Do you ever think that life will never be quite the same, not in a doom and gloom way, just different?

[IdratherbeinCornwall]

It's difficult to put quite into words what is more of a feeling.

Something feels that things will never quite be how they were, not because we will ne ever get back to normal, but because the pandemic has perhaps changed your outlook.

For example dh and I have been having the same takeaway from the same place for years. The place closed during lockdown, and when they reopened it just wasn't the same. We'd got so used to not having it.

Walking, I've always liked walking but I've found a real joy in walking in my local park, obviously because there isn't much else to do. But I've really grown to love and appreciate it more than ever.

Some other things like just browsing round Asda on my day off, I've got a newfound appreciation for this small pleasure.

It's like things that I enjoyed before I don't think I want to go back to but things I took for granted feel so great now.

[ohthegoats]

Traffic pretty much back to normal.

twitter.com/lkssmth/status/1274377161118531586?s=19

[Deblou43]

Will go back just more unemployment which upsets me and more mental health but I hope people are kinder etc but l think people will forget this time next year

[helpfulperson]

You are right, it wont ever be the same. It will be different, but because we will get used to it gradually it won't feel that odd.

All major events change things. Wars, 9/11, Ireland, cold war, ISIS etc. These have all changed how we lived our daily live, and we adapt. The changes are so gradual we barely notice and it's only when we look back we see the changes.

Look at how different air travel is now compared to 2000. Liquids in a bag? But we are so used to it we don't really notice.

[IcedPurple]

There's almost certainly going to be a lot of economic damage which will likely last a few years, but other than that, I'm not convinced we're going to see major societal changes. That of course will depend on how long the pandemic lasts. If, as many expect, a vaccine is available quite soon then within a year or so we may look back on these days as some sort of bizarre memory.

[EmmelineGreen]

WW2: Eroded the class system. Women went into munitions rather than into service. Women took on traditional male jobs.

That happened during the war, but then afterwards women were pushed into the home. So in the middle of things it can be hard to see what the long term trends will be.

[Shanghaisue]

I think once the shops, cafes and restaurants etc are fully open life will be back to normal for most non vulnerable people. This episode will quickly be forgotten (unless personally affected) and relatively affluent people in stable secure jobs will spend and spend. Alot of people I know/work with like nothing more than a day at the trafford centre or in manchester, shopping, drinking etc It's what they do.
Since lockdown with everywhere shut it explains why my local area (beauty spot) has been jam packed, litter everywhere, inconsiderate parking, people gawping into your front room 7 days a week rather than weekends - so in that respect I'm looking forward to business returning to usual !
On the other hand if the economy is truly trashed with widespread unemployment etc and then a no deal brexit to follow, there's going to be alot of serious social unrest, austerity the first time round hit our area badly, I don't think any more cost cutting to public services is really possible. Town centre already has one of the highest numbers of empty shops in the country. It couldn't get any worse !

[Ellmau]

For a period.

But people soon forgot the 1918-19 pandemic, which killed far more people.

[FluffyKittensinabasket]

Until WWIII with China. Nuclear fallout is a lot worse than coronavirus.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

I want my old life back the way it was. I rebuilt it off the back of a traumatic event which left me with PTSD and it was exactly the way I wanted it. On a personal level I can't see anything beneficial about the way we are currently living. Dh needs to work in an office (him wfh is driving me up the wall), the kids need their friends/activities and I need to keep busy 100 percent of the time. This calmer pace of life doesn't work for us but luckily our favourite takeout is still delicious.

[RomaineCalm]

@helpfulperson I agree. Whilst clearing some cupboards I found my old vanity case that I used to travel with, it was hard explaining to DC that people used to go on planes carrying large plastic boxes packed full of hair and beauty products as well as a handbag and 'flight bag'.

I believe things will eventually go back to something close to pre-Covid normal.

I would love to think that the future will include less non-essential foreign and business travel, more spending time in the UK, a desire to support local businesses, increased exercise and spending time outdoors, more home cooking/baking, more flexible working, an appreciation of friends and family and neighbours, and a more simple lifestyle with less 'stuff' but I don't think that will be the case.

[Lardlizard]

I think it will always be a bit different now

[Cattenberg]

People say that Covid is here to stay, but I don’t really understand this. I mean, we don’t still worry about Spanish flu, swine flu, SARS or MERS.

