One naturally has one's thoughts about Corona, and I've long debated whether to write something about the current situation. But since no one knows (does anyone really know anything reliably these days...?) whether we'll still be able to freely express our opinions in the future, and given the far-reaching restructuring measures that might be in store for us ( gradual phasing out of cash, a possible mandatory vaccination or immunity passport, etc. ), I thought, "Sure, why not add my two cents?" Especially since every veterinarian ( or anyone who's completed basic medical studies ) already considers themselves a virologist and everyone always thinks they know better anyway...

Corona and Covid 19 - some things can happen faster than expected...

It's 2020, my name is Robert James Perkins, and I've been a DJ for over 26 years, and for the last 14 years, it's been my full-time job. 2020 will go down in history ( including my own ) as the year a virus brought the world to a standstill and effectively banned me from working. It's been exactly 51 days ( March 14, 2020 - May 4, 2020 ) since I last played a DJ gig. Just let 51 days sink in, and I've never gone that long without a DJ set since I started. To this day, it's impossible to predict when things will return to normal or whether I'll ever be able to DJ in the same way again.

One thing I've noticed during this entire shutdown period is that, firstly, those who are always the loudest in demanding "emergency aid" and "government support" are the ones who made billions in revenue in 2019. ( See Adidas, the automotive industry, Lufthansa, or even fellow DJs who only do this work part-time (okay, they don't earn billions, but they still have a regular job that pays their social security contributions and provides some security) and yet they still grab and receive emergency aid.) Secondly, cultural workers have no lobby ( and to the DJs reading this, the BVD isn't an organization that could or can do lobbying work, since it's just full of armchair politicians who do strange Facebook livestreams with regional politicians on current topics – what's the point...? Nothing – you see for yourself... ) that actually achieves anything in politics...

Reopen restaurants - YES PLEASE, but...

For 51 days, the news and information offerings have been dominated by the topic of Corona. Aside from the fact that when you look at various news formats, the figures for infections, death rates, etc., usually vary, and when it comes to the German economy, the arts and culture sectors are hardly mentioned, if at all. Even the restaurant industry is always mentioned last in TV media, after the tourism and hotel sectors, when it comes to estimating who will be left behind.

Honestly, if there are travel restrictions and entry bans all over the world, why do we even need to talk about German holidays and raise false hopes among the population, who mostly base their behavior on media headlines anyway ( hooray, restaurants can reopen from May 4th - oh, only in Lower Saxony - but now it's May 11th - oh no, only Saxony again ) without reading the content more closely or even questioning it.

"First out - Last in"

This applies to the restaurant and event industries, and it doesn't make the situation any easier for everyone working in these sectors. It's not easy for me either, because it would be a shame if, when things return to "normal," only half of the restaurants and event venues I worked with before the crisis were no longer around. It would be a bitter loss for all of us.

I was all the more surprised when, back in April 2020, I saw pictures of some of the "TV chefs" on social media, holding handwritten notes that said "Free Gastro." It makes you wonder if one or two of them have had a few too many slaps or if they've lost their marbles. On the one hand, sure, the "TV chefs" have their own restaurants and businesses all over Germany, but their income from TV productions doesn't just disappear overnight ( depending on the contracts and the show ). Besides, these chefs usually sell their own spices and have countless cookbooks. ( This flood of cookbooks is really infuriating! )

Financially, things certainly aren't as tight for them as for the little Italian place around the corner. Besides, some of these "TV chefs" are helping other restaurants get back on track in front of the cameras. But the idea of them using their media presence to be a voice for all restaurateurs when speaking to politicians – oh wait, no cameras rolling... ( oh yeah, there was something else, oh yeah, they're competitors – we're all in the same boat right now – you can see that even while painting the #freegastro sign – but some people still think the ship has first class... #facepalm )

Politicians apparently don't go out to eat, otherwise they would do more...

Reducing the VAT on food from 19% to 7% won't save the restaurant industry. For example, if I run a restaurant with 120 seats and, due to hygiene regulations, can only serve a maximum of 60 guests, the 12% VAT reduction I have to pay certainly won't be enough to compensate for the lost revenue from those 60 guests. And if restaurants in Bavaria are allowed to reopen, regardless of the regulations, that doesn't automatically mean that weddings and birthday parties will also be permitted.

Especially in the restaurant and event industries, the concept of lifting social distancing, offering conviviality, communication, and interaction in close quarters is crucial. Anyone who's ever been to a party or event knows that maintaining distance after five beers is practically impossible, regardless of the potential penalties. Therefore, canceling Oktoberfest 2020 in Munich was the only right decision, because we ALL ( not just Oktoberfest fans and restaurateurs ) want to return to normality, and anyone who's ever caught "Oktoberfest flu" knows that no hygiene plan in the world could have made Oktoberfest possible...

Currently, with the sheer number of hygiene protocols being issued, you could practically make your own face mask. Every day, a new federal state releases a new one, for a wide variety of sectors. It's perfectly legitimate to develop and present these protocols so we can return to normality after this situation. However, this is once again raising false hopes, as crisis communication isn't optimal, and each federal state has different protocols ( varying numbers of guests allowed, opening hours, etc. ), which only exacerbates the inequality.

