DISCLAIMER:

This is a controversial contribution embedded in an already atypical platform.

This text only reflects one point of view that exists within a kaleidoscope of potential scenarios that are subject to continuous change dependent on each individual observer peering through the lens of the present.

The term 'kaleidoscope' is a derivative of ancient Greek to describe the act of contemplating beautiful forms. Although we cannot deny the collective allure of the future, idiosyncrasies of the ideal tomorrow exist at the individual level. Ultimately, each and every one of us views the world differently, and that is our greatest strength.

Therefore, I recommend that the reader remind themselves at this moment, that this chapter is just one among many various eclectic accounts. This text is a work of fiction -like most social constructs. Any resemblance to future scenarios or actual events that may occur is a product of your imagination and entirely uncanny.

GLITCH IN 'REALITY':

Living in a state of epistemic impossibility, cities in 2020 had somehow transformed into the impossible; massive perpetual motion machines. The notion of perpetual motion, the motion of bodies that continues indefinitely without an energy source, had somehow transitioned from the hypothetical into reality. The collective mindset that we could create such a society ingrained the illusion that the gears of civilization would only continue to accelerate. As a result, we had formed our own modern version of 'utopias,' the literal translation of the word meaning 'non-existent'.

Shortly after the 20th anniversary of y2k or the "millennium bug,"; our futile experiment to embed ourselves and infinitely operate as parts of machinery to sustain this paradoxical type of paradise came to an explosive end. A glitch had occurred, causing the gears of society to come to an abrupt halt. The emergence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 parallels the origin of the term for computer viruses; "bugs" refer to the early days of computing when a moth would become stuck in the circuitry causing it to cease function.

As we as a society shift from absolute stasis, the following describes what COULD be:

POSSIBILITIES GOING FORWARD:

1. A SHIFT IN DIALOGUE:

In just one week (04/03-04/10), the google search query for "when will life go back to normal?" increased 200%.

However, this outcry for the conventional will not be met. As cracks form in the manufactured illusion, we call the present, what we had previously perceived in the past as "reality" will come into question moving forward. As the realization spreads as we clash with the current, the impossible goal of "establishing a new normal" will cease as we begin to raise more questions than solutions. Hence, reality itself will become more subjective.

2. THE END OF DIGITAL DYSTOPIA:

As we enter the renaissance era of the information age, COVID-19 will enable us to contemplate the past, present, and potential impact of technological progress on the human experience, including death and disease. During this time of equally entwined global and technological turbulence, we will transition from what has been deemed the age of apathy into a culture that achieves the original intent of the internet; universal connectivity. While immersing ourselves in the digital age to disconnect had become common, the internet has already begun to transform into an environment of unity.

3. KNOW THY ENEMY:

COVID-19 is the first time in my lifetime that individuals have been encouraged to engage in self-imposed isolation. Individuals who had never been isolated will be forced to face themselves and question their identity along with what they previously thought of as reality. As we see the effects of de-accelerating the treadmills of production and consumption at the population level, a smog-free Los Angeles, where the night skies have become visible for the first time, more of the population will be able to recognize the human impact on ecology. As we work toward combating the common objective of COVID-19, perhaps ecological degradation will rise to the top of our collective agenda as we see the influence of conscious di-acceleration.

4. GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH CHAOS:

Ultimately, the impulse to "return to normal" will dissipate as we realize as a collective that the past began a second ago and that the possibility of time travel as a population at this time is not possible. We will have the comfort of knowing more about the novel coronavirus and how to fight it, as a result of the renewed emphasis on the field of public health. As health professionals continue to combat COVID-19, we will move forward into new and never before explored frontiers in pursuit of a healthy population.

FACTS GOING FORWARD:

Foresight and facts will diverge; from this point on, we as a population are in a classic "choose your own adventure" scenario. We don't know what societal structures will look like, but we must go into the unknown together.

What an ending to have started with a virus with the same name as a famous brand of beer.

As usual, deadly things become humorous in retrospect.

Albeit it won't be a utopia - it will at least be real: