Health Science Reviews

by Kayleigh Gultig

People-watching? I am sure we have all participated in this hobby in one form or another, it is what makes days on the beach or meals at a restaurant so entertaining. The two girls laughing in a corner, the old man sipping from his wine glass or the uncontrollable children clambering over tables. Each stranger with his own story.

Human nature is a strange yet somewhat fascinating topic. It seems we possess a certain inherent selfishness and stubbornness to cling to what is comfortable. Even in the face of a global pandemic, it seems we are as determined as possible to revert to “normality”. Our mask wearing and social gathering antics seem unrelated to COVID cases and more a reflection of our desire to return to normality and what our friends think is right. We have seen the environmental benefits of travel restrictions and more self-sustainable living. When the threat is gone, will our CO2 emissions rise again? Will we continue to bake our own bread and care for veggie gardens? Or will we return to what is convenient?

Maybe the pandemic has been around for long enough for us to create new comfortable habits. The streams of people on the mountains and cycling or jogging on the streets since lockdown seems to be proof of our newfound appreciation for being active outdoors. The effort we put into relationships seems to have grown. Even the introverts have been making more time for people. So maybe there is hope? Will this be the year humanity begins to change?