50 Questions And Thoughts About The Pandemic
Getty/The Guardian
With the second shot of the vaccine currently coursing through my body, summer fast approaching, and the light at the end of the tunnel in sight, I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on the traumatic past year we all suffered through collectively.
Rather than dive into a long, depressing recap, I thought it would be better to rattle off a list of questions and observations that have come to mind throughout the pandemic. Some of these were common knowledge before COVID, but their factual nature became even more obvious as a result of it.
So, with all that said, here are some thoughts I have on the pandemic, and our response to it.
1.) As a whole, people are very stupid.
2.) They’re also very selfish.
3.) In a moment of crisis, rather than band together as a species to do our collective part in fighting this virus - a considerable amount of people retreated to their most tribal selves, and scapegoated an entire marginalized group.
4.) Asian people (the aforementioned scapegoats) are still targets because of it.
5.) Despite the first few points spotlighting humanity’s ugly truths - this was also a time where faith in humanity was restored. From healthcare workers risking their lives for the greater good, to people donating food, clothing, and other necessities to our most vulnerable communities, to people getting politically engaged by marching and registering voters in the name of democracy. Yes, humanity is largely ugly, but there’s beauty in it as well.
6.) Animal Crossing was a lifesaver.
7.) So was TikTok.
8.) So was pasta.
9.) So was porn.
10.) Restaurants with mediocre ventilation and spacing were off limits, but building a smaller version of the restaurant in the street, often with less ventilation and spacing were okay.
11.) People in general really liked going out to eat. Like, a lot. Like, a scary amount. Deadly airborne virus be damned.
12.) A not so insignificant amount of people went from initially fearing the virus, to falling down conspiracy theory rabbit holes and demanding re-openings within a matter of weeks, simply out of a feeling of personal inconvenience.
13.) Who knew mask wearing would be a political statement?
14.) People already living with depression (i.e. me) were introduced to a new phenomenon previously unheard of: more depression. Who knew your existential dread could become even more dreadful?
15.) Same situation regarding horny, single people (again, me). Turns out, a year without physical touch of any kind can make a thirsty person even thirstier. Shoutout to all my fellow down bad loners.
16.) A lot of people could’ve been working from home this entire time.
17.) Toilet paper almost became currency.
18.) Essential workers thanklessly keep the economy going, without adequate protection and compensation - even in the face of death. That’s not a compliment - it’s dystopian.
19.) We discovered some relationships aren’t pandemic-proof. You really learn a lot about a person when you’re forced to stay inside with them for days, weeks, or months at a time.
20.) We discovered some friendships aren’t pandemic-proof, and there’s no doubt we all know at least one person we look at differently based on how they responded to the pandemic.
21.) What’s gonna happen to the bra, high heel, and makeup industry once this is all over? Will women go back to wearing them? Like, all of them at once?
22.) Will sweatpants replace jeans? I hope they do?
23.) Do you hate how you look on front-facing cameras as much as you hate work meetings? Welcome to Zoom. An unholy pairing of both evils.
24.) Broadband internet is essential, and it should be accessible for everyone.
25.) If you didn’t learn that new skill you told yourself you’d learn during all your newfound free time, fret not. You were never gonna learn whatever it was. At least you can drop the facade now.
26.) If you did learn a new skill - fuck you. Most of us couldn’t even bring ourselves to shower daily. But uh, yeah, congrats on playing piano now.
27.) As bad as things were for movie theaters, many of them managed to survive. The reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. As comfy and convenient as streaming is - nothing beats the moviegoing experience, and I expect the industry will bounce back and prove that fact.
28.) In times of crisis, competent leadership is crucial.
29.) Is Onlyfans a fad? Or will it be a legitimate career path for some going forward?
30.) Will sex work in general be seen differently after this whole experience?
31.) Dua Lipa’s album Future Nostalgia is an instant classic, and it kept people moving while stuck at home.
32.) The Weeknd’s album After Hours is also a classic, despite what the Grammy’s think. It was a cold, moody album that captured the loneliness many of us were feeling, but made it a vibe. “No one’s around to judge me.” So true, Abel. That’s why I’m currently not wearing any pants.
33.) Also, fuck the Grammy’s. Not just for snubbing The Weeknd, but virtual award shows in general during this time were just very poorly done. Although it wasn’t their fault, and I do appreciate them trying to take our minds off the hellscape for a few hours - next time we have a global pandemic, let’s just forego award shows altogether.
34.) Sticking with the music stuff - after releasing two fantastic pandemic albums in less than a year - Taylor Swift proved she’s not human. But most of us knew that already.
35.) Tom Brady sucks. I know that’s not pandemic related, and that he’s sucked well before this. I guess I’ll make it pandemic-related by saying he sucks in part because his team represents the state of Florida, and Florida’s handling of the pandemic sucked.
36.) A lot of states’ handling sucked, actually.
37.) It sucked that they were allowed to suck individually, because we had no federal plan, leaving every state to fend for itself. The virus doesn’t respect state lines, not sure why governors were (and still are) treating it like it does.
38.) How will our social interactions change as a result of this trauma? Will hand shaking return? Kissing after a first date? Going home with a stranger you met at a bar?
39.) What about the 5-day, in-person work week? Is that coming back? I don’t see how it can, but never count out corporate America when it comes to doing something gross and unpopular.
40.) What about all the new safety measures businesses have deployed to reassure customers? Are those here to stay? Can they afford to add those expenses long term? Can they afford not to?
41.) How many people will continue wearing masks when the pandemic is officially over?
42.) Healthcare is a human right.
43.) Being paid a living wage is a human right.
44.) Has this experience accelerated technological advancements and inventions?
45.) How much psychological damage has this done to the world at large and is it reparable?
46.) Rent in New York City is still too fucking high.
47.) This pandemic put things in perspective for a lot of people, made them take inventory of their lives, and allowed them to determine what was truly important to them, and what was fluff. Whether that meant rethinking relationships, careers, or what they wanted out of life, it gave people a chance to examine those things carefully.
48.) Science is real. Science illiteracy is also real, and...really dangerous.
49.) Man-made climate change is real, and it played a significant role in the pandemic.
50.) We’re absolutely not prepared for the next inevitable pandemic - in part because of some of the things listed above. Science illiteracy, selfish behavior, bureaucratic failings, etc. But here’s hoping we’ll take some of what we learned and apply it, so that we didn’t go through this whole fucking thing for nothing.