Much like a leak of toxic waste or a corrosive acid, the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic have invaded all areas of human life for the past two years; seeping into existing cracks within our systems and institutions, the pandemic has only deepened the flaws that were already present within our society, economy, and political atmosphere. The keyword here is “deepened.” While such inequities may have been severely exacerbated as a result of the pandemic, it is of the utmost importance to recognize that these injustices have remained systemically ingrained within our society long before the classification of the novel coronavirus in late 2019. For many Americans and global citizens alike, the pandemic of the past two years has brought these inequities to the forefront of popular discourse, leaving society to grapple with the roots, implications, and possible resolutions of such problems.
While we as a global society have moved from the initial phase of strict lockdowns and isolations to a greater ebb and flow of these restrictions, many states and countries are now beginning to envision what our society should look like in a post-COVID-19 world. As a result of the synergistic effects of our social, political, and economic turmoil in conjunction with the pandemic, a so-called “syndemic” of injustices runs rampant throughout the globe today, and how, if at all, we as a society choose to act in response will determine our fate. Thus, humanity is left to question whether the Covid-19 pandemic will have served as a force for unification and resolution of conflict, or if it will only further divide our societies and result in a cataclysm. In this paper, I suggest what the post-pandemic world may look like in the coming months and years. In doing so, I will take into account a confluence of synergistic factors including economic stratification, de-globalization, increasing polarization of media and politics, the climate crisis, and the mental health crisis. As a result of all of these issues, I assert that the COVID-19 pandemic undeniably served as a divisive force both nationally and globally, providing severely negative implications for the direction of humanity and our planet in the near future.
First, the COVID-19 pandemic of the past two years, while in some ways beneficial in that it inspired widespread re-evaluation and criticism of injustices and inequities globally, has upended the lives of billions of people and will maintain severe and lasting consequences on all aspects of life for decades to come. As it relates to the economy, the post-Covid world will likely see a steady continuation of the divergence of wealth and income between the billionaire elites and the working class. Income inequality is, of course, nothing new however the wealth gap is one of the many societal challenges that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic, showing no signs of slowing anytime soon. In order to understand the inequitable systems underlying the wealth gap and their propensity for continuation, it is crucial to analyze long-term trends of wealth and income. According to data gathered by the United States Census and presented by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, post-war America of the 1950s-70s saw rapid growth in household income, with such increases being distributed roughly equally across the income ladder (Beltrán 2020). While the presence of both income and wealth gaps at the time is undeniable, they remained roughly the same throughout this period. However, as economic growth began to slow during the 1970s, the decline proved unequal in terms of the affected parties. While income growth slowed moderately for middle and low-income families in the United States, economic elites continued to see massive gains in both their income and wealth (Beltrán 2020). The time between the 1990 and the pre-pandemic 2000s underwent continued divergence in both metrics, with one analysis showing that “wealth held by the top 1 percent rose from 30 percent in 1989 to 39 percent in 2016, while the share held by the bottom 90 percent fell from 33 percent to 23 percent” (Beltrán 2020). As previously stated, the pandemic did nothing but continue to exacerbate this existing inequity, with an analysis conducted by the Institute for Policy Studies in August of 2021 showing that United States billionaires increased their wealth by $1.8 trillion, a 62% net increase from their pre-pandemic levels only 17 months prior (Collins 2021). Therefore, it stands to reason that in a post-pandemic world, economic disparities will likely continue to diverge not only in the United States but around the world, furthering the disintegration of the middle class and plunging millions into poverty.
Additionally, with regard to both the economy and politics, the post-COVID-19 world is likely to undergo a radical restructuring of economic supply chains and international interdependency through widespread de-globalization in favor of consolidation. In predicting trends such as de-globalization it is again helpful to understand the broader context surrounding the history of globalization, as well as contributing factors, most specifically the Covid-19 pandemic. The globalization of markets began around 1980 and was the result of a variety of contributing factors, mainly in the United States (Madhok 2021). First, a group of American free-market economists rose to prominence at this time period, asserting the importance of de-regulation and maintaining strong influence over the national market (Madhok 2021). Concurrently, political conservatives such as Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Raegan who were fierce defenders of free-market capitalism rose to power within their own countries, as well as on the global stage (Madhok 2021). Finally, organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund extended their spheres of influence into developing nations with the hopes of inspiring economic dependence upon the United States (Madhok 2021).
As a result of these three factors, a globalized economy took hold. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, over-reliance on globalized markets has proven to be extremely detrimental for myriad reasons. Namely, dependence upon external policies has contributed in large part to the system meltdown of the global supply chain experience amid the pandemic. Moreover, reliance on a globalized economy has resulted in what can essentially be described as the disappearance of American production, which in the context of the global pandemic has even further exacerbated the economic disparities suffered by low-income individuals (Madhok 2021). As a result of the negative economic and societal impacts of globalization, numerous efforts have been made in the past year to return American industry to American soil. Because a centralization of development and distribution would far ensure resource production and security, and because trends of de-globalization are already underway as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic in countries such as the United States and Germany, it is reasonable to assert that de-globalization will likely persist well past the end of the pandemic, resulting in less diverse and integrated economies and communities.