Are freelance artists essential workers? - YES!

In my opinion, freelance and professional musicians, DJs, singers, and many others are essential workers. Why? Quite simply, we are the few who give you unforgettable moments outside of everyday life. We are the ones who lend a sympathetic ear to your problems ( at least we DJs do, when someone drunkenly pours out their life story while we're playing ). And we are the ones who make you forget ( no, not just with or through alcohol ) how monotonous or unfulfilling your own life can sometimes be. We are the colorful characters who bring a smile to your face, the friend you visit at the club because you know they'll always be there. We are the ones who give meaning to some lives and make problems fade away, at least temporarily, and that's precisely why we are essential workers.

Immediate help for...?

At the beginning of the pandemic, politicians reacted quickly, announcing and implementing emergency aid ( from the state and federal governments ) for the self-employed. This naturally included all freelancers and others who earn their living as sole proprietors, but here too, much was neglected in terms of crisis communication, and after taking two steps forward, a step backward was taken. ( The emergency aid may not be used for living expenses.) One quickly gets the feeling that politicians don't even begin to understand or have any idea how the self-employed and full-time artists and musicians work.

The emergency aid is being distributed indiscriminately, and in some federal states, the application process has become a bureaucratic nightmare, leaving already very anxious self-employed individuals with even more questions and no prospect of solutions or even the means to survive. ( After all, it's much easier, administratively speaking, to transfer a billion euros to one industry or company than to directly transfer money to 2.32 million self-employed individuals so they can pay their rent and buy food tomorrow... )

Appreciation is much more than just...

In the course of the Corona crisis, the " double standards " seem to have been reintroduced, because while our Labor Minister Hubertus Heil quickly increased short-time work benefits, he wants to send freelance artists and the self-employed into basic income support, i.e., Hartz IV. This is probably one of the best examples of what good lobbying can achieve, and even Angela Merkel's statement, " If artists were to be rescued with taxpayers' money, this would be noted in Spain and Italy, and it would be pointed out that Germany obviously has enough money, " illustrates this point.

This statement, while made in connection with the proposed Eurobonds, is nonetheless a slap in the face to all artists and cultural workers in Germany and politically incorrect. ( It's only legitimate for the citizens who fall under its purview; for the EU, it's perfectly acceptable.) Is what we do, which politicians sometimes like to boast about abroad, really worth so little that it can't be represented with integrity and appreciation to other EU countries? After all, it's our tax money, not some EU fund, that would pay freelance artists here. Or, to put it another way, if we were classified as an "endangered species," would we receive faster and more immediate aid from an EU fund? ( Asked for a friend... )

Are there any opportunities...? - YES..!

Every crisis also brings opportunities, and this one is no exception. I don't want to speculate here or write a letter to my future self like Charsten from MobileGeeks ( or Jens Spahn as Chancellor, although Donald Trump also made it to the White House ), but one can still express a wish or two, and hope, as they say, springs eternal. I hope that this crisis will bring freelance and professional artists closer together, because without a lobby, we have to help ourselves, as always.

That our guests and customers show more respect and appreciation for what we do, because what good does it do to applaud supermarket employees and care workers from your balcony every evening for keeping the system running in the current situation, if they are still paid terribly ( I won't even start on their working conditions )? Only to then sink back into insignificance after the Corona crisis, when everyone is back to their own ego and forgets who was on the front lines against the virus ( sorry for the war rhetoric, it was quite fashionable with some heads of state a few weeks ago ).

A standstill that was announced in advance...?

In the economy, things like broadband expansion ( internet truly for everyone, which would also help with homeschooling – nationwide LTE coverage, etc. ) could now be pushed forward, new work models like working from home could be further developed, and industry could finally switch to sustainability so that the poor CO2 balance from before the pandemic isn't simply passed on to the public again through e-mobility "concepts" and the like. There is so much that could be tackled now, especially if not now, then never...

Things have gotten out of hand in recent years, in every area. Gratitude and moderation have been replaced by "what's the world worth?" and "me," which would certainly have led to collapse sooner or later even without a virus. But now that our friend the virus is here, perhaps he will bring us back down to earth, and when "normality" returns, hopefully it won't be the old kind, but a new one in which we've learned from our past mistakes. Well, one can still dream...

Finally, something positive...

The virus has also had two very positive side effects. Firstly, nature is recovering thanks to the worldwide shutdowns – the ozone hole has closed again ( probably because no influencer can pointlessly fly around the world for €40 anymore ) , and the water in Venice's Grand Canal has never been as clear as it is now, which is even attracting animals again ( since there's now space in the lagoon again without the cruise ships that, for whatever reason, have to sail through here ), which are reclaiming their habitat.

On the other hand, you're no longer bombarded with the whole influencer pack on social media ( well, at least all the conspiracy theorists are popping up in the newsfeed ), since they can't really go out or travel right now, and this shows that if they don't get any content from companies, the creativity of this species is very limited. Who wants to see makeup tutorials where only the color changes, or a travelogue from "Balcony Land"? Thanks for that, Virus...