"Systemically relevant" is the word that, after the crisis (whose name I won't mention again), should have been chosen, or at least proposed, as the un-word of the year 2020. Systemically relevant—who decides that, and doesn't this word automatically discriminate against those who aren't considered essential workers?

Categorization of citizens - system-relevant and non-system-relevant...

Before the crisis, people often thought that every individual and every citizen of a democracy was essential to the system, but apparently this "elite" so often cited by "conspiracy theorists" does exist after all, because otherwise all of us living in Germany would be essential. The empty rhetoric in politics, such as the claim that "no one will lose their job" due to the crisis, is simply smoke and mirrors and attempts to appease employees, as the self-employed, artists, and freelancers have not been taken into account. In my opinion, politicians who still cling to old patterns, as clearly demonstrated by climate policy, have absolutely no interest in making the labor market flexible and competitive for a future that relies less on globalization.

Here, the self-employed and freelancers would be the crucial link for acting and reacting on a project-based basis in the labor market and for combating wage dumping and exploitation. Of course, this would require political reforms, but neither is desired, nor is it considered acceptable to have to deal directly with individual workers in the labor market. Corporations are simply easier to control, which works brilliantly, as can be seen when observing liquidity managers and how readily they move money abroad to pay less tax in Germany. And small contributions from lobbyists are always welcome in politics...

The myth of equality...

Everywhere and on every front, people are fighting for equality, equal rights, and equal opportunities. Whether it's #BlackLivesMatter, against racism, or for gender quotas in DAX companies, inequality exists everywhere, and sometimes I get the feeling that there are people who participated in #BlackLivesMatter on Monday and then marched in #FridaysForFuture on Friday, only to then take a leisurely city break on a budget airline on Saturday, only to complain on Monday via social media about being robbed by immigrants in Rome (or somewhere else). Convictions aren't like T-shirts that you can change on a whim, and if you stand for something, you should live it and not let it degenerate into a fleeting lifestyle.

Precisely because of this attitude of some, and the politicians who unfortunately model this behavior, there will always be inequality, and thus some citizens and people in this country will never be considered essential to the system. Equality begins in the mind, in awareness, both of which are closely linked to appreciation and respect—virtues that apparently have little or no significance in 2020... And who will take to the streets now?

Only participate in a movement if it is en vogue...

In times of crisis, when freelancers, the self-employed, and artists are often "the forgotten ones," there have been many demonstrations, rallies, and actions on behalf of this sector—let's just call it that for now. Mostly, and for the most part, the participants were those directly affected, such as concert promoters, solo musicians, DJs, magicians, etc., but rarely were their fans present, or at least the people who enjoy going to concerts, theater, festivals, and events. Where was the solidarity with those who repeatedly help you forget your everyday worries, bring a smile to your face when you're feeling down, or simply listen to a particular song again and again because it means something to you personally?

The almost non-existent solidarity shown here for artists, freelancers, and the self-employed reminds me somewhat of the "balcony applause" for the nursing and care workers deemed essential, who are still waiting for the promised one-time bonus payment from politicians. It gives the impression that politicians think we—nurses, care workers, artists, and the self-employed—can pay our bills with this applause, and that's why the promise made over months is now being quietly buried behind closed doors...

Highly developed but still stupid...

Since the crisis, I've often wondered why a democracy, perceived as so progressive, can nevertheless forget such a large part of society and neither show them the necessary appreciation nor truly help them in times of crisis when many are subject to a professional ban. If things continue like this, artists, freelancers, and self-employed individuals should prepare themselves to collect bottle deposits. The deposit value of the bottles will then likely reflect the appreciation and recognition in society for what we do and how we make a living.

But the ancient Greeks and Romans already knew that art and culture, as well as the self-employed, play a crucial role in a modern society and a democracy, both socially and economically. Anyone who now tells me, "Well, you see where that led, and neither Greece nor Italy are exactly the high achievers of the European Union," I'm afraid I have to tell them that they haven't understood anything. Without the EU's humanity, there would be significantly more deaths in war zones because there would be nowhere to flee to in a war. Apparently, this humanity disappears as soon as you live in this country, because that's the only way to explain why a large portion of the pensioners who paid taxes for decades and helped build and shape this country now have to collect returnable bottles to make ends meet with their meager pensions. Here again, there's a lack of appreciation for people and their contributions, and then they wonder why the so-called "social divide" is so wide...

Scissors will eventually cut...

This " immediate aid mess " is fueling uncertainty, driving many freelancers, artists, and self-employed individuals into ruin without any prospects. Even among my wider circle of acquaintances, musicians and artists, there have already been suicides for whom "immediate aid" was just a buzzword. The media continues to stoke fear instead of providing more realistic reporting and trying to solidify the new rules in people's minds until a vaccine is available. It seems almost deliberate and systematic to drive a sector of the German labor market into the abyss, a sector that should play a central role in a modern democracy to remain competitive.

Unfortunately, the current political course is only exacerbating social inequality and widening the "social divide" even further. And as every child knows, if you want to cut with scissors, you first have to open them before you can make the cut that separates an unpopular branch of the economic system from those considered essential workers...