Books are my best friends

“My world has changed since the pandemic. When the Dutch government imposed a lock down in March, some of my employers told me not to come until the situation was back to normal. The first 3 weeks were the most challenging. I spent most of the days inside my room, I couldn’t go out because there was no reason to. News of verbal and physical attacks on Asian people were circulating around the neighborhoods, and police were very visible on the streets to monitor social distancing.

During those weeks, my books became my weapon to fight boredom, anxiety and worrying about the future. I used my time to do the thing I love most – reading. My books become my best friends in overcoming the emotional effects of the crisis.Books I read in March include A Little Knowledge by Michael Macrone and Political Ideologies (An Introduction) by Andrew Heywood.

The Little Knowledge is about philosophy. According to Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “Everything changes but change itself. All things, good and bad, must pass”. I believe that these bad times, the corona virus and the economic crisis we face, will come to an end too. Good days will come again.

I also read Political Ideologies by Andrew Heywood. I wanted to see the world and the current Covid 19 crisis through the lens of ideology, in particular the impact of neoliberalism on the world, economic globalisation and the issue of migration. Why did the spread of coronavirus happen? Why did governments impose restrictions at the expense of freedom of movement and choices? Why do undocumented people suffer the most in the time of the pandemic? Are there solutions to their sufferings? I want to go deep into economic fundamentals such as the free market, mobility of people and migration policies so I can clearly understand the social realities that affect me.”