We feel that we are always in a temporary condition. The work contracts, the residence permits, the relations at work, all seems to be very fluid as it was indicated in the liquid times. It is almost as if temporariness has become the rule of thumb rather than "made to last”. The pret-a-porter clothes and the consumption patterns we have, the clutter in the houses, the democratisation of the fashion in an affordable way. The washing machines are now made with a plastic depo inside, that breaks down in a couple of years, not out of hard metal anymore that used to last for 20 years. Why not make people think that all is temporary including themselves? What about the ones who are in the most vulnerable conditions? Those who have lost things maybe “permanently” because of war? Refugees who receive their status in Denmark, they can be temporary, they can have the protection only for a temporary period. They have the temporary protection status in Turkey even after 7 years of staying in a place that they can call home and they can call themselves guests at the same time. At least there is the regulation of work permits since 2016, but we know that not all employers are honest enough not to profit from the conditions that the refugees find themselves in.
It is important to understand that the temporariness is a dangerous state of mind and a dangerous place to be in, once the uncertainties in one’s life doubles. Once temporariness becomes permanent there is a problem with the adaptation process, how can the nature of a person wish to be permanent and yet still live in conditions of temporariness for years and years? There are many studies that focus on the temporary migrant workers (Goldring, Hennebry, Lenard and Straehle, Ruhs, Martin, and many more). There are many works on temporary migration policies and their criticism. There are great works on how time is imposed upon us and how the perception of time is changing, together with work, efficiency, pace of work, how homes become work places not always to our disadvantage but to our advantage, as if being fast and efficient and keeping the work mean everything. And yet it does mean a lot to those who have nothing else to rely on. And so, the time dimensions and impositions need to be accepted if one needs to survive basically. Bare life can come into the fore, as used by Agamben, where they start to say “we are just breathing but not living” as so many people say now in developing countries, or in economically developed culturally underdeveloped countries. The religion is the opium of the masses, and when there is no religion, the work becomes the opium, so that you have no time to question why you did not show solidarity with your co-workers. Blindness is the worst thing, but not being blind is even worst amongst all the blind people as the book told us by Jose Saramago…
The fact that the refugees can even be temporary means that there is something wrong with the international system of governance as well as there is something wrong with the assumption that the refugees are the most well protected by the states, that their rights are guaranteed under the sun whatever happens.
Feeling temporary is everywhere and it is even felt more in the recent decades as everything is "use and throw away", even the friendships are so as well as the lovers... and that is why everyone needs a second chance in which one can feel and be eternal. One can repair, make use and not forget. Thoughts and feelings are places to start with... as they are immaterial and they can be kept for a long time without any kind of harm to others and to the nature!
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