Coronavirus Will Change The World Permanently. Here’s How.

[Midpack]

Some changes will be permanent, some will appear so but we’ll drift back to old habits, and some lessons won’t be learned or just can’t be addressed. I’m not pretending any of us can know for sure, so not much value in arguing about it yet. Some of these predictions have already been debated here, some not yet.

There are a couple I’d love to see come true, but I’m not holding my breath.

Just a thought provoking read maybe.

For many Americans right now, the scale of the coronavirus crisis calls to mind 9/11 or the 2008 financial crisis—events that reshaped society in lasting ways, from how we travel and buy homes, to the level of security and surveillance we’re accustomed to, and even to the language we use.

Politico Magazine surveyed more than 30 smart, macro thinkers this week, and they have some news for you: Buckle in. This could be bigger.

https://www.politico.com/news/magaz...ct-economy-life-society-analysis-covid-135579

1. The personal becomes dangerous.
2. A new kind of patriotism.
3. A decline in polarization.A return to faith in serious experts.
4. Less individualism.
5. Religious worship will look different.
6. New forms of reform.
7. Regulatory barriers to online tools will fall.
8. A healthier digital lifestyle.
9. A boon to virtual reality.
10. The rise of telemedicine.
11. An opening for stronger family care.
12. Government becomes Big Pharma.
13. Science reigns again.
14. Congress can finally go virtual.
15. Big government makes a comeback.
16. Government service regains its cachet.
17. A new civic federalism.
18. The rules we’ve lived by won’t all apply.
19. Revived trust in institutions.
20. Expect a political uprising.
21. Electronic voting goes mainstream.
22. Election Day will become Election Month.
23. Voting by mail will become the norm.
24. More restraints on mass consumption.
25. Stronger domestic supply chains.
26. The inequality gap will widen.
27. A hunger for diversion.
28. Less communal dining—but maybe more cooking.
29. A revival of parks.
30. A change in our understanding of ‘change.’
31. The tyranny of habit no more.

 

[Nemo2]

The extraordinary shock(s) to our system that the coronavirus pandemic is bringing has the potential to break America out of the 50-plus year pattern of escalating political and cultural polarization we have been trapped in, and help us to change course toward greater national solidarity and functionality.

I'm inclined to think it'll go the other way, (worldwide), "Get the wagons in a circle" tribalism.

¿Quién sabe?

 

[Rianne]

We have fighter jets, tanks, military weapons, navy ships the size of cities, nuclear bombs, sub machine guns...all to protect us from harm.

All this and a tiny microbe collapsed the world economy.

Since viruses are so small (tinier than bacteria) they may be considered microbes.

 

[MichaelB]

We have amazing resilience, fabulous ingenuity, and a tremendous ability to adapt and persevere. I am both hopeful and optimistic for the US and the world.

 

[mountainsoft]

I'm not very good at predicting the future, but when this is all over I'm betting more people will continue to work from home (at least part of the time), more people will have groceries delivered, and restaurants will do more delivery and take out business.

 

[Freedom56]

This will pass but I expect many people (those with survival instincts) will change their behavior. Looking at what's going on in China, Singapore, and South Korea, it's going to some take time to return to normal. Airlines, hotels, and restaurants will have to step up their cleaning procedures and start screening for people with elevated temperature. If there every was a time to be retired, debt free, and financially independent, it's now.

 

[Midpack]

We have amazing resilience, fabulous ingenuity, and a tremendous ability to adapt and persevere. I am both hopeful and optimistic for the US and the world.

I'm optimistic as well, but I think we'll be collectively changed in some ways, for a generation give or take?

 

[davebarnes]

I think that high-speed internet and cell phone service will be considered as necessary as electricity.

 

[like2]

Thank you for sharing Midpack. Good and interesting article.

 

[donheff]

Yes, my take has been that this will be huge. Too many major industries heavily affected going forward to see anything less than major changes. I am very afraid that our partisan/cultural animosities will hold us back in some areas listed above that might otherwise change for the better. I hope I am wrong about that.

