CORONAVIRUS, THE RISKS OF SOCIAL ALIENATION
BY NOW, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A DIVIDE AMONG YOUR FRIENDS.
AS SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SELF-IMPOSED QUARANTINE WEAR ON AND MORE WORKPLACES URGE EMPLOYEES TO AVOID THE OFFICE, THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK HAS LEFT MANY PEOPLE MORE ALONE THAN THEY’VE BEEN IN A LONG TIME, OR EVER. SOME ARE RESPONDING BY HUNKERING DOWN INTO COZY DOMESTICITY: BAKING BREAD, READING BOOKS, TAKING LONG BATHS. OTHERS HAVE BEGUN TO FRAY: FACETIMING WITH FRIENDS IS A NECESSITY, NOT A LUXURY; THE CLOSURE OF A FAVORITE COFFEE SHOP IS CAUSE FOR TEARS; THE WALLS SEEM TO BE CLOSING IN. BE KIND TO YOUR LOCAL EXTROVERTS. THEY’RE HAVING A HARD TIME.