THE MIRROR.

If people ate only what they needed.

There’d be enough food for everyone.

‘The Platform’ is a new film from Netflix.

It’s set in a deep, vertical prison.

There is one prison cell per level.

And there are two inmates per prison cell.

A food platform moves from top to bottom each day.

Pausing for two minutes on each level.

Food.

At level one.

The platform is richly laden with plenty of beautiful food.

Enough food in fact.

To feed every single person.

On every single level.

Levels. 

As the film unfolds.

We see those at level one eat what they want.

Then it is level two’s turn to eat.

And so on.

The Platform. 

The mind whirrs at the irresistible simplicity of the setup.

The fact that there’s enough food for everyone.

So long as those at the top eat no more than they need each day.

But of course.

Those at the top do eat more than they need.

And that’s the mirror.

The mirror for us all to look into.

Right now.

Covid-19. 

There is enough bread for all of us.

And milk.

And toilet roll.

Yet because some grab all they can carry.

Instead of only what they need.

Others go without.

Netflix.

None of us anticipated the virus.

None of us anticipated that Netflix’s ‘The Platform’ would resonate so profoundly.

And none of us anticipated that public opinion would so quickly reframe some of the most privileged ‘go-getters’ in our society.

Those that could help lots and lots of other people if they wanted to.

None of us anticipated that perceptions of these people would shift so quickly from seeing them as successful, accomplished and admirable role models.

To seeing them as distant, self-serving, smirking shits.

But it has happened.

And whilst I hope we all eventually forget the dark shadow that Covid-19 will cast over tens of thousands of families in the coming weeks.

I hope none of us forget those on the higher platforms.

Gorging.

Whilst those below them.

Go hungry.