Welcome to the third year of the pandemic, and a happy new year to all my readers. This year, my personal year-in-review is coming a little earlier, as I'm currently immersed in music production and releases, including promotion, and I needed a musical off-day. So, to make the most of this time, here's my personal year-in-review in January.
The Outside World, or what people were thinking about in 2021...
A lot has happened in 2021. The radical orange-toupeeded politician from America is no longer president, Merkel has retired, and Germany's new chancellor is now Scholz. There are now several vaccines against COVID-19, but there are also new mutations of the virus, and we are currently in the fifth wave. The tone on social media is becoming increasingly harsh, and "walking for freedom" is becoming the new trend sport in the east of the country, which is unfortunately also gaining more and more followers in the west. Humanity is increasingly forgetting how to understand facts and recognize their connections, and no one wants to learn to live with the consequences of their own decisions anymore. Those responsible are sought but never found. Regulations, rules, and laws are increasingly becoming mere empty words, since, in the specific case of COVID-19, they are not enforced anyway, and one can always appeal a violation, which is far too often successful in court.
Last year had many "facepalm" moments, and if you look closely, conspiracy theorists, COVID deniers, and conspiracy theorists are circulating in all areas of life, even in areas and positions where a clear statement and a strong hand are actually needed to get the pandemic under control...
People are traveling again, even if it's officially restricted or prohibited by the government. But no matter, they'll take out a loan for a private jet, or split the cost 15 ways and throw a "mask-off influencer" party on the plane, because they want to exploit the fake vaccination certificate or the fake PCR test, since they paid for it. If you have enough money, are a professional athlete, or are otherwise privileged, then the virus was just a "cold" anyway. High-risk city breaks are popular again, as are virus cruises, and very few people understand what the "stay at home" or "reduce contacts" orders really mean...
Yes, the world has changed noticeably in 2021, and it will never be the same again. Once the pandemic is over, we will first have to try to mend the social wreckage that is currently being created from many sides, and that will be the biggest challenge that Corona will present us with. Trust in the system and in people is dwindling more and more because everyone thinks they're Pippi Longstocking and can make the world work in whatever way is most convenient for them.
Many still think this virus is the biggest problem. But I now believe it's just the trigger for what's to come and for what needs to be rebuilt. In 2021, I can briefly summarize my impressions from my media exposure, but also from real life, where I witnessed, experienced, and endured all of this firsthand...
My experiences in 2021, or why one might prefer not to belong to the human species anymore...
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, I've kept a low profile. My social media presence has been moderate, and in my offline life, I've focused on helping and supporting other full-time musicians. During the first year, I had many conversations about government assistance and how to apply for it. I also created a small website that simply and easily shows who in the greater Munich area actually makes a living from music, allowing people to contact them and potentially book them. It's essentially a directory of full-time musicians, but I was criticized for not including everyone who makes music there. Specifically, I didn't include the "part-time" or "second-job" musicians who want to escape their dreary office jobs or other monotonous professions to perform on stage.
I can live with that very well, because out of my sense of justice I wanted to offer some support to those who, when the first lockdown came, could no longer perform and thus lost their financial livelihood. Things became very quiet in that regard in 2021, and apparently those affected have come to terms with it and found their own ways to cope with the pandemic. Some are more COVID-compliant, others less so, and the latter are now diligently going for walks or happily "rambling" on social media.
2021 was also a year in which I had to remove some people and so-called " wannabe experts " from my social circle. Screw it, when one leaves, another one comes along, and you should really clean up your social media friend lists more often anyway. What surprised me, however, was the still very lax approach to the Corona regulations in the restaurant industry. Here, I would like to emphasize that some establishments really did adhere to the regulations in an exemplary manner and implemented them. BUT the further I got from Munich, i.e., the further I ventured into the countryside, the less prevalent the virus seemed to be, and the hand sanitizer dispensers were mostly integrated into the establishments as "decorative elements" for potential inspections, if hand sanitizer dispensers were even present at all. Therefore, I can't understand the complaints of some restaurant owners. Because anyone who doesn't implement the Corona measures, for whatever reason, shouldn't complain when the aid and bridging payments are delayed. If you happen to have a creative and unscrupulous tax advisor, you can use the bridging loans to finance new restaurant furniture, patio heaters, sunshades, or other things. And thanks to short-time work, you know you'll still have staff when things pick up again. (Even part-time DJ colleagues have been raking in Corona aid.) It's just a complete mess...
