Hoarding and the hoarder

By definition, hoarding is the practice of collecting and accumulating something. The past few days have shown how panic has pushed people to hoard goods due to the corona virus which has to date been declared as a global pandemic.

It is sad to see how people have been driven to rush to grocery stores and buy more than what is needed in such times of crisis considering that, most especially the poor, are left with little or no means to do the same.

Are we at a time where in survival of the fittest is the answer to beating a disease that is actually showing a high recovery rate? This is not the first time for the world to experience a global crisis.

History has taught us how mankind has both suffered and overcome deadly diseases yet, it seems, focus is placed more on the dreaded spread of a virus with a lack of stress on both response and recovery. It is certainly alarming - there is no doubt about this. Everyday we discover additional cases and surely many questions run through our minds.

While this is a reality, mass hysteria doesn’t solve anything. It only poses as a detriment to beating a virus that has a high rate of recovery. While keeping clean and practicing proper hygiene is necessary, it is also necessary for us to practice prudence and empathy especially for those who do not have the means to protect themselves.

When we start hoarding for masks, cleaning agents, water and disinfectants, we leave very little hope for those who need to wait in order to spend for the same goods for their protection. As human beings, it is our responsibility to put into consideration our fellow human beings who also deserve the same fighting chance.

I suppose in a state of panic, we forget to put things into proper perspective and our emotions get the better of us however, we need to more than ever overcome such emotions and instead, respond accordingly in order to recover fully.

There’s a quote that goes “one gains by losing self for others and not by hoarding for one’s self.” At this point, we should be all about gains and in order to do this, we must extend ourselves to others. There is power in knowledge they say but in order for us to gain power, we must share it and not hoard it.