Social Distance

By

Obododimma Oha

Sometimes, politicians and other social actors define what words should mean for us. They can even give new meanings to familiar words and we have to queue up and accept them one after the other, same way we can kill other people for a politician to win at an election, or queue up for hours on end to vote for politicians from whom we have collected some bribe money. So, we could see that politicians and other significant social actors tell or lecture us on what "distance" means and know that "social distance" can be something done to the population, using the population. The novelist, George Orwell, author of the popular
1984,was known  to have shown his annoyance over  this in his essay, “Politics and the English language. ” Indeed, his annoyance is justified.

If social distance is interpreted to mean keeping away from everyone, not just avoiding crowds in public places, does it matter? Sometimes,one can mean something without saying it directly and say something without saying something. And somebody can go to jail if that person does not do what has not been said.

This also means freezing up societies or saying no more social interaction until further notice. Social interaction tells me why lives have to meet. The other life is not created  for me to eat as  food. The other life is created to flow into mine for life to continue in a dynamic way. So, the other life is greater me.

Now, you are saying: “To your tents,O Israel!”

Anyway, “social  distance,” through which you try to kill something, should not be total distance or distance from  everyone. Don’t I know how to keep a  healthy distance from someone that I am  talking with? Do I have to wrap myself around that person or share  a seat meant for one with the fellow? Must bodies rub against bodies in a civilized world? Please,let us not allow social actors redefine for us what “social distance” means and become the victims that Omoniyi Ibietan is talking about in that update on Facebook that says:

Keep social distance from misconception, misinformation &
Disinformation....They are more contagious and deadly as COVID-19.

Does that make you a bit uncomfortable,especially after reading many conspiracy theories that look true? Anyway,”social distance” still has humour for you, as in this soccer visual targeting the targeter:

(Source: Anonymous  

Is Arsenal not reminded about the need to observe “social distance” if the club is targeting the cup? It should be a humane gunner, biko, especially in these days of Corona virus. Indeed, a Frontline Division One European League club, Arsenal has every reason to eye (and even sniff)  the cup. Corona or no Corona. Even if there is a virus on the cup, a club facing competition has to grab it.

Anyway politicians and other social actors kicking social distance  and meaning round the soccer pitch should know that we know their styles and that we know what they know.