LIFE AFTER CORONA - 4 AREAS

Today I want to write about how I think our daily life will change, also after the present corona virus. Most of us are thinking about that, probably. One thing is certain:  we will see changes. The question is which ones.  I will today suggest 4 areas.  And at the end make 2 concrete proposals.


SHOPPING:  I believe that we more than before will do our shopping on the internet. Most of us have got used to that during the crisis. And many shops, restaurants, etc. have moved in that direction. You can say that now comes the time when we not only use Amazon and other big web shops more – we also give them real competition.  Our supermarkets here in Belgium all offer on-line shopping. In most cases you have to pick up the goods yourself ( in a special part of the supermarket ). The Belgian Post Office started some time ago a service offering to pick up and deliver what you had bought on-line in different shops.  This service did not really take off. Perhaps it will come back.  


You see the same trend when restaurants are concerned. Many more offer home delivery, at least in their neighbourhood. Some of them might even do only that in the future.   Why not!

Unfortunately, there are always shops and restaurants trying to cheat – and not deliver what they promise. The EU Commission has very recently taken the initiative to ensure that the authorities keep an active eye on such fraudelous behaviour. This watch-dog function must be strengthend as the on-line shopping develops.



VIDEO:  People all over the world have during the lock-down got used to “meet” much more than before on the web.  It might be bilateral chats, also with several people at the same time. It might be for a long-distance birthday. It might be for meetings of all sorts. It might be to show each other things – or for asking questions. It might be for singing together. It might be for learning – once or in a project of life-long learning. It might be to make a speech or a presentation, perhaps also by using different technical means. It might be for showing to others your experiences from travels, from nature, etc.  Only your imagination and motivation make the limits.  I believe that all the companies offering those services, normally for free, should improve their services further. And that they in particular ought to improve their communication about them. 


Perhaps I should myself one day soon make an overview of the best services, how to use them, and which service are best for what ??!!


CULTURAL EVENTS:  I am also convinced that most of the many initiatives taken by museums, galleries, orchestras, theatres, music people, etc. during the lock-down will continue also after the crisis.  They make it possible for people everywhere to “visit”  exhibitions, performances and concerts from around the world on the web.  At the moment most of it is for free – as a comfort to us all during the restrictive lock-down. It does not have to continue that way.  These centres and events need income, of course.  And payment via the web is very easy and very safe.  We will in my view see much more of that.  Yes, it costs money. But you save the trip by car, train or air to go there. And furthermore, millions of us will continue to want “the real thing”, to see the exhibition or performance on the spot. The long-term effect of the new situation is that many more people will have easy access to great experiences they never had before. And I also believe that many of those net-clients some day will go to the place to have a good look for themselves.


CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE:  One other thing which people have got used to during the corona crisis is to listen to what the scientists say.  In this case about the dangerous virus and its development.  But I am dead sure that it will automatically also mean that people from now on will want to listen to specialists, who know what they are talking about. Trump and his eternal talk about “fake news” ( which he himself is the most active contributor to ☹  ), the similar non-fact based talk by many other politicians, and the falsifications and wild conspiration theories circulating on the social media will have a much harder time from now on. We are getting used to asking ourselves:  Can this really be true??!!  And then very quickly check it on the web.   And that is how it should be. A habit we all have do keep and develop further!



These are some of my beliefs on what will happen. Not so bad, I think.  As you say:  Nothing is so bad that it is not good for something!  Now we just have to learn how to handle all these new challenges and possibilities in a proper and human way!



In this context I also have TWO CONCRETE SUGGESTIONS:


If all this is going to succeed we have to get the best possible BROADBAND connections. Not just some of us.  All of us ! Everywhere.  And at reasonable prices. Personally, I do not believe the rumours that the Chinese will use the new broadband to control us all in the future, if they deliver some of the hardware.  Perhaps they want to.  But we are too smart to let them get away with it.  And I do not either believe the suspicions that the new 5G broadband is dangerous for our health  ( as claimed by the criminals who at night put fire to the 5G masts in several places ).  Again, I want as a communication man to say that all this to a very large extent is caused by lack of proper and understandable information.  Fear and groundless allegations have an easy access to people, when they do not know or understand the facts. So, let us get REAL and RELIABLE communication on the table – right now !


My second concrete suggestion is that we have to promote INNOVATION much more in the future. With public and private funding. We need new, creative and operational ideas and suggestions on how best to use and exploit the new challenges and possibilities.  Also how we may develop OUR SOCIAL LIFE.  How to be together about things – or without things.  Now we will probably GET MORE TIME, when we reduce the time we use to go shopping, the time we spend waiting in traffic jams or when we travel less. And saving time by working or learning from home part of the time.   Creative innovators will certainly have many very useful suggestions.


And we should also focus more on how to learn from what people do in other countries.  We are, of course, all clever and smart.  And there might be people elsewhere, who are even smarter. We should learn from them. And give them some of our own good ideas and experiences.  That is how communities are, when they are best. Especially when they are actively used.