This is the Future I Want for America After COVID-19

COVID-19 showed America just how messed up our country really is these days.

We learned just how empty our lives were without our entertainment, work, and distractions. We learned how lonely we could get when we’re deprived of the simple joy of seeing those we know.

We also learned more about our government. We watched administration at nearly every level of government bungle the prevention and management of the pandemic. When some of our neighbors refused to social distance or wear masks, we learned how far they were willing to go to protect others.

We need a change.

I’d like one, at least. COVID-19 allowed me to think about exactly what kind of change I would like to see. Thanks to COVID-19, I know I want to see a future where…

…people trust the government and news media more.

A big part of the reason why mask-wearing faces opposition in the US is because many people don’t trust the government or media. When the CDC changed recommendations, they didn’t consider it a part of the CDC’s learning process. They considered it evidence that the CDC didn’t know what they were doing (or worse, evidence the CDC was lying about).

Part of the reason the media is untrustworthy, at least, is because they have a history of badly misconstruing the news to serve business purposes. These distortions are sometimes so severe we as viewers don’t know what to believe. We begin to suspect every news story has a hidden agenda and distrust all of them.

There’s also a recent history in American politics of being very suspicious of the government. We Americans have always been suspicious of government to some extent, but it’s become more profound in recent decades. I’m not sure why this is occurring but figuring out why could be key to restoring trust with the American people.

…people are more concerned about the weakest among them.

During the pandemic, many young people have had the cavalier attitude “Well, I will probably be fine if I get sick, so I don’t need to be so careful.” But we don’t need to be careful only for ourselves. We also need to be careful not to spread asymptomatic and presymptomatic infections to others around us because the more of us do this, the more vulnerable people become sick and do die.

Also, right alongside the pandemic, we have seen a massive civil rights movement by American black people to regain rights. Part of this was prompted by the pandemic, resulting in a higher proportion of deaths to the black population than the white population. This is obviously the result of civil inequity.

I would like to see people exercise more concern in their personal for the weakest among them by seeing the strong put forward more of an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic. I would also like to see more concern at the local, state, and federal levels in tighter restrictions and guidelines on the pandemic procedures.

…healthy activities are more popular.

Even before COVID, I loved visiting my local park. My friends and I would pack up our hammocks and slacklines and set them up in the park for a day in the sun.

Imagine my surprise when my local park was suddenly packed with people.

Before COVID, it wasn't easy to find people who would enjoy the outdoors or physical activity with me. People are usually quite happy to spend their day sitting on their butt watching YouTube or Netflix or spend it wandering around the shops practicing retail therapy.

But during COVID, everyone’s boredom drove them to take up healthy activities like running in the park, exercising at home, cooking their own food, and even baking their own bread. Retail therapy seemed, briefly, a thing of the past.

Since lockdown loosened, though, I don’t see people in the park anymore. Everyone traded in their new healthy habits for their old sedentary ones. Takeout delivery services and online shopping portals are making more money than ever.

I would like to see a future where people enjoy healthy activities more.

In cities like Denver and San Francisco, we see cultures that prioritize good health. They frequently enjoy physical activity for fun and place emphasis on healthy and locally sourced food. As a result, their citizens are happier and healthier. I would love to see the US at large develop this kind of healthy culture.

…wealth is distributed more equitably.

The pandemic's effect on the lives of Americans has been dramatically different for each income bracket.

Poor people have lost their jobs, deferred their bills, filed for bankruptcy, and ended up homeless. Their lives have been ruined.

Rich people have been… working from home more. Ordering food to their house instead of eating out. Learning to do calisthenics at home instead of at the local gym. Their lives haven’t changed much at all.

This is a direct result of the insane wealth inequality in America.

Capitalism is great at producing wealth. I love capitalism for that. But capitalism (or cronyism, or corporatism, or consumerism, or whatever you want to call it) has been terrible at distributing wealth in America. The richest Americans have servants waiting on them hand and foot while the poor starve in the streets.

We tell ourselves, “that’s just how the world is” to comfort ourselves, but that doesn’t have to be the way the world is. In America, we have more than enough money to give everyone a basic income that ensures a simple and dignified life while still allowing the ultra-wealthy to own private jets and housekeeping staff. It would transform the lives of hundreds of millions of Americans and impact billionaires' lifestyle very little. (Hell, if we could cut the waste out of the congressional budget, it could not impact them at all).

To be honest, I think there’s very little the average American individual can do to create that future. All we can do is make sure to wear our masks, social distance, be generous with those who have less than us, take care of our own bodies, and publicly support causes that would improve the lives of the oppressed. The people with the power to really make a difference are wealthy people and people who work high up in the government.

What regular people like us can do is stand strong together. When public opinion sways strong enough in one direction or another in the US, our federal government almost always follows our popular demand (with a five or ten-year delay, of course).

Stand strong today, and we could see the change we’re looking for in our lifetimes.

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