I have loved the quieter roads during lockdown. I can have a walk in relative peace. Normally, there are far, far too many bloody cars.

I pretty much stopped spending money on non-essentials and it felt good. I don’t want to go back to my bad old ways, wandering around town buying random stuff and having restaurant meals and takeaways regularly. I don’t need any of this. And I don’t have space for stuff I don’t need.

[LaurieFairyCake]

The predictions are really dire. Catastrophic depression. Which is bound to be different than 1920's/30's as we have a welfare state.

But if 15% of shops/bars/restaurants/businesses shut and there's 5 million unemployed (the worst number since the 1930's) - then God help us all

[Nicedayforawedding]

I think there will have to be a vaccine to enable people to go back to normality. Until then it will be different, I hate the phrase ‘new normal’ because there’s nothing normal about it. The longer this goes on the harder I’m finding it.

[MereDintofPandiculation]

We can get through it but things were not ‘the same’ after WW2 We completely revamped out health system and our education system. Whether we will do anything comparable after Covid I don't know.

[RufustheRowlingReindeer]

@EmmelineGreen

We can get through it but things were not ‘the same’ after WW2. Any big societal upheaval will result in changes in attitudes and behaviour but it’s probably quite hard to predict at the moment what they will be.

Yes to this

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Yes, after the war women did return to the domestic role.

But it loosened the shackles of the class system and the formality of society. And the starting point was the slight erosion of the class system and the less formal society.

Teens were wearing jeans about 10 years after the war ( I teach this!). They were starting to have their own disposable income and not dress like parents. This was part of the loosening of society.

Change didn’t happen straight away, WW2 was the catalyst.

[IcedPurple]

Are people really comparing one of the most devastating wars in human histories to a virus which may already have reached its peak after just a few months?

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Yes, because it has had massive ramifications. If you read the post properly, l said this has made us change our habits and processes in a way unknown since WW2. So we are in a new landscape.

It isn’t about either war, they were used as an analogy. But the virus HAS changed how we operate.

[IcedPurple]

Yes, because it has had massive ramifications

Has it?

Surely it's way too soon to tell?

l said this has made us change our habits and processes in a way unknown since WW2. So we are in a new landscape.

I'm not even sure if I agree with your sweeping statement but yes, Covid has changed the way we live our lives ... for now. But whether it's going to signficantly change our lifestyles in the long or even medium term is an entirely different question, and one which will be impossible to answer for several years. It's entirely possible that this whole episode will be looked back as a mere blip in history. Whereas WWll changed the world profoundly.

[FizzFan]

I had hoped there might be some benefit to the environment, with less travel/pollution. Sadly I suspect any improvement here might be negated by what seems to be a ridiculous increase in use of chemicals and things like wipes brought about by people wiping down shopping and so on.!

[FizzFan]

Otherwise I hope we do go back to normal. A lot of businesses were embracing agile working before CV and maybe this will increase. Otherwise this is generally shite, I liked my life before and don’t like this one.

[Drivingdownthe101]

@FizzFan

I had hoped there might be some benefit to the environment, with less travel/pollution. Sadly I suspect any improvement here might be negated by what seems to be a ridiculous increase in use of chemicals and things like wipes brought about by people wiping down shopping and so on.!

Yes, and the use of single use plastic has jumped right back up because people think anything reusable is contaminated with Covid.

[Drivingdownthe101]

And no one should be ashamed of wanting to go back to ‘normal’. Many people have worked hard to get to a place where they are happy with their lives (and I don’t mean in a financial sense, I mean figuring out what makes them happy and making changes to achieve it). Many people have said that they’ve realised that they were rushing around too much, didn’t take the time to appreciate the small stuff etc. That’s great, it’s a good thing that people have seen a chance to make positive changes. Some people realised that without lockdown though.
Equally, if people want to go back to going out to the office to work, eating out, shopping, going to gigs... also fine. The point of lockdown was to enable people to go back to their normal lives once the virus has been contained.

[FizzFan]

Yes, and the use of single use plastic has jumped right back up because people think anything reusable is contaminated with Covid.

Yep. So depressing. Being encouraged by schools etc too who want kids to bring lunch in in disposable bags and containers instead of reusable ones.