Events are cancelled, empathy needn’t be

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/03/2020 (2052 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Everything is cancelled.

Broadway is dark. Disneyland is closed.

Here at home, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Manitoba Museum are shuttered. Concerts have been cancelled. Theatre artists have had performances suspended. Local musicians are returning from aborted tours.

The global COVID-19 outbreak is forcing the cancellation and postponement of public gatherings, and all of us are being told to stay home. Social distancing, health officials say, is how we may “flatten the curve,” a phrase that has gone from being virtually unknown to a hashtag in a matter of days.

You’d think social distancing would come fairly naturally, considering how many people love cancelling plans so they can binge-watch Netflix in sweatpants and how much socializing is done on our phones. It’s as if as soon as staying home is encouraged — and, in some cases, government mandated — people suddenly have the burning need to go out and be social.

Now is not the time to be a contrarian because you “feel fine.” I get it, you’re bored. It’s OK to be bored. Being bored is the least of your worries. If Ireland can close all its pubs before St. Patrick’s Day, you can watch The Office on your couch.

Social distancing is vital. It saves lives. Staying home isn’t just about you — it’s about your co-worker’s elderly parents or your best friend’s newborn baby. The time for action is now.

Cancellations and closures can be disappointing and inconvenient. Still, spare a thought for the musicians who are unable to tour and other artists who are unable to perform, as well as all the behind-the-scenes people whose gigs are evaporating.

Think of the arts organizations that will have to eat the cost of cancelled shows if everyone demands a refund.

Think about the small and local business owners who have had to make difficult decisions this week about whether to stay open, and risk exposure, or close, and risk financial losses that could potentially be crippling.

The economic ripples this pandemic will have will be far-reaching. People will lose their jobs.

Staying home and supporting our local artists and businesses don’t have to be diametrically opposed ideas. Consider ordering in from restaurants that are still open, and tip really, really well. Buy gift cards from local businesses for future use, or shop online if the option is available.

Many podcasters or freelance writers have accounts with Patreon, a membership platform that helps distribute content, you can support. Pre-order books from authors, since book tours are being postponed. Consider paying your hair stylist even if your appointment gets cancelled. Maintain your memberships to galleries and museums. Subscribe to the newspaper.

Think about purchasing season tickets to the theatre or opera next year. Hit up a band’s website and buy some merch. Buy music.

If you have a ticket to something that has been cancelled, consider forgoing a refund. Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, whose upcoming run of Narrow Bridge has been postponed, has made a plea to its patrons to consider converting their ticket purchases into a donation, which will include a tax receipt for the full amount.

Social distancing puts into stark relief how much of our way of life involves gathering together.

It’s also a reminder not to take the things we like — the things that bring us joy, the things that make our city a desirable place to live — for granted. If we want those things to exist later, we need to do what we can to support them now. We may be distancing, but we’re all in this together.

jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @JenZoratti