The Attack On The World Trade Center In 2001 Redefined My First Sabbatical Leave And Transformed America’s Sense Of Security. My second leave 19 years later has included a pandemic that has altered life as we know it.
COVID-19, Young couple meeting outside
Perhaps the most phenomenal change exacted by the pandemic has been the mandate to social distance. The country, indeed the world, continues to adjust to this “new normal,“ which has not been seen since the flu pandemic of 1918.
No individual or institution has been immune to this development. With the closure of most schools and businesses, people find themselves sequestered in their homes, venturing out only to secure essential goods and services. When they do emerge from isolation, many are unrecognizable. Most have faces covered with masks or shields, conjuring images of a premature and seemingly endless Halloween.
With limited social engagement likely remaining in place until COVID-19 infections are minimized, a critical question emerges: Will social distancing exacerbate the polarization and consequential incivility that plagues society today?
Social interaction’s nexus with mental and physical health spurs people to engage. As a result, many during this pandemic have employed technology to transcend the limitations of social distancing. Aside from use of telephones and FaceTime, Internet-based programs such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype and Facebook’s new Messenger Rooms have become stopgap measures used to connect with others. Professional meetings and conferences, along with instruction at many educational institutions, have morphed to virtual reality.
The unlimited reach of these Internet-based programs has enabled connections with individuals living nearby or in countries worldwide. These programs are so prevalent that their names have become verbs. Friends seeking to connect virtually now promise to “Zoom” me.
Despite advantages, virtual connections also have limitations. Individuals must learn the nuances of these Internet-based programs to use them effectively. Others must overcome their fundamental aversion to technology to enjoy the programs’ utility. A seminal problem for some lies in the lack of Internet access. Despite its seeming ubiquity, the Internet eludes those who either cannot afford to purchase service or live in remote locations that do not receive strong signals.
Perhaps the greatest limitation of connecting virtually remains the fact that these connections are merely virtual. At the end of the day, nothing adequately replaces direct personal contact. Some attempt to replicate such contact, however, with inventive strategies.
Social distancing cocktail parties, where groups of no more than 10 gather in a large area and sit at least 6 feet apart, have become the rage. Some travel to the front of friends’ homes to engage with them from a distance. These “drive-by greetings” have also become popular forms of limited personal contact.
It bears mention that those compelled to live in densely populated regions have limited options. For many of these individuals social distancing remains a luxury due to socioeconomic constraints.
Perhaps the doomsday for civility is premature after all. As communicative technologies take greater hold, opportunities for positive engagement increases.
In the 20th century when telephonic communication was the dominant technology, AT&T employed a famous advertisement, imploring the public to “reach out and touch someone.“ If employed today, that slogan might read, “reach out and connect with someone.“ Many will hopefully do so and, in the process, appreciate the power of positive human engagement - an essential element of a more civil society.
