I came across an article on the Politico.com website where "more than 30 smart, macro thinkers" were asked how they thought the world and/or society would change because of the novel coronavirus that has resulted in most of the governments on all levels enacting some level of lockdown in response.
These 34 "big thinkers" predict what life will be like within seven different sectors of society:
In the event you're interested in reading what they had to say, I've linked to those sections individually as well as all together in case you only want to read through certain topics, since the opinion piece is rather lengthy.
Thanks, Big Thinkers
No, really. What we need are predictions of how are lives will change, presumably permanently, after the pandemic is over, when we're still essentially adjusting from how our lives have already changed, which, we're being told, is only until we can safely get back to it.
I also appreciate the fact that all involved took the time to wait until we were well into the pandemic, at least here in the U.S., before coming up with such predictions without really knowing how long lockdowns would last or how much of the global population would actually be personally affected.
Oh, wait. They didn't. This Politico post is dated March 19, 2020—nearly four weeks ago, and well before most states, including mine, we're even in lockdown. Which means the questions were asked and the answers given in advance of the publish date, which supposedly took place within a week's time. Meaning that the idea for this post came about no later than March 12, 2020, but was probably thought of much earlier than that.
I was going to summarize what these thinkers said in each of the sections, but even watering it down it would be too long for this post.
Instead I will leave it up to you to whether or not you take a look at it. Suffice it to say that more centralization is a big theme, not less, more thinking about the community as a whole instead of the needs of the individual, and the role that public safety and the greater good should play will see much greater ascendance.
My Response
I consider myself a thinker, too. I like to look at how things are done and ponder on different aspects of it. Maybe even offer a solution or two.
I figured, just for fun, you know, as a coronavirus lockdown exercise, I'd make some predictions as to how I think they will change.
Or rather, offer how things would be if things changed the way I would like them to.
That means most of my answers will probably be the exact opposite of what is predicted by these macro brains, and also what will probably end up happening, since I believe quite a bit of what they predict will come to pass. If not completely, things will continue to head in that direction.
I say that because too many of us are too busy with our own lives and circle to really critically look at what's going on, and we're too dependent and too invested in the systems of power and distracted by our own desires to care, let alone do something.
Just as a heads up, some of what I say here will be outlandish and pure fantasy. Some of it might be silly. It's all intended. However, I would also like to give anyone who reads this the opportunity to think, and if so desired, express their own thoughts, be they serious or mostly in jest.
My Predictions For Life After COVID-19
A Mass Exodus From Larger Urban Areas
People will realize that literally living on top of one another is more detrimental to their health and safety than it is worth, especially since, in too many cases, it's horribly expensive as well.
Whatever convenience to working or shopping will fall to the wayside, since telecommuting will become a more permanent way of doing business for many companies, thus saving overhead from owning/leasing, operating and staffing headquarters and satellite facilities.
Thus, the great migration and redistribution of populations will take place.
This will continue to cutdown on pollution and urban sprawl.
This means more suburbs and building in smaller communities. It will create a housing boom in many markets, but not necessarily for just contractors as they will need to negotiate planning and development rules that require properties be of a certain size and homes a certain distance from one another.
Mass transit will eventually become a thing of the past.
Housing costs will naturally fall for those who do remain thanks to a lower demand for high rise apartment living. Entire blocks of buildings will either need to be repurposed or destroyed. City governments will have to drastically cut their budgets to make up for the drop in revenues from all sorts of fees, permits and taxes.
This will lead to a need for greater self-sufficiency and interdependency among those who stay behind. It will require greater communication and interconnectivity, which means better, more affordable technology, will come to everyone.
Crime will drop substantially in these places as the exodus continues, and everywhere else will only see a slight uptick perhaps as the populace spreads out.
With fewer people around and fewer needs because of less violent crime, fewer accidents, fewer epidemics, less stress, less pollution, etc., the results will be healthier lives for those staying behind and thus less of a strain on health care, judicial, insurance and other systems.
Decentralization Will Naturally Occur
As a result of this population redistribution, governance and power will redistribute as well. There won't be any one large city or group of them demanding all of a region's or state's resources for its overcrowded citizenry. Instead, the opportunity to more properly spread out those needs will lead to better planning everywhere else.
Governmental representation on the local, county, state and federal levels will shift dramatically. Highly populous areas and states that placed undue influence on the political system will find themselves competing with everyone else again.
Thanks to the large gaps between what was available and what was needed in terms of health care, public safety, and the ability to contain a contagion without shutting down economies, there will be an outcry for better preparation and more secure supply chains on the local levels. This will increase the need for factories that are technologically up-to-date, smaller and flexible, to take on multiple kinds of fabrications and products depending on the needs.
