Global #FOMO

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

‘Stop all the clocks’, or ‘Funeral Blues’ as it is more commonly known; is arguably one of Auden’s most well-known works. Having made appearances in almost every form of literature and media that is out there; the poem is about grieving the loss of a loved one and putting all temporal things on a complete pause. The world, as the writer sees it, has come to a stop for him/her. Nothing makes sense anymore, everything else is secondary to their sense of loss.

With the rather, rude arrival of COVID-19, and the amount of casualties it has given rise to; this particular piece is more relatable than it ever could’ve been. How does one grapple with such insurmountable loss and go on about their lives? It is rather perplexing, and perhaps the biggest dilemma we collectively face in this global crisis.

We are told to be more productive, more determined and involved in everyday tasks, that perhaps we took for granted before this. But what if I don’t want to paint or read a certain amount of books, turn to gardening or revive all my dormant passions? What if I want to lie in my bed and watch trashy reality tv shows and indulge in gluttony of the worst kind? What if THAT, is what makes me happy?

This does not mean, we check our privilege out the door. We respect it and place it on the forefront of whatever whims and desires we choose to follow. Celebrities, Insta-bloggers and influencers keep harping on about how to live as holistically and as productively as possible; all the while sitting in their many-acred homes with expansive courtyards and food stocked up for ages. But alot of us don’t have those very luxuries and a good percentage of the population is driven to extreme anxiety and depressive episodes, because they don’t have all such resources to fuel their sanity.

The question still stands; how do we get rid of the global fomo, that has emerged as a result of this pandemic? People are dying left, right and centre; we stay locked in our homes for the fear of venturing outside and yet are shamed by keyboard warriors for not using our time wisely.

Will death take your productivity into account? Will impending doom, thank you for spreading the joys of gardening to the masses?

None of it really matters, when put into perspective. You are allowed to feel how you feel, become sloppy or put on tons of weight; as long as none of these things endanger the lives of others. In short, as Auden puts it, “Stop all the clocks and cut off the telephone" indeed. Deal with it, however you must and however you want.