The world I live in and the unexpected visitor

The play which gave rise to this short story was written in November 2020, during the time of social isolation, originally bearing the title “Quem está aí?” (Who’s there?). In that month, more than 13,000 deaths were recorded in Brazil, a number that, despite being very high, marked the lowest figure since the curve began to fall in August. It was in this downward trend that the expression ‘new normal’ appeared, which predicted a new way of living, where there would be more compassion and respect for nature to keep similar situations to the one that forced us into confinement from reoccurring.

Travelling back and forth from madness to despair, denialism to reality, politics to faith, “The world I live in and the unexpected visitor” incites a discussion of the way in which material accomplishments are often prioritised instead of valuing the simplicity of life and posits that perhaps it is going too far to consider this a ‘normal’ life.

With references to the dystopias “Animal Farm” and “1984” by George Orwell, the story shows that, despite our eternal search for a better world, there will always be the balance between good and bad, compassion and greed. Even so, giving up will never be the best option. Apathetic inertia further strengthens those who wish to maintain the status quo of a society where only a minority has the luxury of enjoying themselves at the expense of others.

It also reinforces the importance that education and the arts have in forming a more just society. Treated by many as superfluous or even subversive activities, they give us the skills we need to be able to see through the lies that people try to make us believe as if they were unquestionable truths.

Angelo Asson