How COVID-19 is breeding a new mentality
An exploration of how this pandemic is shaping my generation, and hope for the new world
While the virus was making its way to the US, I had been preparing for my last day at work, Friday, March 13th. I joked I would be leaving on “Freaky Friday” but I had no idea just how scary things would get… Having informed my employer mid-January, I felt calm, prepared and ready to leap into the unknown.
And leap into the unknown we all have.
During my last week at work, our country came to a screeching halt.
Coronavirus, or COVID-19, marks the start of our new decade in a lot of ways. If we were looking for a definitive moment in time to mark the end of the old and start of the new, we certainly got it.
There is a clear BC (before corona): hugging friends, handshakes, going to concerts and sporting events, eating dinner at bustling restaurants, beach hangs, trail runs. DC (during corona): zooming friends, IGTV concerts, putting on masks and gloves before stepping out the door for essentials, takeaway only, barricades closing the beach, running solo. And there will be a clear AC (after corona). What will that look like? No one can say for certain, but what I am curious to explore is how this forced global pause we’re experiencing on a collective level will breed a new mentality and change the way my generation sees, experiences and lives in the new world.
I think back to my grandparents and their outlook on life. My granddad would be 111 if we were alive today and grew up during The Great Depression. He saved every single penny and nothing was ever wasted. My favorite memory of this mentality is eating with him at a Chick-Fil-A at a food court in Florida. I was squeezing ketchup from a pack onto my fries and he told me “you have to milk it like a cow.” As a young girl, I was very confused… he went on to explain you have to squeeze the pack from top to bottom making sure you use every last drop.
While we’re not in a depression (yet), we are in a recession, witnessing the largest unemployment crisis in US history alongside a global pandemic. My friends in the music industry, as event planners, tv editors and in creative advertising roles have all lost their jobs and filed for unemployment. And those fortunate enough to still have their jobs, have taken large pay cuts. It’s also worth noting, this is the second major recession hitting at critical moments of our lives — landing our first jobs out of college in the wake of The Great Recession and now as we move into leadership positions where our years of work could be erased in an instant.
All of our trivial anxieties have been replaced by real world realities. Cancel culture has shifted from a woke gesture to a literal expression of our everyday reality. We’ve been called upon for our civic duty, summoned to stay in our homes, and away from friends and family to save lives. Dr. Fauci has become my generation’s Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America. These times of upheaval will forever alter the fabric of society. But we can choose how we reinvent society and reconstruct our world. Below are a few predictions on how things will change and the new mindset being instilled within us, hopefully for the better.
THE END OF INDULGENCE Coronavirus is a representation of our conscience, bringing to light everything that was wrong with our past decade. We were investing millions into unicorn companies that imploded (hi WeWork), measured success by scale (Uber is yet to make a profit while valued at billions), and were consumed building our personal brands (re: No Filter). We were gluttons for more, living in the age of the extremes. An instant-gratification-nation where convenience ruled everything. Climate change was Gen Z’s Vietnam War. Now Coronavirus is the invisible war we’re all fighting together. We can’t go back to “normal.” Normal wasn’t working. My hope is we come out the other side with an appreciation for living with less and to be grateful for what we have.
A MORE ENLIGHTENED CUSTOMER In times of crisis we re-prioritize our needs. We’ve lost sight of our interdependence in this world and have been reminded us just how interconnected we all are to Earth and to one another. Will we be more aware of our impact and seek sustainable options? Will this reset how fashion designers produce and how brands launch products? Will we consume less and more mindfully? My hope is we will leave this with a better understanding of our impact on the world.
NEW ESSENTIALISM This pandemic is holding a mirror to our face, challenging us to question what really matters. New values are being cemented and we’re seeing the rise of a new essentialism. Our superfluous spending habits suddenly seem unnecessary. What’s a $300 handbag worth when you have nowhere to go? In March alone, when our country was closed for only 2 weeks, retail sales went down 50%. Similarly, in 2008 the New York Times wrote, “Shopping is almost embarrassing, and a little vulgar right now.” We’re reminded of what truly matters: our mental and physical wellbeing and our friends and family.
