But panic is also what makes us reclaim what’s ours during disconcerting times, and what makes us protect what we cherish. Even with the world coming to a standstill, the ones who abuse our panic continue their old ways, hoping they can cover the cracks of their old system so that those who can fix it don’t see that it’s broken. But they see it. A process of deconstruction is on its way. The deconstruction of meaning, of attributes we take for granted and picking them apart for the sake of building them back. Rethinking societies, reevaluating values, and replanting trees so that they become forests again for tomorrow to see.
It’s a start. And it starts with this panic, and this panic needs to translate to planning. Time is the beating heart. If you wanna make an impact, whether in art creation or in changing the nation (or both), knowing ‘when’ is half the battle. The perfect time always seems to be now, yes, but within the present, there needs to be an awareness of the seasons. An awareness for people too, an understanding that education is meaningless if it’s not inclusive, especially with the arts as a bastion for empathy.
Where social affirmation is the new currency, an atmosphere of coercion makes us scared to speak out. Cultural misunderstandings can come from too much noise, but they can also be worsened by silence. It’s a cliche made for billboards but the youth is where this coercion is least effective. Youth is where the love for life lives: in protests, in art, in culture, and in the battle for equality & justice. It’s where realisation becomes most apparent. This change is a place, a time, a state of mind. A state of urgency.
Over the next few weeks, we will be putting out a bunch of articles with ‘A Sense of Urgency’ in mind as a running theme and motif. From subtopics of sex and relationships to approaches to fashion and art during times of crisis, we seek to leave no stones unturned to make better sense of these current times and how to move forward.
Stay updated and visit www.mulazine.com weekly, and be sure to follow our #mulazine and #senseofurgency on Instagram.