Reflections on 2020

This was a truly shocking year. The coronavirus pandemic was extraordinarily disruptive, however its impact was quite unevenly distributed. 

The pandemic highlighted a divide between people who work in the *knowledge economy*, as in, those who primarily conduct their work on a computer, and people who work in the *physical economy*, as in, those who need to be physically present for their work. 

The workers in the knowledge economy have done comparatively well during the pandemic. But the workers in the physical economy have suffered greatly, with the loss of countless jobs. 

So in many ways, the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing socio-economic divisions and heightened inequality. 

One of the worst aspects of coronavirus is the impact it has on people's social lives. It basically forces you to be anti-social, and makes you highly paranoid about normal human activities, which can be seen as risk vectors. Even after the vaccine is fully deployed, I am concerned that there will be a lot of people, particularly children, who will be traumatized by this experience, and develop phobias of speaking to or getting close to other people. This is devastating for human civilization. 

But I am very optimistic that 2021 will be turning point, and that once people are vaccinated and the crisis is over, it will usher in a new era of celebration and human bonding. 

Doing normal things, like meeting up with friends for a barbecue, or going to the movies, or a bar, or just stopping by your relative's house, will feel so good. 

So here's to closing this year off on as good a note as we can, and looking forward to what's next.  
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-Alexander Gladstone