21 Mar Social Distancing
By now everybody must have heard the term “social distancing” and for sure know what the meaning is these days.
I want to throw this opinion out as food for thought.
Social as an adjective is relating to society and its organization. I believe that what we need to exercise is “physical distancing” and “social association”.
What is my reasoning for this point of view?
The main aim is to flatten the curve and to prevent a further snowballed increase of infections in our societies. We achieve this by keeping a physical distance from other people to prevent an infection from people who contracted Covid-19. A challenge to our societies as presented to us with this pandemic requires us to socially move closer together and support ourselves. We have to overcome social divides and support each other. We instinctively do this by checking in on loved ones and friends, by making use of modern tools like social media, direct messaging and mail. We do that now more often as previously because we care. This is the right thing to do, to help the ones in need and support those who have a difficult time coping with this situation. We comfort those who are afraid, support those in need, and try to guide the ones who still did not get it.
I would argue, that all the people who still go and party, fill up bars or meet to celebrate whatever, practice social distancing. They distance themselves from our society. They display anti-social behavior as they endanger our fragile health care system and contribute to the proliferation of the virus.
Let’s move closer together socially while moving apart physically. Whether you like Facebook or not, it is interesting and promising that they register a steep increase in usage as people realize that this is a way to keep social contacts in the absence of opportunities to mingle. Use Facetime or Skype to hold virtual gatherings and have a drink and a conversation, that is a social association as I see it and as I advocate for. A society can weather a crisis like this if everybody pulls in the same direction.
Practice social association and religiously keep a physical distance.
Stay safe and we all make it through and come out smarter and wiser on the other end.
#socialdistancing; #society; socialmedia; #staysafe; #strongtogether; #society