Why 2020 is the worst year ever?

Often times we encounter nightmares in our sleep, these are the kind of dreams which are rather unpleasant and we feel a sense of relief upon waking up, realizing it was just a nightmare. The year 2020 is turning out to be one such nightmare, but it is real and is unfolding in front of our eyes. However hard one might try, they just cannot snap out of this nightmare. 

On the night of the December 31st 2019, the world celebrated and welcomed 2020 with dreams in their eyes and hope in their hearts. Little did they realize it is going to be the most harrowing year of their life. It will take away their loved ones, separate them from their social instincts, push them into a constant sphere of fear and negativity, destroy their livelihood and in some cases make them walk hundreds of miles on foot.

As the year started a deadly pandemic spread it's reach in the most populous country of the world i.e China. After a few weeks it spread to other parts of the world like a wildfire. People started dying in numbers that were unheard of. Panic spread and counties across the world went into overdrive to lock their people up in the name of social distancing. They call it novel coronavirus. Novel means new, something which haven't been seen before. Much like it's name, it created anarchy that was never seen or heard before, not at least by the GenX or Millennials.

Due to the novel nature of the virus, there was no cure, nor any vaccine. Epidemiologists said social distancing is the only way to avoid acquiring this fatal disease. Governments throughout the world announced strict social distancing measures which when not followed by the masses were backed up by massive lockdowns and curfews. People were told to stay indoors while businesses were told to shut offices and operate remotely. Those who could comply carried on with emails and zoom calls, but mostly with a strong physical dependency on their operations shut down. Many countries swung into action with social and unemployment benefits to their citizen and relief to their small businesses while most countries with lesser resources and an even smaller will power, abandoned their people and told them to become atma-nir-bhar i.e self-sufficient.

While people helplessly watched their livelihood destroyed and their families in distress, they had no choice but to sit at home and wait for the lockdown to ease. In many countries they could not even do that since they could not afford to pay rent and their landlords asked them to vacate the premises. Same trouble came upon the migrant workers in one particular country which chose to lockdown everything in just four hours. Migrant workers had no choice but to walk hundreds of miles to their native places. In this process of reverse migration many of them lost their lives and many more got injured and suffered miserably.

While this pandemic wrecked havoc throughout the world, many countries entered into a blame game. The most prominent of the these the US and China which had trade related issues prior to the pandemic became more hostile to each other. This led to an era of new cold war between the two which is getting worse by the day.

China at the backdrop of this pandemic chose to put a stranglehold to the Hong Kong pro democracy protests and introduced the Hong Kong national security law, passing it unilaterally. Hong Kong was boiling since last year when the Hong Kong administration tried to introduce an extradition bill which was met with massive protests and opposition from the Hong Kong people. These protests led to the death of some protesters as well. Eventually the extradition law was put in a cold storage but in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic the communist party of China chose to assert itself undermining the Hong Kong people and their will, passing the national security law. This led to Hong Kong locals looking to move to other countries i.e a classic case of brain drain. US withdrew the special status given to Hong Kong, following the passing of the national security law by China.

United States saw it's worst human tragedy unfold after coronavirus lay siege to it's financial capital New York. US had the most casualties any country faced from coronavirus pandemic. This led to US withdrawing it's association from world health organization (WHO) accusing the health body of corruption and being hand in gloves with the Chinese communist party (CCP). WHO has been giving contradictory statements ever since the pandemic was discovered which the US says blindsided the world and important time was lost. Though the claims are debatable, the once apex body on world health finds itself in a rather negative light. 

US also faced massive upheaval after the choking of a black man "George Floyd" by a white policeman which led to the former's death. This led to massive protests, looting and anarchy throughout the United States which doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. While small businesses were already suffering in the wake of the pandemic causing a lockdown, since the protest started many small businesses, stores and shops have been looted and destroyed causing a double whammy. America looks like in the middle of a civil war right now. With the change in the global power dynamics coming about, it is yet to be seen where US finds itself in the medium to long run.

Conclusion:

In the first six months of this apocalyptic year, humankind has witnessed horrors of all kinds and proportions. From Health emergency, to financial emergency to a humanitarian crisis, we have seen it all. World powers are trying to knock each other out, globalization seems to be at it's worst possible juncture, human rights have continuously been receding and majoritarian governments and leaders are on the rise. What started as a health crisis in the form of coronavirus has engulfed most part of humanity in some form or other, either financially, emotionally or health wise. The worst part is we are yet to reach the end of this fateful year.