How social inequality has been exposed by the corona crisis and escapism during the corona crisis

Abstract or Introduction

This essay summarizes, how the corona crisis has revealed inequality issues regarding homelessness, gender, and education. Furthermore, it is concerned with escapism during the corona crisis by means of art (visual arts, literature) including personal experiences.

In New York, April 2020, on a Friday evening, Connor treats himself to Chinese food delivered to his Manhattan apartment after a "hard" day of working from home, while most of his neighbors escape to their out-of-town weekend homes. At the same time, a bus driver named Jamal, who lives in the Bronx, is still working without any protective gear, exposing himself to the virus. Throughout his shift, he can't shake off thoughts of his brother in the hospital fighting against his Covid-19 infection.

From my perspective, this scenario highlights how the current coronavirus pandemic has exposed the longstanding divided societies in NYC based on class and race. However, New York isn't the only example of a city divided between "wealth and privilege" and "struggle and poverty." Moreover, the global health crisis has revealed inequality issues not only regarding homelessness but also in terms of gender and education.