What the papers said in the week ending 2 January 2021
The ‘New Order’ as 2020 gives way to 2021 sees Brexit achieved with some understanding between the UK and Europe. There is hope from vaccines against Covid 19. But there are fears of a new strain and frantic changes of strategy as numbers of cases, hospitalisations and deaths rise to rates comparable with those in spring.
The impact of these on the mental health of people of all ages is such that it gained front page headlines. People are suffering, asking for help, and services are struggling
- Covid poses ‘greatest threat to mental health since second world war’ | Society | The Guardian
- Comparisons with the stress of war, raise memories and reflections: The potential post-traumatic legacy of the Covid pandemic | Mental health | The Guardian
- Six million people in the UK are currently prescribed antidepressants – a record – and perhaps a commentary on the lack of alternative approaches Antidepressant use in England soars as pandemic cuts counselling access | Society | The Guardian
- Old people who are alone are seen as especially vulnerable in this situation. Isolated elderly people failed by the system | Loneliness | The Guardian
We are reminded that we are an unequal society with older women in employment taking home substantially less pay than men of the same age: Women over 50 paid £8,000 a year less than men for full-time work | World news | The Guardian
The world has lost:
George Blake – infamous spy: George Blake obituary | Espionage | The Guardian
Margaret Tebbit – made famous by injuries in the Brighton bombing – but a woman who lived with depression for much of her adult life, yet achieved much good and care for others Margaret Tebbit obituary | Conservatives | The Guardian
The natural world:
The weather is always good for conversation and reflection on whether the end is nigh, or hope can be sustained. This year’s has been good for blossom and nuts, not so good for insects and some birds: Year of extreme weather creates confusion for Britain’s flora and fauna | Wildlife | The Guardian
While we more often read about loss of species, usually attributed to the action of Homo sapiens, we learn that many new species have been identified during these fraught months Natural History Museum describes over 500 new species in 2020 | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
More cause for joy comes from the creativity of cartoonists, including some who are not out of school: Daniel Meikle and Fergus Boylan named Young Cartoonists of the Year | UK news | The Guardian
Religion and Christianity
Continuing observations from last week, the importance of church communities and their buildings in the UK is confirmed from the perspectives of spiritual as well as social influence: The threat to churches’ vital role in society | Anglicanism | The Guardian
The Guardian devoted its Saturday editorial to a consideration of the faiths, especially Christianity: The Guardian view on liberal Christians: is this their moment? | Religion | The Guardian
There is a common theme to counter the pervasive philosophy of greed: ‘I’ over ‘we’. Pope Francis has pursued this consistently and in a new publication. Let Us Dream by Pope Francis review – the holy father of fraternity | Religion | The Guardian
The Greek Orthodox Church has provided a discussion with the same message: Social Ethos Document – Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (goarch.org)
We are reminded that Rabbi Jonathan Sacks makes the same point: Jonathan Sack’s last book, Morality, is a summation of his life’s work | The Independent
And writers taking a secular view have reached the same conclusion:
The Upswing review – can Biden heal America? | Politics books | The Guardian
For people of all ages and generations, this is encouraging. Can we now take power and see this belief translated, once again, into practice?
David Jolley
