After COVID, will it be a new “abnormal?”
I’m a big fan of Darwin. You know, survival of the fittest? Essentially, according to Darwin (as I interpret him), as our environment changes, some species accidentally show genetic mutations that are better suited to survive these changes. Got that? Okay, now let’s apply it to our present, COVID environment. Clearly, our “environment” has been drastically changed; people who fled the cities in April were forced to figure out a new model for working remotely. Shopping malls along with neighborhood brick-and-mortar stores remain dark. Face coverings that seemed weird at first are now mainstream. We’ve adapted.
Yes, this is an evolutionary shift, but the question remains, when COVID is in our rearview mirror (my lips to god’s ears, huh?) and we return to what I call a new “abnormal,” how much of our previous lives will be restored? Will people move back into the cities to resume business, will we once again cherish our malls and shopping centers, will we become less dependent on YouTube, podcasts, and cable TV daring instead to venture out to a crowded theater?
Or, are we now adapted—evolved— to a life defined by the word “remote?” I hate to throw shade on the prospects of a better tomorrow rooted in remote, Internet-dependent living, but perhaps we should consider that before we abandon our past way of life too quickly, it might be wise to keep in mind that the Internet isn’t immune to another type of pandemic—a virtual one.
#postCOVID #anxiety #depression #selfcoaching