The year 2020 in history will always be synonymous with the pandemic that engulfed the entire world. From its humble beginnings in a market in Wuhan, the sub-microscopic virus ended up humbling the mighty of the world. It exposed the troughs and crests of human race. Scientific ingenuity to tackle the virus contrasted with basic destructive obscurantist instincts of the same human species. The virus did not drop out of a vacuum; a thoughtful few had been warning of impending catastrophes from viruses and bacteria. They did not worry about a nuclear holocaust or a meteor hurtling down from the sky. The disasters visiting humanity through plagues are more regular than those rare if not improbable events; the virus took over the world and defined everything in it.
Despite the virus or rather in many ways because of it, the voters in the United States rejected one of vilest person ever to occupy the presidential office. The election of Donald Trump as the US president will be a stain for that country to carry forever leaving it with weaker foundations than before that manipulative narcissist managed a hostile takeover to hollow out the hallowed institutions of the government. It was his response or rather non-response to the pandemic that he willfully allowed to ravage the entire country finally undid him. At least some consolation. Another four years of that racist charlatan would have certainly catastrophized the world. Good riddance for now.
On the other side of the globe, the virus besides creating havoc might have actually slowed another narcissistic from carrying out to culmination the process of Muslim disenfranchisement in India. Modi was all set to send undocumented Muslims in India to detention centers until the virus intervened. Nevertheless, he made up for that by having, cruelty and inhumanity visit the most vulnerable poor wretches of India as a way to dealing with the coronavirus in a complete disconnect with the reality. Then such people would not be megalomaniacs otherwise. The true absurdity was the manner Indians responded to his comic stupidity that now has crept into his appearance.
Americans did get rid to Trump in 2020, if Indians could perform a similar feat in 2050 that would still merit a commendation.
Until then a Happy 2021. The 2020 was for stoics.
