Will Corona Spark the Next Revolution?

 Every country has a different level of work to life balance. In certain societies, people have weeks of vacation per year, greater ability to work at home, more relaxed work environments, and guaranteed sick days (Hint: the US is at the bottom of all of these lists. For a so-called “developed country”, we don’t seem to value the average citizen very much). Whereas other countries value productivity above all else. The worker is a cog in a machine. It doesn’t matter if they’re happy or satisfied because the economic benefit their efforts provide is more important than the worker herself. 

Except now the machine is grinding to a halt and the cogs don’t know what to do. 

When was the last time you had the opportunity to just sit and be? Most of the time we’re not really allowed to. Working constantly, filling every single moment with productivity is what we’re encouraged to do. But this incessant work is a distraction from ourselves and our loved ones.

When was the last time you had the opportunity to not be distracted? We go to work or school and then return home mentally and physically exhausted. We then fill the remaining hours drinking, watching TV, or scrolling through the internet. 

Maybe one of the reasons this virus is driving us absolutely crazy is because we have no idea how to stop. We were previously accelerating so quickly, working impossibly long hours, and using more physical and mental capacity than we were capable of – leaving us in a constant state of fatigue, caffeine addiction, and burnout. 

Every single second of our lives was expected to be completely productive.

Now all of a sudden, we find ourselves at home with significantly less to do. Whereas we were previously accelerating for the indefinite future, all of a sudden we’re pushed in the opposite direction, slowing down way more than we’re used to.

Who knows how long this will last?

Who knows if we will eventually grow accustomed to a slower pace of life?

Who knows if we’ll be able to return to how things used to be after this ends?

This virus has shown us quickly how moldable the system really is. Thing we previously were told were “idealistic” or “not possible” are happening right in front of our very eyes.

1. The TSA is now accepting hand sanitizer bottles up to 12 ounces
2. Homeless people have been given shelter in certain states
3. In some cities, police are no longer arresting for non-violent crimes
4. The government is considering giving every American a $1000 check (at least)
5. The US is considering suspending rent and mortgage payments for the duration of Corona.

Do you really think we could make such massive changes in the system, granting Americans privileges that benefit ALL of their lives, and things that many have been asking for for years, and then revert back to the previous system after this all blows over? I don’t think it’s possible. People don’t like when their privileges are taken away.

2020 is an important time in our history because it finally revealed to everyone just how broken the system is. But it doesn’t have to  be this way. Maybe these recent changes are just the beginning. Maybe this is the wake up call we all needed. And maybe, at the end of this, we’ll have adequately learned from our mistakes and moved forward as a society.