No More Normal

The Covid pandemic has been long and exhausting for all of us. Like everybody else, I want to reach the other side of this horrible experience and move forward with life. Sadly, so many people are looking in the wrong direction. I can’t count how many times I have heard somebody wish for things to return to normal. Every time that word is put out in the world without being challenged, we lose. I don’t care if it is a random person online or the president of the United States of America; a return to normal is not the answer. I understand that most people do not really think about the implications when they wish for a return to normal. I know they are thinking about going shopping, eating at restaurants, or enjoying any number of school events with their children and not any larger socio-economic structures. It is only natural to think of those things which have the most direct impact on our daily lives. Still, it is that attitude and approach to life that scares me when people talk about returning to normal.

While some might ask what is wrong with normal, I want to know why people would like to return to our former normal. Yes, familiarity is always a nice feeling. There is a lot to be said for knowing what to expect in a daily routine. In those cases, normal isn’t so bad. My issue is that people are so eager to willfully ignore that our previous normal was not something to strive for or desire in life. Covid is a horrible disease that has taken far too many lives. What it did not do is destroy our economy or lead to any of the multitudes of problems we are facing. It did, however, expose and expedite the path we were already taking.

It is easy to blame Covid for all of the bad things going on; it makes an easy target. We agree it is a bad thing, and significant holes in our economy, healthcare systems, educational systems, and government came to light with the pandemic's onset. This does not equal causation. Covid simply served as a catalyst to push us quickly down the chosen path. We were already flirting with disaster in many areas of life in the United States, but most people were able to ignore the warning signs because it was what they knew. It was normal.

During the past year, the medical community has received very well-deserved praise for its heroic efforts. As time has passed, more attention has been brought to the lack of staff at many facilities. This was not caused by Covid. Hospitals and other medical offices have been maintaining staff levels at near bare minimum levels as a means of cost control to increase profits. Most people had no reason to notice this unless they had spent time in a hospital, worked at one, or knew somebody in the profession. Enter Covid, and this practice is exposed for its inability to handle large scale emergencies with optimum efficiency. It is great that so many people praise all of the doctors, nurses, and various staff members who have done such excellent work in trying conditions. Still, when we say we want to go back to normal, that means a practice of demeaning and undervaluing those very same heroes. They deserve better than normal.

Millions of people have lost their jobs. Businesses have closed. Savings accounts have been drained. Rent goes unpaid. Credit card limits are being surpassed from interest and late fees as people are unable to pay. Again, Covid is not the sole villain causing these problems. All it did was show the US economy has been dangling by a fraying thread for many years. Some understood the magic show performed by using the stock markets and corporate profits as smoke and mirrors to hide the reality of a rigged system. All it took was a bump in the road for many to experience the world in the same manner far too many people knew as normal already. A medical emergency, a car repair, or any other unexpected expenditures already served as a devastating blow to the economic stability of the majority of Americans. Luckily, many of them did not experience such situations. Sadly, that allowed them to continue their enjoyment of the economic magic show without understanding just how close they were to the edge of a financial crisis. Eventually, most of us were going to follow the path over that edge; Covid simply hurried us along. Yet, while we experience this hardship together, the wealthy have managed to increase their monetary worth by leaps and bounds. This is not a fluke or any expert planning on their part. No, this is the destination of the normal path we were already following. Wishing to return to that normal is every bit as immoral as those who denied the very existence of Covid, our catalyst for crisis.

Instead of seeking a brief reprieve along the path we have seen ends in disaster, let’s take this chance to learn and grow. The flaws of our economy, healthcare and educational systems, government, and many other of our institutions have been exposed by the glaring light of Covid. Let’s reject our normal and the systems that benefit only a few while offering only illusions of security to the rest of us. Let’s, instead, choose a new path; one that leads to progress and prosperity for the country and the people. Let’s decide that we deserve a future of hope and opportunity rather than the decaying existence offered by a return to normal. We can use this pandemic as a chance to reset our path and build a bright and exciting future for our country. All we have to do is join together and declare: No More Normal.