In a relatively short span of six weeks,
CoVID has fundamentally altered the manner in which man, the social
animal, interacts with each other. A pessimistic view of the pandemic
would lead us to believe that some of these changes are irrevocable and
are here to stay. A more bullish view would be that things would
cautiously return to normal. It is quite likely that this pandemic or
it’s mutant version(s) might keep resurfacing at frequent intervals.
That might result in we marching towards “normalcy” with a permanent
skepticism. It is quite likely that for a foreseeable future, our social
and cultural lives might oscillate between gushing out to risky
interaction and rushing back to unhealthy isolation.
It is difficult to hazard a guess how our society would look like if this becomes a defining behavioral trait. It would mean a fundamental, abrupt and enforced shift from the manner in which we have been leading our lives for past few decades – and hence will be painful.
Post liberalization, we graduated from grateful to impulsive to unapologetic consumers. Explosion of choices, increase in disposable incomes and easy financing set the wheels in motion for instant gratification. It wasn’t the accumulated wealth that precipitated purchase decision – prospective earning potential was the decision point. We see an impact on all three catalysts i) options are away from the table and we are back to essentials ii) even when the options return we may revisit discretionary spending iii) we may not have enough institutions to sponsor our profligacy.
Let me park the topic of change in consumer behavior for other day. I am more concerned with the impact on trivial and mundane decisions that we would make on a daily basis. Decisions like going out for dinner, heading to watch a movie, hanging out with friends and relatives or even window shopping in a mall. One possible outcome could be returning with a vengeance post lockdown and go on a spree like there is no tomorrow. Alternatively we could emerge out of the lockdown suitably chastened and adopt a restrained approach. I am more likely to bet on the latter.
How would a restrained society look like? It is difficult to envisage the scenario as restraint isn’t a word that was associated with our lifestyles till a few weeks ago. Will we see less crowded public places, more motorable roads, shorter queues? While it is possible that we might be able to ration activities where the choice is individual, how do we handle situations which have a collective nuances.
This is where we are most likely to see a more lasting impacting of pandemic, more so if we were to be hit by successive waves. Collective celebration, which are a part of our culture, any culture for that matter, might be mellowed down. Because we are a populous nation and have strong filial ties, we end up having more guests at a child’s birthday party than you would see turning up for weddings in some countries. Hence what we might witness could be more upsetting.
Can you imagine a Ganesh Chaturthi without the crowds, Eid without embracing half the vicinity, Holi without an element of physical touch? How do you do that if social distancing were to be the new normal? These are not a personal choices like avoiding restaurants. These are our social moorings, densely interwoven in our fabric of who we are.
And what about our Big Fat Indian Weddings? Will the Small Thin Indian Weddings even qualify as Indian weddings?
It is difficult to hazard a guess how our society would look like if this becomes a defining behavioral trait. It would mean a fundamental, abrupt and enforced shift from the manner in which we have been leading our lives for past few decades – and hence will be painful.
Post liberalization, we graduated from grateful to impulsive to unapologetic consumers. Explosion of choices, increase in disposable incomes and easy financing set the wheels in motion for instant gratification. It wasn’t the accumulated wealth that precipitated purchase decision – prospective earning potential was the decision point. We see an impact on all three catalysts i) options are away from the table and we are back to essentials ii) even when the options return we may revisit discretionary spending iii) we may not have enough institutions to sponsor our profligacy.
Let me park the topic of change in consumer behavior for other day. I am more concerned with the impact on trivial and mundane decisions that we would make on a daily basis. Decisions like going out for dinner, heading to watch a movie, hanging out with friends and relatives or even window shopping in a mall. One possible outcome could be returning with a vengeance post lockdown and go on a spree like there is no tomorrow. Alternatively we could emerge out of the lockdown suitably chastened and adopt a restrained approach. I am more likely to bet on the latter.
How would a restrained society look like? It is difficult to envisage the scenario as restraint isn’t a word that was associated with our lifestyles till a few weeks ago. Will we see less crowded public places, more motorable roads, shorter queues? While it is possible that we might be able to ration activities where the choice is individual, how do we handle situations which have a collective nuances.
This is where we are most likely to see a more lasting impacting of pandemic, more so if we were to be hit by successive waves. Collective celebration, which are a part of our culture, any culture for that matter, might be mellowed down. Because we are a populous nation and have strong filial ties, we end up having more guests at a child’s birthday party than you would see turning up for weddings in some countries. Hence what we might witness could be more upsetting.
Can you imagine a Ganesh Chaturthi without the crowds, Eid without embracing half the vicinity, Holi without an element of physical touch? How do you do that if social distancing were to be the new normal? These are not a personal choices like avoiding restaurants. These are our social moorings, densely interwoven in our fabric of who we are.
And what about our Big Fat Indian Weddings? Will the Small Thin Indian Weddings even qualify as Indian weddings?
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