The changing paradigm of human connections
Joson discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to rethink our social connections as they shift from physical interactions to the virtual realm.
For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill, taking the lives of many of our loved ones, disrupting businesses, and livelihoods. To limit transmission of the virus, the World Health Organization advised physical distancing whilst staying socially connected—acknowledging the significant mental impact that isolation posed on large segments of society. In an increasingly globalised and technologically advanced modern era, the pandemic has mandated a redefining of what it means to be connected in the twenty-first century.
COVID-19 is a disease of connections
COVID-19 is not only a biomedical disease, it is also a disease of connections. Its symptomatology is no more evident than in the impact of non-pharmaceutical measures of curbing disease transmission—such as social distancing—on physical interactions. Despite being a crucial tool in the battle against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, mask-wearing posed new problems: the increased use of masks has resulted in a reduction in the number of social cues which guide our interactions and has disincentivised communication. For some people, the physical sensation of wearing a mask evokes the feeling of a physical barrier between two people having a conversation. Moreover, those with a hearing impairment who rely on lip-reading and facial expressions may experience difficulties communicating through opaque masks.
“In an increasingly globalised and technologically advanced modern era, the pandemic has mandated a redefining of what it means to be connected in the twenty-first century.”
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Beyond the physical act of communication, social ties and relationships have been tested to their limits during the pandemic. The stress of lockdown and the globally shared trauma of experiencing a pandemic could have catalysed the disunion of some marriages and relationships. In the United Kingdom (UK), divorce-related enquiries to the largest family law firm shot up by a whopping 95% in the wake of the pandemic. In Europe, some countries recorded an increase of up to 60% in reports of women experiencing domestic violence—no doubt exacerbated by the dissolution of support networks that were available to women before the implementation of pandemic restrictions.
Relationships are dynamic and change over time as a function of factors such as physical proximity, frequency of interactions, and phase of life. However, the limitations on social gatherings imposed during the pandemic have disrupted this paradigm, forcing us to create arbitrary ranks and artificial hierarchies amongst our relatives and friends in orders of ‘importance’, thus putting a strain on those unfortunate enough to ‘not make the cut’. These limitations have also stymied opportunities for new connections, making social networks more insular and pruned. The forced transition to either purely virtual or a hybrid model of work has resulted in weakened interpersonal relationships with colleagues. The absence of the work ‘water cooler chats’ which serve to build connections with colleagues has been replaced with only conscious arrangements such as one-on-one meetings and formal feedback sessions. Although often considered ‘weaker’ social ties, connecting with work colleagues and neighbours provides important opportunities to receive diverse opinions and support.
COVID-19 redefined what it means to be connected
To tackle the problem of a rapidly transmissible virus, many countries have adopted contact tracing strategies that aim to identify people at risk of having contracted the virus. Every social interaction has been framed in terms of the additional risk of transmission; losing the bet can mean a minor disruption such as a self-imposed quarantine or even a COVID-19 infection.
Lockdowns and unpredictable changes in pandemic guidelines have forced schools to move the classroom online through platforms like Zoom and Google Meet. Even medical practices have adopted remote technologies through telemedicine to allow patients with chronic conditions or non-acute symptoms to seek medical advice without exposing themselves to unnecessary risk.
“Those who are unvaccinated, whether by choice, lack of access, or for medical reasons, have been marginalised by some of the measures aimed at restoring ‘normality’”
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Although the pandemic has hampered physical interactions, connections were kept alive in the virtual realm. The International Telecommunication Union reported an acceleration of internet uptake during the pandemic, from 54% of the world’s population in 2019 to 63% of the population in 2021.
Many countries have recorded an increase in online and digital activities including social media usage, music and film streaming, messaging, and gaming.
If there had been any resistance to integrating technology into our daily lives, then the pandemic shattered the remaining remnants. For the past two years, face-to-face contact has been substituted for the cold blue glow of monitors, and the background chatter of people talking has been replaced with the ceaseless hum of whirring computer fans. The modern paradigm of connection has been rewritten in the code of 0s and 1s and pulses of light in fibre optic cables.
COVID-19 has exacerbated existing social inequities
While the human and economic costs of the pandemic are well-described, the social costs have been given less attention. Those who are unvaccinated, whether by choice, lack of access, or for medical reasons, have been marginalised by some of the measures aimed at restoring ‘normality’. Existing social inequities may have contributed to the differential acceptance of vaccination, and policies which distinguish between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated could potentially sow the seeds for future social woes.
Our collective leap into the virtual world was, unfortunately, not an equitable one. A significant number of elderly people have experienced issues adopting advanced technology and are vulnerable to being excluded from virtual connections. Furthermore, access to the internet is a privilege that not everyone can afford. The push towards a virtual classroom or office may have exacerbated these existing social inequities.
As the world gradually learns to live with the virus and begins to decide how a post-COVID-19 world should look, it is important that we consider the new parameters of our connections with each other. If we are to indeed dive into the ‘metaverse’, as Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg predicts, access to this new paradigm of connections should be made a common right, not a privilege.