And, just like that we are at the end of probably ‘a once in a lifetime lockdown event’! Usually, when we go through experiences like these that are unusual, enforced and prolonged, a change at the end of it is inevitable. My conversations with almost everybody regarding this lockdown had a common thread – a new perspective about life.
Most of us who are reading this article grew up in an era when we switched from Doordarshan to cable TV , from 5 channels to 1000 channels and now on demand Netflix. And from a colony TV to TVs in every room. We worked in order to be able to afford the next ‘IN’ thing, be it owning a house or the latest iphone. Growth meant more of everything. Ask a runner like me; I hoarded 6 pairs of running shoes of which 4 are Nike Zooms.
Then the Internet network emerged and the hoarding extended to relationships too. Facebook, Instagram added to the bonhomie in our lives, connecting us to interesting people. We travelled and the list of friends grew, we networked and somewhere lost track of the number of people on the friend list. The circle got bigger, a multi-level network of people, some of whom you met regularly as a part of for work, sport or leisure.
We were all riding a non-sustainable model of scalable consumption and relationships.
Few of my friends rearranged their wardrobe this lockdown, and they discovered that they have way too many things than needed. Our conversations leaned towards ‘how little we need to be able to live comfortably’ and rightly so. Some of us stared at the non- essential splurges we made over the years with occasional bursts of ‘wish I hadn’t indulged as much’. Except that, I may still hoard Nike Zooms, that’s essentials, not indulgence :)
I would be surprised if anyone says that the lockdown has not affected or brought about a change in their behaviours, relationships and their perspective on what adds value to their life. We now give more importance to time and money invested. We certainly are decisive about the time spent with people. I am not sure if we noticed that we did subconsciously also develop a value matrix of our friends and relationships too.
Think about it, that large circle we built over social media, work and other activities over the years had a rejig. Regular friends and acquaintances in the circle that met quite frequently as a part of an activity, now with that activity itself being on hold, how many of them have you been in touch with? You may have chosen a few, haven’t you?
According to researchers, the human limit for network of relationships is apparently 132. To have a social circle of 132 people, each person would only have to have a link with just five people. Well, that number might sound almost rude in 2020, but the concept of minimalism applied to relationships might just allow us the depth and value in relationships needed to surge ahead in an ‘unknown’ . We have always been told quality over quantity, maybe it is time we consciously disengage a few from the list that we hoarded over the last decade. A policy of Let go and Let’s go will govern us as we navigate our new world. Human Reality works on smaller number moving together towards a common good and not necessarily common goal. Soak in the minimalism of our actual social network than the digital one.
While making a list of Let’s Go, add all your essentials, your indulgences that keep you sane, your quirky things. Pretty much the same method you will add to relationships. Let Go of the other things in life. Things, relationships, and behaviours - anything that does not add value to your life makes it to the list.
Time is finite, so are the Resources! As lockdown ends, we move into a post lockdown era not a post COVID one where ‘unknown’ will be a constant companion. The virus and its antics are still largely unknown, who amongst us is immune and who isn’t, if the world ever know joy, adventure, human touch as it did before all of it and more is unknown.
I believe that Conscious Consumption and Conscious Relationships will define our way forward.
It is your time to choose; Choose well. Build a better normal.
*PS: This will be my last blog from the "Human Realities in a Lockdown" series. Even if we have a second wave or more intermittent lock downs, the next chain of thoughts and blogs will be on how we collectively are living in the new normal.
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