THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jean Grondin / 25. 5. 2020

How revolutions happen
Another lesson from the monastic lockdown

For intellectuals and academics, at least those blessed with relatively good health, the lockdown is not necessarily a major inconvenience, nor all that unusual. Descartes conducted his meditations isolated, or alone with God, by his fireplace. Our own secular age is now rediscovering the virtues of monasticism. For the professors of today, the forced confinement means an interruption from the distraction of conferences and gatherings which are often unproductive. Most can now concentrate on their essential work, of thinking, contemplating ideas, reading, writing and supervising graduate students. Most of us will have easy access to books, articles and documentary sources, but also to the best literature, poetry and music of the world at our fingertips.

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