Kenopsia: The Strange Sensation Of Being In An Abandoned Place
We live in a world that seems to go faster and faster. The planet has been transformed with the implementation of technologies, to the point that there are only a few corners of the world that are not affected by this revolution. We are hyperconnected, and with a simple click it is possible to have a video call with someone who is thousands of kilometers away.
Furthermore, consumerism has positioned itself as the core of our lifestyle. This leads us to buy products and services of all kinds that offer us pleasant emotions. This spiral of work and consumption keeps us so busy that sometimes it is difficult to know how to stop and listen to the silence.
However, stopping became an obligation when the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the world. That unknown virus that wreaked havoc forced reorganize life in society in order to stop infections and allocate all resources to their annihilation.
In the first stage we experienced strict confinement, whereby practically no one could leave their home except due to force majeure. At that time, going outside was similar to entering the set of a science fiction movie. Walking through the empty streets, seeing the closed shops, observing the few pedestrians with their faces covered by a mask… these are images that perhaps we would never have imagined we would see. Seeing how our entire world full of speed, people and entertainment had been put on hold caused us great disappointment.
You may not know it, but The feeling of restlessness when seeing a scenario as bleak as seeing empty streets due to, for example, a pandemic, has a name: kenopsia In this article we will talk about this concept in detail.
Chances are you’ve never heard this word before: kenopsia. What is possible is that you have experienced the emotion it refers to.
Kenopsia is the experience linked to a feeling of restlessness in an empty place that is usually full of people and that, however, in that situation he remains calm and without the presence of other people, as if he were abandoned. This is exactly what the majority of society felt in recent years, when the pandemic put the entire world on edge. Walking through deserted streets that once looked crowded generates restlessness, discomfort and restlessness. There is no sign of children in schools, nor elderly people on park benches. There are also no people playing sports or buses that transport passengers to their respective jobs.
The truth is that the environments that we are used to seeing inhabited become simple movie sets when what gives them life disappears. Without people, buildings and streets lose all their meaning and reason for being.
Kenopsia finds its root in longing, in nostalgia for a known life that no longer exists. Although fortunately we have emerged from the pandemic and its nightmare, the truth is that many people cannot forget that deep discomfort they felt, that emptiness inside when they saw how everything they knew disappeared one day without knowing if it would return.
Feeling kenopsia is not incompatible with the serenity that quiet or solitary places provide However, the well-being that we found in a remote place is due to the fact that we never saw that space full. Kenopsia only takes place when there is nostalgia, when there has been a sudden change that makes us feel strange in the face of silence.
Kenopsia and its relationship with human gregariousness
Human beings are individuals of social nature. We need to have a group of equals to support us in order to survive. Thus, each of us requires those around us and vice versa, since alone our extreme vulnerability is evident. This form of gregarious life has persisted for thousands of years, since since the most primitive times it has been an effective strategy for adaptation to an environment full of dangers and hostility.
Despite being what humanizes us, in recent years it seems that we have despised this imperative need of others. Society has changed towards an increasingly individualistic pattern, where self-sufficiency and ego are rewarded. On the other hand, depending on others is considered a failure, a sacrifice that prevents us from being what we want to be. Perhaps we have reached a point where we have taken everything we have for granted, ignoring that our life is only possible if others are in it.
Today’s life encourages the pursuit of one’s own pleasure and well-being, even if this means disregarding the rights of others. However, it only takes a dramatic turn of events like the one we have experienced to realize that what fills our soul is not hedonism. Deep down, what fills our soul is not success, beauty, or fun. What nourishes us from the inside is the warmth of other people, a word of encouragement or a hug. It is care and bonds.
Kenopsia is a reflection of our thirst for others. If we feel longing it is because we are hurt by the lack of life around us, the lack of other people nearby.
Kenopsia in the time of COVID-19
There is no doubt that the pandemic has been a traumatic event for society as a whole. With the arrival of this virus we have had to give up what makes us human: the company of our loved ones.
Beyond the fear of getting sick, this situation has made us reconnect with a part of ourselves that perhaps we had been ignoring. Until then, we had prioritized work, obligations, chores… often sacrificing quality time with those we love most. We had taken for granted having coffee with a friend, going for a walk, going to the movies or a concert. Everything that we believed to be perennial suddenly disappeared, making us feel that emotion so abstract and difficult to describe: kenopsia.
Putting into words what we feel is sometimes not an easy task, especially if we have never experienced a similar situation. Seeing ourselves immersed in a long-lasting emergency situation, with no clear end on the horizon, put our resilience to the test.
Of course, feeling kenopsia is not a pleasant state. It is a disturbing emotion, which stirs and alters us. However, all our emotions are important regardless of their valence. Allowing ourselves to feel something like this helps us understand what we need, what we are missing. Everything we feel is valid and deserves to be heard. Making space not only for joy and euphoria but also for the hardest emotions is a sign of adequate mental health.
Therefore, if at any time you have experienced this emotion you should not be alarmed. That it bothers you to see an empty environment that was once full of life is simply a sign that you are human, that you appreciate life and others.
Although you may not give importance to this word, the truth is that Naming experiences like this helps us shape and understand them better Talking about kenopsia also allows us to build a support network and promote collective recovery after a trauma that has hit the entire world. Enriching our emotional vocabulary is a first step to increasing awareness of what we feel and relating in a healthier way to our internal events.
Conclusions
In this article we have talked about a phenomenon known as kenopsia, a concept unknown until a few years ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic began. At that time, a series of profound changes occurred in the life and organization of society, which favored a collective disappointment Kenopsia makes us experience nostalgia and longing when seeing a place that was once alive in complete silence.
With confinement, we have all experienced that peculiar feeling when going out into the street and seeing abandoned and empty cities. The squares, avenues and shops were suddenly transformed into settings typical of science fiction films. As if it were a strange nightmare, we stopped being able to do everything that was part of our normality: having a drink with a friend, taking a walk, playing sports, going to work at the office, etc.
The suffering that this situation caused us is due to our gregarious nature. Human beings are social individuals, since we depend on others to survive. Alone, our vulnerability is maximum
Naming a collective discomfort is, in a way, healing. Labeling our emotions is a first step to understanding and managing them. You may have never heard the term kenopsia, but you are probably familiar with the experience we have described here.
Talking about kenopsia allows us to give shape to a collective traumatic experience and promote recovery after a few years that have taken away from us what we need most: the warmth of our peers.
