Art, obsession, and identity
In the new world of social distancing, sharing utensils to grab food which various people pass in a queue won't really fly. À la carte or individually packaged meals, along with properly spaced out dining rooms, have already become the norm.
Beloved free samples are indefinitely paused, leaving no alternative except to actually buy something and then figure out if you like it.
The germs on physical money have long been a cause for concern, but now there’s a real risk to passing it around.
Businesses will have to rethink public touch screens—in fast food restaurants, ATMS, airline kiosks, etc.—as more customers see these surfaces as an infection risk, no matter how regularly they’re cleaned.
Most shops are integrating the contactless tap function on credit and debit cards. There are also services like Apple Pay wherein you can pay using your phone.
An alternative has already started gaining ground: smartphones. You can check in for flights, order food, and manage your funds from your personal device.
Potential non-contact replacements include waving, a small bow (already common in some parts of the world), a hand-over-heart gesture, and an elbow bump.
Most of us spent a lot of time as kids working on our signatures, but with social distancing the already-declining “wet” signature—putting pen to paper—may become obsolete.
Many jobs like fast food workers have been under threat of automation for a while, but the virus may speed up the process.
The environmental and ethical effects of cruises had already started to tarnish the ships’ reputation, but with the stories of entire vessels quarantined and cut off from the world, confined to their windowless cabins, it’s certainly not the trip you want to take anytime soon.
Digital signatures have already started being incorporated into documents, though there was some pushback from those who didn’t trust it. Now, however, many businesses and banks will have no choice but to accept an eSignature.
Instead, traveling post-pandemic will probably look a lot more local, perhaps relying on road trips or something with less involvement of large numbers of people in confined spaces.
Health experts say handshakes, and similarly high fives, might not come back. Dr. Anthony Fauci told The Wall Street Journal in April, “I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you.”
Whether it’s a pen, a book, or a tissue, these small things we never thought twice about in the past are now potentially threatening to our health. Along with masks and antibacterial gel, we’re going to be much more prepared when we leave the house.
As many people have had to move their lives and errands online, an even greater focus from companies will be trained on tracking, logging, and analyzing consumer/user data. It’s all in those long terms and conditions pages we didn't read.
Though people are worried about the virus traveling on reusable bags, and some US cities have temporarily banned them, it’s important to note that the science around the issue is contentious. Instead of resorting to single-use plastic, opt for washable reusable bags.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but it hits hardest when your meal arrives and you need ketchup. Instead, individual portions of sauces are often made available on request, but it might be better to bring your own.
Tourism’s biggest problem was the fact that there was too much of it, but that stopped being an issue when the World Health Organization declared the pandemic. It may not become an issue again for years.
Fewer people will have the funds to travel as well, after the financial hit of the pandemic, and many others will be paranoid about traveling. To combat under-tourism, cities like Lisbon in Portugal are integrating strategies to draw locals back into the city, making it more livable, and giving it a steadier economy.
Working from home has shown to be much more widely accessible than many companies believed, but for those who need to return to the office, they can expect greater distances between employees, plastic shields, and no sharing of supplies.
Employers are hypersensitive about the potential for liability if people get sick at work, so open-floor offices where workers sit close to one another may not return even after restrictions end.
With social distancing in place, long crowded lines are no longer an option, especially since lines with few people can already snake around the block. For things like product releases, queues have already been made virtual.
Experts have said that water fountains aren't safe to use, as they put many people's noses and mouths over the same surface.
See also: What staying in a hotel will look like post-pandemic
Concerns over the enclosed, popular spaces have driven people away from malls, leading to huge drops in their revenue. Some have had no choice but to close. The rise of online shopping was already taking over, but now it’s really holding the monopoly.
Even after travel restrictions are lifted, some say traveling for business may never be the same, particularly as the much cheaper videoconferencing company Zoom has taken charge, already reaching 300 million daily meeting participants in April.
Huge numbers of people pressing against the stage is not an enticing prospect right now. Instead, there are drive-in concerts popping up where people stay in their cars, as well as online shows. When concerts return, they'll likely be very spaced out and masks may be required.
The rise of online streaming has already hit theaters hard, but pandemic-related closures have companies worried that they may not survive. To make matters worse, many film releases have been delayed by entertainment companies.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections function like tracking devices on your cellphones as well, which is being used for contact tracing, but also makes the idea of being a complete reclusive mystery a thing of the past.
We all know the world has been changing at an exponential rate, but the introduction of the pandemic has put that change into overdrive. Our communities and daily lives already look so different, but while many people are just waiting to "go back to normal," they might be missing the fact that "normal" no longer exists.
This moment in time happens to be the intersection of pandemic, mass globalization, and innovative technological advances, all coming together to radically disrupt the simple things we took for granted for so many years.
Things that may become obsolete post-pandemic
Disrupting the simple things we took for granted
LIFESTYLE Coronavirus
We all know the world has been changing at an exponential rate, but the introduction of the pandemic has put that change into overdrive. Our communities and daily lives already look so different, but while many people are just waiting to "go back to normal," they might be missing the fact that "normal" no longer exists.
This moment in time happens to be the intersection of pandemic, mass globalization, and innovative technological advances, all coming together to radically disrupt the simple things we took for granted for so many years.
Curious about what we might be leaving behind for good? Want a glimpse at what the world might look like instead? Click through to find out.