Further transitioning into the realm of politics, the influence of division and increasing political polarization within society that, again, has been only deepened as a result of COVID-19 is likely to outlive the pandemic and threaten global security. The degree to which political polarization is prevalent today is uniquely pervasive, largely resulting from developments in technology and media over the past half-century. According to data compiled by the Pew Research Center, in 1994 the median Democrat and median Republican in American society were nearly equally as likely to fall in the center of the political spectrum, supporting a mixed ideology of both conservative and liberal thought (“The Partisan” 2017). Conversely, data gathered by the same organization in 2017 shows that the median Democrat and Republican are both roughly half as likely to subscribe to that same mixed ideology (“The Partisan” 2017). The reasons for the increase in the political divisions are many, however, the rise of social media since the mid-1990s which often subjects users to echo chambers and misinformation is partly to blame. Further, the politicization of mainstream media has resulted in a public loss of confidence in such outlets. According to data compiled by Axios, public trust in social media has reached an all-time low of 26%, while public distrust of mainstream media outlets has also fallen to an all-time recorded low of 46% in 2021, down from roughly 59% in 2019 (Salmon 2021).
The politicization of Covid-related policies such as mask mandates, stay-at-home orders, and closures of bars and restaurants almost certainly plays a role, with the identity politics of mask-wearing and other such associated health measures resulting in animosity between liberals and conservatives. These increased hostilities show no sign of slowing as political tensions between liberals and conservatives remain high in the United States, as well as globally, with critical legislation caught in deadlock in a non-cooperative government. Therefore, as political divides continue to worsen nationally, as well as globally, and are exacerbated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, media distrust, and identity politics, the post-Covid world is likely to see a worsening of both national and global political turmoil, as is evidenced by the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict and the United States Capitol Insurrection of January 2021, as well as increased hostilities between liberals and conservatives on the interpersonal scale.
Moreover, the global climate crisis and the alarming rate at which environmental degradation is taking place provide yet another concurrent factor in the syndemic, not only resulting in a decreased quality of life and annihilation of entire species and ecosystems but also increasing the likelihood of the advent of further novel viruses. While environmental degradation and the impending climatological catastrophe are nothing new to report, the lack of action taken by humanity makes almost certain the severe consequences this damage will impart on future generations; namely, sea-level rise is expected to decimate coastal population centers in within the next century as a result of a warming climate and the following loss of polar and glacial ice caps. Moreover, ocean acidification and deforestation are dismantling two of the most important carbon sinks within the environment, resulting in a positive feedback loop between increased carbon emissions and decreased carbon reabsorption. Both of these factors work in conjunction to contribute to the devastation of ecosystems and biodiversity which could ultimately lead to the collapse of entire food chains and systems.
Specifically, with relevance to the COVID-19 pandemic, deforestation poses arguably the greatest threat in terms of the future of disease, as continued encroachment of humans into wild habitats increases the likelihood of zoonotic diseases—or infections specific to non-human animals—jumping from animal to human (Asayama 2021). The idea of zoonotic spillover is still postulated as a possible origin of the Covid-19 virus, and if action is not taken to cease wilderness encroachment it is likely that more diseases will emerge in the coming years. As a result, the climate crisis and environmental degradation prove themselves to be arguably one of the biggest threats to humanity, both in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as beyond, with the post-Covid world left to grapple with all of the aforementioned impending disasters.
Finally, the post-Covid-19 world will likely suffer the consequences of the mental health crisis which, while precluding the pandemic itself, has only worsened following extreme social isolation as a result of stay-at-home orders imposed by public health officials. In the 2000s prior to the pandemic, health officials were already sounding the alarm about the increased prevalence of a broad variety of mental and emotional illnesses. According to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, prior to the pandemic “mental health challenges were the leading cause of disability and poor life outcomes in young people, with up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 in the U.S. having a mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder.” (“Office” 2021). Moreover, suicidal ideation and action among high school students saw a 36% increase between 2009 and 2019 (“Office” 2021). Unfortunately, the pandemic’s effect on mental health has resulted in an even more drastic increase in the prevalence of emotional and mental illness. On December 7th of 2021, the United States Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, ordered the issue of a Surgeon General’s Advisory in an attempt to bring the severity of the crisis to the forefront of the public’s attention and to underscore the “unprecedented impact” of Covid-19 on the deterioration of the mental health of America’s youth (“Office” 2021). As this generation, whose youth will be largely defined by pandemic-era restrictions and the subsequent mental health catastrophe, ages into adulthood, the lifelong implications of this situation are simply not yet known. However, as a result of this crisis of mental health and the fact that mental and physical well-being are very directly linked, it is reasonable to postulate this generation, as well as future ones, will likely suffer immensely as a result, indicating the post-Covid world will likely continue to see a rise in mental and emotional illnesses, resulting in a deterioration in the human standard of living both on the personal and global scale.
While the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for unification and joint efforts between nations to resolve many of the conflicts challenging our planet today, it has instead served as a divisive force, deepening the existing inequities and injustices already present within the economy, environment, and our society. The post-Covid world is likely to undergo worsening economic stratification, both on the national and global scale and a radical de-globalization of economies and cultures. Moreover, media distrust and political turmoil are likely to incite further violence and animosity within the United States as well as internationally as echo chambers and identity politics become ever more prevalent. Finally, the impending climatological catastrophe, coupled with the global mental health crisis, both of which have direct ties to the pandemic, is likely to impart environmental and psychological catastrophe in the post-pandemic world. What, then, if at all is humanity to do in the face of such looming terrors? The solution to such disasters will not be easy. It is likely to take decades, if not more, to resolve many of the conflicts we are faced with today both locally and globally. But ultimately what the required action boils down to is a global reevaluation of our priorities as a society. In an increasingly individualistic and gainful planet, humanity must structurally reassemble its values to emphasize the importance of community, health, and environmental preservation, not unlike the values of many indigenous communities and pre-industrialized societies. Production and consumption must shift to undertake a holistic framework that accounts for the human, economic, and environmental impacts of our actions equally for humanity to coexist harmoniously not only with each other but with our environment as well.
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