I’ve long thought that Americans, at least, were becoming too focussed on rushing about, making more money, and acquiring more and more goods/experiences. People working multiple jobs, driving around to engage in various activities… It has been very pleasant to see the quieter streets, and to see families interacting together.
I’m not suggesting we are going to go all Little House on the Prairie, or anything, but I wonder whether you suspect people’s values and actions are going to change following this.
I suspect there will be more teleworking than before, which should result in some commuting time/$ savings, and reduce some congestion. And I figure all manner of on-line shopping/delivery will become even more prevalent. I can imagine some people being less interested in congested activities - concerts, maybe even air travel.
Or do you think things will go right back to the way they were before?
Along these lines, considering COVID was at large in the population a couple of months before we knew about it, I wonder how long it will be (if ever) that we feel comfortable shaking hands/hugging at church/temple? Sitting RIGHT NEXT to someone on a bus/subway or crowded theater/sports event? Jamming into a crowded elevator? Especially if someone in one of those places is sniffling, coughing, or sneezing?
Cleanliness standards will change. I think the 20 seconds washing advice will be followed as default. People will clean fixtures and fittings much more regularly.
Just so you know, OP, I can’t think of many people who would work multiple jobs to get more stuff, as opposed to having to or they’ll starve.
Maybe there will be a political shift of some kind, even if it doesn’t (yet) translate to action on the federal level? Maybe some states will see some voting patterns change?
I think the hand washing one will be the biggest change. I taught our toddler a little hand washing song to the tune of Happy Birthday that we sing every time.
I have joked to friends (we’re in our late 30s) that just like depression-era people lived a lifetime of thrift, we’re going to be the people that decades from now will make everyone who enters the house wash their hands and our grandchildren will think we’re silly.
If hand washing is the takeaway from all of this, I don’t know what to say.
You can attend a church service now, wash your hands before and after, not shake hands, and all of that does nothing, if you are still breathing in close proximity to an infected individual. That is how more than 99% of the transmissions are taking place. That is why we have shut everything down.
Handwashing prevents a POSSIBLE secondary transmission of the virus, through an intermediate item. My belief is that few if any people get infected this way. Maybe only in a hospital, but there the virus is also in the air everywhere too.
If the virus mutates into something less severe, goes away for some unknown reason, we get herd immunity, vaccine, some other treatment… the significant thing we have lost, the ability to gather together, will return. If it doesn’t, if THAT is permanent, that will dwarf anything else.
One example would be families w/ both adults working - especially if both are working at demanding, full-time jobs. In many cases, that is not to stave off starvation, but instead, to support a certain desired lifestyle - in addition to whatever expectations of personal fulfillment from employment. Not criticizing anyone’s choice, just observing that a life with less travel, less dining out, and fewer things can be much cheaper.
People the world over live in far smaller homes that Americans think necessary. As well as living where they can bike/use public transport. Of course - more congested living might increase chances of infection.
I hear ya, man - and my wife might actually prefer it!
It will obviously depend on how long this crisis lasts and when the next comparable pandemic occurs. My guess right now is that this will be under control in a couple of years and it will be another few decades till we get a comparable pandemic. If that happens I am guessing not all that much will have changed in say 5 years. People will wash their hands more and there will be more telecommuting but otherwise life will be pretty similar to 2019.
I don’t think society changed permanently after the 1918 spanish flu, I don’t think this will change things permanently either.
Hopefully it leads to a little more respect for science, but its hard to tell. Also I think people will be more willing to save rather than spend for fear of another shutdown sometime.
Maybe more efforts to invest in infectious diseases, prevent new diseases from being evolved at wet markets with stronger hygiene standards, more R&D into virology, etc. But that won’t change society.
I wonder if handshaking - and social hugs - will become less common.
Will paper money be less favored?
I don’t think I’d be in a hurry to buy stock in a cruise line.
I would like to see the data on this. I suspect most families are working more because the cost of housing, healthcare, and education have been going up way more disproportionately to the level of earnings.
I don’t think this is permanent, but I do feel like people will have a greater respect for science after this, especially if we manage to avoid the worst case scenario. Over the past couple of decades, anti-intellectualism in the US has been indulged and embraced. Maybe now people will start appreciating intellectuals more.
Hoarding. There will be a much greater pool of hoarders who will need help from A&E.
My grandmother was a hoarder. Hers was triggered by raising a family through the Depression.
I have the tendency. Seeing stacks of canned goods or cleaning supplies gives me a good feeling. I secretly identify with Doomsday Preppers. I’m sure when I finally go to my great reward, my kids will have to dig through a mountain of supplies.
~VOW
I think that one reason 1918’s flu was ‘forgotten’ was because of the time that it occurred. The flu pandemic coincided with a long, brutal war, which was soon followed by global economic and political turmoil that never fully resolved, leading into the global depression and then another global conflict not even 20 years later. It was easy to forget 1918. Moreover, the global economic system wasn’t as integrated as it is now. There’s an economic reason to care about pandemics now.
I absolutely agree that ordinary people will let their guard down: that’s what we do. We don’t want to think about problems. We want to forget bad things. But I think we will see pandemic monitoring systems that will probably be a part of our health system for the next 10-20 years.