0245C: Societal Adaptation or Mutation?

Dinner for Two


Metro Manila Community Quarantine - Day 80

Most organisms live by the principles of natural selection given the many dangers of the world. The strong survive to continue thriving while the weak eventually die out and disappear into history. It's one of the more basic lessons of evolution - adapt or perish.

We're nearly three months into this quarantine, and it hasn't been easy. Many people have been struggling to secure basic necessities because they've been without income or employment for most of this period. Many businesses in "non-essential" industries face an uncertain future and we've already heard of massive layoffs by notable companies trying to stay afloat despite months without operations. 

In order to adapt to these unusual times, we've seen a massive shift to e-commerce as this was the only way to generate income. Under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) rules, you can't exactly just go "malling", which is pretty much a national pastime. So now brands have had to find new ways to reach out to their customer base versus third-party sellers using the likes of Carousell or even Facebook to sell their goods instead. Drinking establishments have tried to focus on their actual menu of food items to get into the delivery game just to make ends meet. 

The past few months have been a time for forced ingenuity and even accelerated innovation for both individuals and corporations. The only entities that don't seem to have radically changed are our government institutions, but that's the nature of bureaucracy. 

What will the world look like beyond quarantine? Will we suddenly find ourselves in a country with a better appreciation for digital transactions, electronic payments, and minimal contact? Will we ever feel safe in events that involve close contact with large crowds like concerts and conventions? It's not just businesses that will change but even our habits as people, how we approach others, and other things. Especially with the possibility of a realistic cure for this disease being so far away.

What will the world be like in the next three months? Will we even recognize who we are in a year?

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