Author Vikram Kapur on how the pandemic has made our lives go ‘online’

Vikram Kapur writes that the society that emerges after the pandemic promises to be one where humans are more reliant than ever on technology

The dice is now even more loaded in favour of the tech-savvy. Thanks to the lockdown, our lives have gone online with everything from teaching to business to socialising. Good online access has emerged as the linchpin of the new normal. Once the pandemic fades, its influence may not be all-consuming but will continue to be a significant cornerstone of the world that materialises from the lockdown.

People will be cautious about making human contact, at least for a while. They will have formed habits that leave them more dependent on technology. Furthermore, employers are already learning that the online approach to work saves costs. Hence, the society that emerges after the pandemic promises to be one where humans are more reliant than ever on technology as a consequence of their social isolation.

At a personal level, something like a lockdown jerks you out of your daily routine and provides the time and space to introspect on your own life and figure out what is most important — be it family, a cherished desire or ambition. You also learn there is no such thing as unlimited time to accomplish what you want. Even six months ago, who could have predicted what has come to pass? After the pandemic, some life changes will be forced upon people by the circumstances. However, there will also be people looking to make the life changes necessary to seize the moment and get the life they want.

Vikram Kapur is the author of The Assassinations: A Novel of 1984

(as told to Harikumar J S)