Joseph Maffei
The times are they a-changing?
Sadly humanity cannot see into the future, as far as the vast majority know that is! However, there are a few things we can hope or think will happen based on current facts and those in charge. It never is a guarantee of course but it can give a glimpse into the future. The changes might be as small as how we greet each other to potentially changing the environment forever.
As eluded to earlier if Dr. Facui had his way we would be greeting people in a different way. In his words “I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you”(Gunia) While completely getting rid of handshakes would be difficult in the short term due to how embedded in our society it might see changes in the following years. While it may be harder for those who are older to change their ways due to habits formed over the years those who are younger are more malleable. Similar to how technology was generally adapted easier the younger introduced people are this change will most likely be a long term solution.
In the end, shaking hands is not something most people will miss. It is a small part of life. That might not be the case for all the changes we might see. Some are seen as more drastic. Another change that Fauci could imagine involves immunity identification cards. “You know, that’s possible,” Fauci told CNN’s “New Day,” when asked whether he could imagine a time when people across the country carry such forms of identification.”(Forgey). This is something is controversial, to say the least. With some equating these cards to Nazi Germany’s treatment of the Jewish population early in its reign if it does happen it may be met with force by some in the United States. However, that is something only time and testing will tell.
Even more sore the very office environment that has been seen as a staple in white-collar American culture since the early ’50s may change permanently. “Our classification implies that 37 percent of U.S. jobs can plausibly be performed at home.”(Dingel). This quote comes from a working paper so it is not currently peer-reviewed. However, even if the numbers are off the idea still stands. If over 30 percent of work that is currently being done could be done from people’s homes it could change the economy forever. Instead of business paying rent, utility bills, parking spaces, and more the costs will shift into the equipment needed to work for home. This could mean the market shifts to more online demands for conference software like Zoom and better internet all the way to fewer cars being sold and easier maintenance for roads since fewer people will be driving. It could also mean that bigger houses get sold since offices in homes will become even more prevalent than they already are.
Not everything might be good, however. Some think the virus is good for the environment and while that is true for the short term the long term might be different. One concern that exists is that after the peak of the virus reviving the economy will not only undo all the positives that shutting down had in the short term. “After the global financial crisis of 2008, for example, global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production grew 5.9 percent in 2010, more than offsetting the 1.4 percent decrease in 2009.”(Heath). As previous evidence has shown that when attempting to go back to normal shortcuts are willing to be taken for the sake of normalcy.
In the end, no matter how you look at it the world will be forever changed. It might be as small and insignificant as shaking hands or it could be that climate change will hit that much quicker. People will still live on and survive. In what capacity and how different a year from now that living will look only time can tell.
Works Cited
Dingel, Jonathan I, and Brent Neiman. “How Many Jobs Can be Done atHome?” National
Bureau of Economic Research, April 2020, https://www.nber.org/papers/w26948. Working Paper.
Forgey, Quint. “Fauci: Coronavirus Immunity Cards for Americans Are ‘Being Discussed’.”
POLITICO, 10 Apr. 2020,
Heath, Ryan. “Emissions Are down Thanks to Coronavirus, but That’s Bad.” POLITICO, 3 Mar.
2n.d., http://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/13/climate-advocates-hit-political-turbulence-127649.
Gunia, Amy. “Fauci on Life After Coronavirus: We Should Never Shake Hands Again.” Time,
Time, 9 Apr. 2020, time.com/5818134/anthony-fauci-never-shake-hands-coronavirus/.
English 802 Spring 2020 
This is a really great piece and very well informed; you did a great job with the quotes. I like that in the end you wrapped up very nicely including the span that may happen and the reality of what is unknown. We have to deal with the here and now because we can’t always plan for what we don’t know. Thats not to say that we shouldn’t plan ahead, just that sometimes there is only so much we can do. Its also important that we look to our past and learn from our mistakes as we move forward, instead of repeating them. I enjoyed having your take on all of this and you brought to my attention some facts that I didn’t know before. Also-I love what you did for your picture and the title. Big fan.
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I like how you started off focusing on something so small, handshakes, and how it could lead to a bigger picture change on how Americans conduct business and how we should now be prioritizing health first. Although I agree that we can live without handshakes, Americans are stubborn and would probably be resistant to such change, even after a pandemic, so although Dr. Fauci sounds confident, I’m not sure how far that will go. If anything, I think this pandemic proves that Americans don’t need to be working as hard as they used to. Looking back on old statistics, Americans spend much more time working and out of the house in comparison to other countries, and this pandemic can show us that maybe that isn’t necessary anymore. Just as you said in your confusion. I am also eager to see how Americans will adjust to all these new things they’ve learned about conducting business. I really enjoyed this essay and thought you brought in some very smart quotes to back up your visions for a “new” America.
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