As Notre Dame burned, my eyes were glued to Paris. It was devastating to watch an 850-year-old gothic structure succumb to fire. Though it was clear that the complication was due to a spark – the building’s age and the timber used in the making, aided the severity. Nonetheless, it was heart-wrenching to see the iconic structure burn as a matchstick – a clear reminder of the forces that leave us helpless to save something we dear.
With memories dusted to ashes, and people getting nostalgic over Paris – there were cynics and contrarians taunting the grievers – reminding everyone that the church has been just a structure of bricks and mortar, still none could levee the mournful tide.
Much to our delight, within hours of the spire coming down, two of the richest men in the world François-Henri Pinault and Bernard Arnault, pledged to donate € 300 million, in addition to other millions and billions of funds pumped through crowdfunding campaigns by the commoners.
However, the most overlooked part of the discussion is the money that is pumped in a place where the church can pay for themselves. The Economist tells us that the yearly budget of Vatican in the US alone is more than $140 billion. Well, I don’t despise the fact that the bourgeoisie is generous, but the magnitude of their response reflects something very important about the society we live in.
If two men, collectively, can offer funds more than most country’s GDP, within 6 hours, how easily can we food and shelter every human on earth. Take for example, the residents of Grenfell Tower in France are still living in temporary accommodation for the last 2 years. Imagine, if Glenfell had beautifully tainted glass windows with Gothic structure, instead of human beings.
A nation is made by the people living in it. Every work of art, architecture, commerce and beauty rely on the ingenuity of people. And the failure of a nation stem from the failure to recognize that life matters and should be protected above all else.
So, when someone asks you to make a choice, between a hospital and a highway, tax cut or pay – one must remember this moment that money is at a click, and we are far away from it.
