How do people find meaning in times of great upheaval?
Well, everyone’s different. Some people break down, overwhelmed with fear and the chaotic disruption. Big-hearted others do whatever they can to help those in need. Creative ones sing balcony songs and invent new podcasts etc... I saw a comedian on TV say that everyone should come out of this COVID crisis with one new specific skill, and I thought that was a very healthy response.
Historically, of course, there are darker versions of the pursuit of “meaning” amidst crisis, such as trying to lay paranoid, bitter blame where none is appropriate, lashing out at others, or fighting over resources.
In every major upheaval—from pandemics to famines to wars—we’ve seen such a mixture of positive and negative attempts at creating meaning. Ultimately, it’s an attempt to make sense of cause-and-effect, to try to regain some control, and to reorient ourselves with purpose. History tells us to expect both kinds in the current crisis; at our best, it could lead to enhanced solidarity and community-building, both nationally and internationally.
Will the pandemic change our societies, and how?
It will, and has. The degree of change will depend on how long it lasts, how many people die, and the expenditures needed to deal with the fall-out. Plus, whether governmental response around the world is seen as effective: the legitimacy of some governments may come into doubt, leading to angry political change.
Perhaps the most obvious concrete change is, and will be, the ever-widening and ever-deepening of advanced technology in our lives, as we’ve all had to rely on it so much during this crisis. AI, Big Tech, social media, online everything; the magnification of all such things.
Should people be asking themselves the big questions right now?
I think people can be forgiven for not thinking about big questions regarding life and meaning. Consider, right now, asking an exhausted front-line health-care worker about whether they are thinking enough about the meaning of life! For many, it’s a “working-through” situation where you just keep your head down, try to keep juggling all the balls in the air, and hope for a decent outcome.
Yet for those with the time and inclination, it’s hard not to ponder the quality and meaning of one’s closest relationships, one’s goals in life moving forward, and the bittersweet blend between, on the one hand, moments of real connection, joy, support, and resiliency and, on the other, experiences of loss, randomness, anxiety, and tragedy.
The University of Waterloo has a number of experts available for comment on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, click here to see the up-to-date list.
