Topic: Humanity Needed the

Lockdown
Against The Motion

‘Humanity’ refers to the feelings of human love and compassion that we show to
each other. In this debate, in order to prove that Humanity ‘needed’ the lockdown,
one would have to prove that the values associated with humanity have increased in
the society at large since and because of the lockdown.

As someone speaking against the motion, I would be explaining how the humane
values associated with ‘humanity’ have actually decreased, since and because of the
lockdown. For this purpose, I would be referring to certain universally accepted
‘humane values’ associated with humanity.

First I would like to bring up

● Empathy and Right Conduct:

○ “You can commit injustice by doing nothing” this quote by Marcus
Aurelius highlights that it is the moral responsibility of the privileged
members of the society to stand up for the marginalised people in
cases of grave injustice.
○ The indifference if not downright apathy of the privileged people
towards the suffering of millions of poor people is heartbreaking
considering the fact that this pandemic had been brought to the country
by globetrotters in the first place.
● Next I would like to bring up peace
○ When ordering the lockdown the government did not remember the
millions of workers who would have no work if they stayed at home,
this includes daily wage workers, rag pickers, rickshaw pullers, street
vendors etc. Unemployment has drastically increased. Many of these
people don’t have either assured incomes or savings, live in small
unhygienic spaces in which even the idea of social distancing is
laughable, moreover they have no water supply to wash their hands.
○ Lockdown has made even the daily existence of MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE UNCERTAIN.
○ India experienced the biggest internal migration since the partition
because of the haphazard manner in which the lockdown was planned
and implemented which led to GRAVE emotional turmoil and had
traumatic emotional and psychological impacts. There was also an
increase in police brutality towards migrant workers. For peace to exist
on a societal level, mental peace has to exist in the minds of
EVERYBODY and not just the privileged 5% of the country.
○ Ever since the lockdown, the number of reported cases of mental
illnesses in India has risen by 20%.
 ○ Various studies and surveys show that in the weeks and months
ahead, India will suffer from a massive mental health crisis due to
unemployment, alcohol abuse, economic hardship, domestic violence
etc. While this will affect most of the population it will disproportionately
affect the poor and vulnerable groups.
● The next value I would like to bring up is Truth:
○ During the lockdown, misinformation was being DELIBERATELY
spread to malign and intimidate minorities in the country.
● And the last value I would like to bring up is Non violence:
○ People deliberately choose to be racist and call coronavirus the
“chinese virus”.
○ People from the North East were physically attacked.
○ The hunger crisis and the poverty existing in the country is also an act
of violence against the poor.
○ There has been an Increase in cases of Domestic Violence since the
lockdown.

If all four values of Humanity have been impacted negatively then it is not possible
that humanity ‘needed’ the lockdown. The aftermath of the lockdown has only shown
us the inhumane side of humanity.

With this, I rest my case.