitive movements, in history. From bushfires and
that embodies anything they make facial expressions locust swarms to a pandemic small changes in
desire. Be it serving dishes and whisper and talk while that forced the world into
cooked by our five-year-old daydreaming. Owing to quarantine, humanity truly their lifestyle,
selves on kitchen sets or the absence of a medical saw it all. Although the year humans can
pretending to be part of an recognition of the condition, was taxing and put everyone
elite force of power rangers. MD is often treated as a neural on edge, there are quite a few turn the tide on
biochemical imbalance rather takeaways that can make the
Despite creating absurd than an addictive symptom future much more rewarding. environmental
scenarios as kids, reality was stemming from trauma, or a
never completely removed. void in the individual’s life. Until the coronavirus pandemic issues such as
Kids knew that food would not hit, extreme productivity was Although 2020 has caused 2021
to look bleak, there is hope for
satisfy the hunger nor would Experts believe that all the rage. The lockdown the world if people take action. climate change
a power ranger’s costume cognitive-behavioral therapy put things in perspective and
give superhuman abilities. can help control excessive helped people realise that it’s its usual 300 or so. Apart from sea turtle nests almost tripled,
Yet, being invested both daydreaming. One study okay to take a break and focus cleaner air and water, there with some of the endangered
physically and emotionally claims fluvoxamine, a drug on their mental health, so that was also a global decrease in creatures laying their eggs on
was quite common. This is commonly used to treat OCD, they don’t burn out. After all, carbon emissions. There is no empty beaches in broad daylight
maladaptive daydreaming can help control MD as well. taking care of oneself counts better evidence to prove that for the first time in decades.
in a nutshell. When the medical community as being productive. 2020 also with small changes in their
formally recognizes the opened people’s eyes to their lifestyle, humans can turn the There’s no saying when the
In 2002, an Israeli professor disorder, perhaps, there effect on the environment. The tide on environmental issues pandemic will come to a halt or
named Eli Somer published a will be more streamlined nationwide lockdown forced such as climate change. Reduced how much more eventful 2021
paper describing a condition and nuanced approaches to everyone indoors, leading to human interference saw animals might be; but if people learn their
coined ‘maladaptive treating those held hostages significantly lowered pollution roam free as well, taking back lessons from 2020, the world can
daydreaming’ or MD where by their daydreams. levels. New Delhi, notorious for their homes that human beings become a much brighter place.
people spent extensive time its smog, saw an average AQI have invaded for centuries. In Hopefully humanity walks into
in a self-designed imaginary Kids knew of 83.8 in March, as opposed to early 2020 alone the number of 2021 kinder, stronger, and better.
world. They are aware that that food would
this world is fantasy, and
hence manage to retain contact not satisfy the
with the ‘real world’. But Margazhi festival 2020
in extreme cases, extensive hunger nor would
fantasy activity may replace a power ranger’s
human interaction and interfere PRIYANKA R
with academic, interpersonal costume give
or vocational functioning as superhuman Amidst all the chaos that
shown in ‘The Secret Life the past year threw at them,
of Walter Mitty’. abilities. the classical artists of Chennai
have dusted it off and begun
preparing themselves to get
back on the grind. Since the
sabhas have now been permitted
to host performances, classical
music and dance troupes have
secured slots to perform for the
most awaited season of the year,
the Chennai Music Season, well
known as the Margazhi festival.
The Margazhi festival takes
place from mid-December till Enthralling margazhi utsavam
mid-January, which marks the
Margazhi month or the 9th month hand-sanitizers, and to follow Even during World War II and
of the Tamil calendar. It was first strict adherence to the Standard the 2004 tsunami, the festival
organized in 1928 to rejoice at Operating Procedures. continued. However, this year,
the first anniversary of Madras However, keeping in mind the with the pandemic still raging
Music Academy. About 2000 vulnerability of the dangerous unabated and the uncertainty
participants gather and perform situation, The Music Academy that looms large because of it,
over 300 concerts to honour has decided to conduct its music we have decided to take the
the festivity. festival online.
concerts online this year. The
Although, cultural events have President of The Music Academy The online festival may not
been permitted to be held in shared that, “Since 1928, the be the same as the physical
closed spaces, while following year in which the Margazhi concerts, but since health and
the COVID-19 protocols to allow Festival was founded in Madras safety precede all, rasikas
Daydreams of youngs and adults a maximum capacity of 50%, by the Academy, we have been (patrons) have been forced to
maintain social distancing, use hosting it uninterruptedly. resort to virtual concerts.