8. Silver lining
Return to June 2021 update
Length: 2 min read; 463 words.
Note: The following paragraphs summarize the category of Silver lining observed in June. More information about the specific category from June (and previous months) can be found in the downloaded report(s). The number in square brackets (e.g., [X]) refers to a reference where the reader can find more information about a specific statement. The references can be found in the References list below, on the Systematized References page or in the downloaded report.
The volume of observed talks about silver lining (i.e., conversion of challenges into opportunities) in June remained on approximately the same level as in March (1.6% vs. 1.2% in March). The optimism about reopening and somewhat return to pre-pandemic normal diminished the need to talk about silver lining. Overall, pandemic has given us an opportunity to dress rehearse for climate change events, reimagine health systems, it has accelerated digitalization, brought us together to work on shared goals, transformed the way we work, brought innovation to the way we think about employees, their needs and purpose, and made hybrid future imminent. On personal levels, it has allowed us to reevaluate our lives, relationships and wellbeing.
The trauma of this pandemic will be with us for a long time to come. The big question for humanity is whether we can now turn this crisis into a pivotal moment, where we harness the innovations, the new insights, and the crisis-fortified determination to improve the world. The time for these choices is now. It is up to all of us whether we will move into the 2020s with a new paradigm for safeguarding lives and livelihoods: a new age of health and prosperity for all. [370] The pandemic was a perfect storm where our lack of preparedness and so many of the weaknesses in our system were exposed, and the results were devastating. But it can also be a perfect storm for redefining how we think about our health. Creating a healthcare system more focused on the first mile can mean unprecedented progress on chronic diseases and our growing mental health crisis. If we get the first mile right, our entire journey can be transformed. [221] COVID presents society, and each of us, with the opportunity to design a better life with less. It was a year showing us that we should invest less in stuff and commuting and more in relationships. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to prepare for climate change events. Importance of essential workers was highlighted. Our own empathy for a fellow human should have had increased. [415]
WeTransfer’s 2020 Ideas Report showcases the effects COVID-19 has had on creativity. At a time when the economy, employment rates, and overall morale were down, the report found a reason for hope, nearly half (45.3%) of the 35,000 creatives polled claimed that they experienced more creative ideas during the pandemic than before. In many ways, creativity has been the thing that has kept businesses open. Examples are all the schools that transitioned to e-learning, the restaurants that shifted their indoor dining outdoors, or even the alcohol distilleries that switched operations from producing alcohol to making hand sanitizer. Creativity spurred success, and the most successful were those who found unique ways to remain relevant in our new, digital world. [155]