If you want to know how a variation of collective hypnosis works we need look no further than asking when did the term “KEY ESSENTIAL WORKER” become so affectionate in the Public Consciousness?

There have always been Workers. There were always low paid workers. Did we not see them before? Was a Nurse, Care Worker, Refuse Collector, Postal Worker, Bus Driver, Supermarket Worker, Teaching Assistant and so many more; were they not key or essential only a matter of weeks ago? Or months ago? Or centuries ago?

These workers by the industry of their labour, sweat, tears and injury mighty empires rose up. Where are they now who once thought what they believe to be true and everlasting over the centuries?

We too were sold a dream to become “self” made, a spiritual term diverted. Yet no one asked what is the Self? Who are we? What are we? A collection of identities prone to dangerous levels of exclusivism one sidedness or oppression? Or something more, much more beautiful.

Why such a massive outpouring of love now and rightly respect and gratitude but not so universal before for key essential workers? Why? We can hide from our collective hypocrisy, but sooner or later it will find us. It will trace us down and I hope it will be kind to us and come masked as our “Conscience”.

One’s self hypocrisy is a terrible force unmasked. Unbearable. Even our own hypocrisy will be kind to us I pray. I hope it remembers its root is not to humiliate us in our minds. To belittle us in front of the audience of our own self consciousness. No. This Conscience I hope comes to Awaken us and surely Awakening is the antidote to hypnosis.

Let us awaken to many things in the new normal to come. One of them being gratitude to Key Essential Workers not just as a kind word but a just settlement, treatment and conditions.

There have always been essential workers. I simply refer to them as the WORKING CLASS who take the pulse of collective life. Are they not the closest to every day life? Yours and my neighbour.

A knock at the door. Who is it? Conscience. Who’s Conscience? Your Self comes the reply saying come outside:

“IT IS THURSDAY. AWAKENING DAY.”

Musa Askari