The word essential is popular these days in New Zealand: during the lockdown only essential services will be open; essential workers only would be allowed out, to work. The definition is simple- something indispensable, crucial. But the reality is that we live in a time when we’re spoiled for choice- everything is literally essential.

We’re fortunate that the scale of this tragedy is such that a lot of us can still hold on to our ridiculous ideas of what are essentials to us. I have a lot of these and I make no apologies because I worked hard for them (is this a good enough, valid argument??).

But what happens when we’re all wrong, when I’m wrong, and the current situation worsens?