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN At home workouts reminiscent of Jane Fonda are making their way into our living rooms. Drive-in movie theaters are thriving. Puzzles, card and board games are seeing a resurgence. This new way of living is reminiscent of simpler times. Also proving, we don’t need much to still get a sweat in or entertain ourselves.
RETURN TO LOCAL From Mayors and Governors, to stores and restaurants, our local leaders and shops are taking up more space in the headlines and on our feeds as our attention is directed towards the communities around us. We’re getting to know our neighbors and are tuning into local news. Less Amazon book buying, more from here.
ALONE TOGETHER TECH As our physical world shrinks, our digital world expands. Tech companies have responded to social isolation by adding new features to their product like Netflix’s watch party and Instagram’s soon to launch co-watching tool, so you can watch with friends remotely. At any other time these features may sound absurd, but it makes being “together” easier. It’s been interesting to see restaurants respond by offering wine tastings, cheese making and oyster shucking happy hours on Zoom, or restaurants creating “kits” to recreate dishes at home.
HOME TAKES CENTER STAGE The home was playing a more pivotal role in our lives BC, with the rise of at home fitness companies like Peloton and The Mirror, working from home, and opting to stay in rather than go out to bars, as seen in the homebody economy. But today our home has a whole new meaning. It’s our office, gym, beauty salon, restaurant and bar. SNL comedians did the show with their home as a backdrop and business is becoming humanized with babies, pets and personal decor introduced to coworkers. Verishop, an e-commerce shopping site, noted behavior shifts among its shoppers, seeing a 158% sales increase in their home goods category. The home is becoming an extension of self, and as we live our lives across screens, we welcome everyone in. Our home is where we present ourselves to the world.
“THE AGE OF THE AMATUER” Coined by Li Edelkoort, a Dutch trend forecaster for the amount of people mastering new skills, I’ve also witnessed the rise of DIYing. We’re becoming more self-sufficient. Using our hands. Getting crafty and creative. We’re dying our hair, doing our own manicures, tie-dying our clothes, baking our own bread, becoming better chefs, learning to dance (Tik-tok has turned everyone into a professional dancer). Will this breed a more self-reliant generation?
BIRTHDAY DRIVE-BY’S & SCREEN CELEBRATIONS Celebrating in quarantine looks very different than years past. I’ve watched a parade of cars drive by with balloons honking at houses for people of all ages, from Kourtney Kardashian to my seven year old neighbor. We all celebrate the same these days. Seniors in high schools are having their prom over Zoom, dressed up with no where to go.
RECREATING SPONTANEITY There’s not a lot of room for spontaneity when you’re trapped in doors. Everything is planned from work meetings to social gatherings. Apps like Clubhouse and Houseparty are an attempt to bring some unprompted and unstructured interaction to your world ruled by calendar meetings and invites to hang out with friends, inviting spontaneity and surprise.
TOUCHLESS TECH We’re greeting each other without physical contact. As the virus is known to spread through contact, the desire for touchless tech grows everyday. Apple Pay is the leader in this but services like it will become even more important in the future. Our phones role in our life is going to become even more important as it may act as a card getting you into buildings and for public transportation. As we become a sanitization nation, the desire to touch less will increase.
SCREEN FATIGUE We spend our days staring at screens. Our phones have shifted from a form of leisure to an everyday utility. Watching concerts on Twitch, FaceTiming with friends, following workouts, taking classes online… quite literally everything in our lives comes to us from the internet and across a screen. What will this mean with our relationship to our phones in the future?
THE LAST DANCE This is a season of abrupt endings for many, especially the graduating classes of 2020 who didn’t get to experience prom, sporting events or even their graduations. How will an absence of these coming of age moments change their outlook on the world? Many college freshman will start at home, online. Missing the networking, sociability and scariness that comes with starting a new year, in a new environment, away from home. Will tuition prices have to change? It’s crazy to think of paying full price when you’re at home. One of my last projects was working with the Founders of Find Your Grind, a guide to the new world of work. They’re certainly poised to lead the next generation through this wild time.
My hope for the future is we live in a world where we don’t take anything for granted because we’ve seen it all stripped away. A world with less greed and more gratitude. A world living more presently and more aware. Relishing in small groups with friends. Traveling and soaking up the beauty of the world.
Stay well
*** for more check out the the Axios summary of the Mary Meeker report who shares my optimistic outlook