 

[Gumby]

Sadly, I predict very little lasting change. Individually and institutionally, we have very short memories.

 

[GravitySucks]

Sadly, I predict very little lasting change. Individually and institutionally, we have very short memories.

I'm afraid I'm with you.
Also think most changes motivated by fear will not be positive.

 

[DallasGuy]

The government will be embarrassed into planning for a future outbreak....instead of cancelling most of the planning that had previously been put in place.

 

[HF63]

we need to find ways to develop vaccines at a much faster pace even if their is no money for big pharma.

 

[Music Lover]

Sadly, I predict very little lasting change. Individually and institutionally, we have very short memories.

Every time there's a hurricane people line up to buy plywood for their windows. Every time there's a storm people empty the shelves of staples. This time people went nuts hoarding toilet paper.

A few people will learn but the next time something happens, whether it be weather related or virus related there will still be a bunch of people unprepared.

 

[Music Lover]

we need to find ways to develop vaccines at a much faster pace even if their is no money for big pharma.

It's not the developing of the vaccine that takes a lot of time, it's the testing on people that has to move slowly.

 

[Freedom56]

Every time there's a hurricane people line up to buy plywood for their windows. Every time there's a storm people empty the shelves of staples. This time people went nuts hoarding toilet paper.

A few people will learn but the next time something happens, whether it be weather related or virus related there will still be a bunch of people unprepared.

People buy, gas, water toilet paper before a hurricane also. I lived though a few of those events in South East Florida.

 

[Midpack]

we need to find ways to develop vaccines at a much faster pace even if their is no money for big pharma.

Now you’re on the same page as Bill Gates and most pandemic experts. Gates tried to alert officials in a TED Talk in 2015, interesting viewing. The one below and several others.

https://www.ted.com/talks/bill_gates_the_next_outbreak_we_re_not_ready

 

[atmsmshr]

Thanks Midpack for the reading.

"The coronavirus pandemic will create move pressure on corporations to weigh the efficiency and costs/benefits of a globalized supply chain system against the robustness of a domestic-based supply chain. Switching to a more robust domestic supply chain would reduce dependence on an increasingly fractured global supply system. But while this would better ensure that people get the goods they need, this shift would likely also increase costs to corporations and consumers."

I agree with this prediction the most, and think it will have profound geopolitical and domestic consequences. USA has previously enjoyed the benefit of a global reserve currency - and with globalization exported both jobs and inflation. Not forecasting the return of traditional textile shops or electronics base with hourly workers, but acceleration of domestic robotic factories and 3D printing.

 

[LOL!]

At least in the US, some senior living centers and CCRC that have a shared dining room and/or do not have separate exits to stay away from sick neighbors will become less desirable. They might be viewed as death traps.

 

[aiken]

Here's one none of those macro thinkers came up with. Since the vast majority of COVID deaths occur in people with serious underlying health issues, MAYBE Americans will start to embrace healthier lifestyles? A dream, I know.



For example, Type II diabetes is a completely preventable disease via elimination of excess sugar/carbs. It's been proven. How many deaths could we prevent if Americans embraced more of a keto based diet? How much could we bend the health care cost curve downward? I suspect the results would be astonishing.

 

[Sunset]

Sadly, I predict very little lasting change. Individually and institutionally, we have very short memories.

One would have thought the Black Plague would change Church Service gatherings...

 

[Sunset]

we need to find ways to develop vaccines at a much faster pace even if their is no money for big pharma.

And then we need to vaccinate everyone for free, as it protects all of us and reduces medical costs.

 

[Sunset]

At least in the US, some senior living centers and CCRC that have a shared dining room and/or do not have separate exits to stay away from sick neighbors will become less desirable. They might be viewed as death traps.

Strangely, I've always viewed old folks homes as death traps... so depressing many of the times... from my limited viewing..

 

[Teacher Terry]

Many chronic conditions are hereditary no matter how good you take care of yourself.