Here too, I've noticed that venues I've been loyal to for years, even though restrictions (even before Covid) made partying difficult, have once again hired part-time DJs. One can only speculate as to why, but I suspect it's simply because they don't care and don't grasp who needs support and jobs more during this pandemic than someone in IT or another profession who can still earn their normal salary and is even allowed to work. Screw it, I can do without both parties, because new venues and fellow DJs keep popping up...
In 2021, I had a few more DJ gigs, and many were really great parties, but there was always a feeling of uncertainty about whether all the COVID-19 regulations were being followed, while also hoping they were. Everything went well until I had to cancel two events due to suspected COVID-19, despite being doubly vaccinated, because I didn't want to take any risks for myself or my guests. Even then, the regulations weren't followed at one venue, or perhaps the guests didn't adhere to them either. What I now know, however, is that for a mobile DJ like myself, it's almost impossible to hold anyone liable for negligence if I contract an illness that demonstrably occurred at an event and led to me having to cancel subsequent gigs.
Every employee who went on vacation during the pandemic and then had to quarantine at home was entitled to compensation for lost wages. But if you're self-employed and get infected at work, you're out of luck. Thanks for nothing. This alone could drive me to despair or even radicalize me, but as part of society, you sometimes have to swallow bitter pills. The best thing I heard in 2021 was: "If you're afraid, then don't go." A lovely comment to someone who earns their living through events and socializing, and who has to trust that restaurants will comply with the COVID regulations. What more can you say except that empathy isn't something you can take...
In 2021, however, one can also notice, if one reads between the lines, that a slight shift in attitudes is beginning to take shape. To what extent this shift will then be embraced or furthered by the pandemic remains to be seen, because the much-discussed "catch-up effect" will once again stifle this change in its infancy with money.
2021 was also my vaccination year. Having already received a booster shot, I made sure to get vaccinated very early. For me, for my work, and for the general public, not getting vaccinated was never an option. With the right connections, you could even get your children vaccinated from a certain age starting in May/June. The pandemic clearly demonstrates that equal opportunity doesn't really exist, or is just empty rhetoric from those who have never experienced such a thing firsthand. All the more reason why I find this miserable vaccination debate currently taking place so strange and unnecessary. Some people are pushing their way to the front or using their contacts to get vaccinated (because they want to travel, etc.), while others are refusing the vaccination that could save their own lives and, above all, prevent our underfunded healthcare system from being overwhelmed, so that non-COVID patients can also receive the necessary intensive care when needed.
It's really not that difficult, and then you just have to reconsider your own sensitivities and imagined potential side effects in order to remain a part of this society. But I'm starting to get the feeling that those who haven't been vaccinated don't want to be part of this society anymore anyway. When it comes to vaccination, everyone can imagine side effects and therefore refuse them. But when it comes to travel, nobody can imagine getting infected on vacation and then possibly becoming a COVID-19 intensive care patient in another country. Think about it...
You have to stay positive, because the world is negative enough...
But 2021 also had its highlights. I got both of my labels off to a good start. My own songs were very well received and were featured on several compilations. I also managed to bring three more artists to my label and have already released their first tracks. There will be plenty of new music coming in 2022, and I'm really looking forward to what's to come. I also became part of a special gin brand and now have my own gin, or rather, my own art box for this special gin...
Conclusion 2021 and Oracle 2022
In 2021, the true face of many things was revealed even more clearly, a carefully maintained facade collapsed even further, and in 2022, you wouldn't even want to share the same side of the street with people you once drank with. Music is now unfortunately being used as a weapon, and the "long-term consequences" of the Corona pandemic will not be limited to "Long COVID" or the economy; rather, it will dig societal graves that neither side will ever be able to easily fill.
For 2022, I would hope that those who refuse vaccination will not be the cause of the sixth and seventh waves of the coronavirus and that our children and young people will finally be able to experience normality again in all areas. I also hope that sustainability and a certain rethinking will be extended to all areas, and if we're honest, NOW would be the best time to do something for future generations. But unfortunately, humans are creatures of habit, and so I could well imagine that after the pandemic, it will be like before the pandemic, only ten times worse.
What I think can be gone forever in 2022, and which is simply outdated for many reasons: CRUISES (I hopefully don't need to explain why here, and anyone who still needs this type of travel is simply a capitalist and egomaniacal idiot) and still SCHLAGER MUSIC. (Breathless through the night is the favorite song of anti-vaxxers anyway.)
