OPINION: Doomsday, the Black Swan and no fear

by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com

“I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore” is how I am feeling on a Saturday afternoon. My senses are bruised and battered after a weeklong barrage of panic, blurring sensational bad news headlines and a mounting sense of fear amongst my fellow humans.

What is clear in the grand scheme of things or shall we say the big picture is that 2020 is shaping up to be the year of living dangerously. But taking a moment alone, pulling up the Blue Oyster classic on Spotify “Don’t Fear the Reaper” as a background sound track, I suddenly realise that despite all the chaos in the world, I am not afraid of the corona virus.

I am not a fearless person. When I was little I was afraid of the dark. To this day I am terrified of snakes and whenever flying in monsoon weather, I suddenly find myself a religious convert quietly saying a little prayer as I clutch the armrests like a gorilla hyped up on amphetamines.

My fearless streak these days has come to terms that life is dangerous, the virus is beyond my control and every day presents a new chance to live my life as I choose. Taking all that in in a deep breath, here is how I am choosing to take on tomorrow and beyong in our newfound coronavirus world..

I will continue to take to the sky and fly across Asia and the world

I will eat in restaurants, drink in bars and walk in public places

I will stay as often as I can in hotels and support the industry I love

I will continue to plan, attend and arrange events, knowing there is a future

I will continue to believe that this too, as in all crisis will pass

and most importantly…

I will NOT hide at home, dwell on negatives or let fear overcome my life

The only truth I know if that the big sleep will come sooner or later. Time is all we have in this too short a lifespan and I’m not going to waste precious moments sitting on the bench instead of embracing the unknown.

As for the entire mask thing. I am not Batman or Zorro. Everything I read based on science says it won’t prevent the deadly virus. That said, I have enough problems breathing though the damn things anyway so my own personal choice is to skip the mask. I choose science.

We all have our own choices to make and I don’t expect everyone to see it my way. But that said, expect me to go out tomorrow and explore the great big world outside and not hide in fear from the unknown. No fear baby, that’s my new mantra for the day.