With more than three million infections, more than 200 thousand deaths worldwide, millions having lost their jobs and billions having their routine lives disrupted, there is no doubt that the corona virus has had a detrimental effect on the world’s population. Everybody’s lives is affected in one way or another. But it is amazing how a detrimental occurrence can have a detrimental effect on some while having a surprisingly favorable effect on others.
Working from home has become the new thing thanks to the outbreak of the virus and thanks to technology, mainly the internet. It makes you wonder how it would have been possible to work from home in the absence of the internet. In the context of our country though, I am not sure how the federal government is making sure that its employees are actually working from home. Let alone in bad times such this one, even in good old times, the use of the internet and emails has always been a tricky thing in government offices. The use of the technology has simply never been part of their work culture. So, I guess our federal employees have the Corona virus to thank for the extended paid leave it allowed them to enjoy. Although ironic, this is one of the upside of the outbreak.
Working or not, the lockdown has allowed people to stay put in a house with their families. One of the effects of the outbreak, which I found to be both unexpected and very strange, is the fact that domestic violence has increased post-Corona. Couples now need to stay locked-in together, unable to avoid each other. Does this mean that many couples remained married or in partnership out of obligation? Does this mean that there was near to zero communication between couples back when the virus was unknown? I guess our busy lives have long served us as refuges or shields from our realities at home. In a way, the lock-down have unveiled to us those realities which have long sought to avoid. For many, the lock-down has not only caused increase in domestic violence and unemployment, but depression as well. We hear that in the Western world, there are people who are demanding for the lock-down to end for reasons as dull as the need for a hair-cut. I think it reveals a lot about the Western society, and maybe our society as well. First of all, for me it tells me that people avoid moments of reflection and silence with themselves at all cost. They need constant distraction from their thoughts. Secondly, it tells me that people strive to build or buy expensive houses and furniture just so they can spend only the nights in these houses. Spending consecutive days in these hard earned houses is out of question. Thirdly, it seems to me that people do not enjoy spending times with their families as much as what is pictured in movies and glossy advertisements. Starting a family seems a mere tick box in the list of to-dos in life. One has simply forgotten or ignored that one of the best things that should be given to family members is time.
On a different note, is the way we greet people going to change for good? More specifically, will we be avoiding each other hands and cheeks next time we see other? Is working virtually from home going to be the new thing now that we have seen that that is actually possible with the existence of a properly functioning internet connection? Will we see more flourishing of home delivery services in our country? We’ll have to wait and see.
