New Normal or Abnormal?

Ever since the outbreak of COVID, there are a few terms that we hear, which are quite new, such as - lock down, social distancing, home quarantine, pandemic etc. One such new term is “It is the NEW NORMAL”. But somehow, I am not able to come to terms with this new term. Let me explain why?

When we say something is a new normal, it means we will not go back to the old. Not going back to something we did before, should be for the right reasons. For example, we don’t want to go back to a world, where people died of disease or starvation; or to a world, where humans were treated like slaves and had no right of expression. But, what is happening now is not a transition through human effort, but something we are forced to deal with due to an external threat.

It is a war like situation, where we need to stay safe and at the same time face the challenge of the corona virus. So, like a war soldier who protects himself and goes to the war, we too need to take all the precautions and keep doing the things we need to do. But we cannot stay in a war for ever. There are wars that have lasted for so many years, but ultimately it came to an end and people started to live a normal life. Till then panic and uncertainty existed, but that did not make their life a new normal. People survived through the period, to live the life they have always lived.

There have been many disruptive changes that have happened over the years. There have been changes in business, technology, and lifestyle. We are evolving continuously, but we don't call it a new normal every time.

This COVID lockdown has brought about a lot of changes too. One significant change is the emergence of online model, in every regular activity we do, such as online meetings, online courses, online tutoring. Though these technologies existed even prior to COVID, the situation now has compelled people to move in that direction. Thanks to internet. So many things are possible online.

However, on the downside we are losing out on some of the most humanistic need of social connection. Man is a social animal and we have an innate need to physically connect with people. There are a number of things, that cannot be replaced by keeping things virtual. For example, a student cannot study all through his life in a virtual classroom atmosphere. A school is not just a place to study, but a place to interact, play and have meaningful fun. Online shopping is a convenience, but it has not fully replaced the traditional shopping model. Similarly, though there are so many online options available today, it cannot equate to real life experiences. So, just because a technology is available, it cannot be a replacement of the existing model. It can only be a stop gap arrangement, as long as we tide over the situation.

The same applies for so many other things, that we do on a regular basis, such as travelling, spending meaningful and interactive time with friends and relatives, visiting a place of worship, dining out, having live entertainment.

There are a few things, we cannot accept to be the new normal. So, I feel it is not a good idea to dismiss the situation as the new normal, but rather keep striving for a solution, with a hope that things get back to normal soon. Over the centuries, we have listened to so many, “Doomsayers prophecy” which has never come true. The human race has gone through various life threats, in form of natural calamities, wide spread viral diseases, famines etc and at the end emerged victorious. It is this belief that has helped us get going through all the tough times. We may or may not find a cure or a vaccine for the virus soon, but we shouldn’t lose hope in human effort.

Let stay positive amidst the crisis. Let's not succumb to accept everything that happens now as a new normal, but work towards changing things which are abnormal.

 D. Senthil Kannan,

  Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

  Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

  Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com