That means more investment in infrastructure, communication hubs, etc., within more geographical locations. Instead of bedroom communities depending on the products and services of neighboring towns, along with growth in residential portions of a community, there will need to be growth in retail and industrial areas too, in order to provide for the local demand.
Intercommunity alliances or partnerships will be more fully developed so as to help one another in times of disaster or deficiency. Instead of hoping for government help that will come days if not weeks late and not be sufficient when it does arrive, cities and towns will be better equipped to first prevent or mitigate the lasting damage of these catastrophes.
As people become less dependent on national and state level government, and more involved in their own preservation, governance will shift from the few who are far away to the local level where all those who wish to participate may do so, and hold their representatives more adequately and fully accountable.
Power grids will no longer be so large and unwieldy that they are vulnerable to a host of problems. Instead, they will be broken up into smaller, more manageable sizes.
People Will Get Out More
Because so much of their lives will be online—work, shopping, entertainment, etc.—people will end up outdoors more and more. All sized parks and outdoor recreational areas will be used as people feel more of a need to get out, exercise, and commune with nature and one another.
This will require more open spaces, so large buildings that are no longer being used, like indoor malls, concert venues, sporting arenas, etc., will be demolished or renovated to facilitate open air activities.
Personally playing sports and participating in other physical activities will see a resurgence as online gaming will wane. Professional sports may exist, but they will not be played in stadiums or fieldhouses but smaller venues providing access to watch via the internet and will be available wherever the viewer is. Pro teams will provide this service directly, cutting out the existing network middlemen.
Travel Will Be Virtual And Instant
No more waiting in line to get through airport security. No more booking flights in advance to get decent seats or to save money. No more contending with surly flight attendants, cranky passengers, or crying babies.
No more commuting on the metro line to work or downtown and feeling like you're in a cattle car. No more worrying about your person or your personal belongings.
You will be able to go wherever and whenever you like virtually. Want to spend a weeknight in Paris? Want to go back the next three evenings to keep looking around? All of that will be possible as you virtually tour anywhere else from wherever you are.
How will this be possible?
I believe there are any of a number of ways, but the one I like the idea of the most extends the gig economy currently underway, and would probably be the easiest, and the most fun to implement.
For instance—the person who wants to go to Paris but who lives stateside could contact a person who lives in Paris to be their virtual tour guide. Things like that could start now with livestreaming and the connectivity currently available, but that will all have to improve to expand and improve the experience. The idea is to get to the point where it's virtually like being there, without all of the hassle of getting there.
The expense would be in the virtual reality suit and accessories one would need to truly experience Paris through sight, sound and maybe some degree of touch first, and then incorporate smell and taste, too. To be able to experience exactly what the surrogate is experiencing in a sensory way would be the ultimate goal.
Now, if you're like me, you'd still want to go where you want to go when you want to do it, in person. There really is no substitute, but virtual vacationing or travel would be a suitable intermediary step as scientist work on how to safely and securely fold space on Earth so that it's possible to travel great distances with pinpoint accuracy in the blink of an eye.
How Will This All Be Paid For?
Remember what I said about the state and federal government losing influence because the power will necessarily drop down to the lowest, most local level? Along with the power, so, too, will tax revenue. This will either be redirected to the local level, or more appropriately, remain more fully in the pocketbooks and on the corporate ledgers of each working individual and company.
So, the monies heading to the blackholes of state and federal governments will remain where they formerly came from. Prices on everything will drop several times over.
What About The National Debt And The Central Banks?
They're going to want their money from the massive loans the federal government has outstanding.
Which means they will come after every man, woman and child to get it, right?
Perhaps. But that will only increase the desire if not the need for a separate, trustless, instant, private, secure, but verifiable system of transactions that is decentralized and not burdened down with taxation or debt.
I think we all know where we can find such a system.
You did know that HIVE and cryptocurrency had a role to play in all of this.
Well, there it is. Huge governmental entities and their central banking accessories will all fall together, wiping each other and the debts out in one fell swoop.
Now, If That's Not Dreaming...
...I don't know what is.
I suppose I could go on and on with this. It turned out a little more American-centric than I intended it, but you can modify it to fit your area of the world as you see fit.
I have to say, I've thoroughly enjoyed this exercise and my version of life after COVID-19, even if I know it's largely not meant to be.
Never say never, but hope for the best, prepare for the worst and learn to enjoy life somewhere in the between.
Onward and upward.
Images source—Pixabay, stylized by Glen Anthony Albrethsen