Over the last month, we have had some time to adapt to our changing living environments. Some of us have evolved for the better; others, dare I say it, have possibly devolved. From the simple sloth to the overworked workaholic, we will go through some of the most common characters from this film-like period of our lives, which is quarantine.
The WhatsApp Warrior
Graduates from the WhatsApp university for conspiracists often spend their time forwarding ‘news articles’ to every and any group chat. Common topics discussed amongst this group range from China’s role in causing the current pandemic to possible mass chip implants inserted in the average civilian in order to track their every move.
The work of a WhatsApp warrior transcends beyond the internet, into real life with many preparing for a dystopian future
The work of a WhatsApp warrior transcends beyond the internet, into real life with many preparing for a dystopian future. Personally, I can see some truth in what certain individuals within the group hypothesize however, there seems to be a clear lack of evidence for many theories.
I carried out a series of polls on my Instagram to help me with this article. I discovered that over a quarter of people who participated either described themselves or someone in their family as a ‘WhatsApp warrior’.
What is more interesting is that 63% of those in ‘WhatsApp warrior’ households were people of colour, whereas in the other group, only 46 percent were (the overall percentage of minorities who participated was 51%). This could suggest that in this age, one may be more sceptical of what they see in the media if they are of an ethnic minority.
This does not come as a surprise especially since various groups have criticised the government in their approach to the disproportionate number of minority deaths during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Simple Sloth
This humble creature tends to over-indulge in food in order to compensate for a lack of motivation whilst embarking on a Marvel movie marathon. 76% (out of 123) of those who answered the question, “Have you been less productive since quarantine started?” said they had been.
Whilst many advise that a bit of laziness is what some of us need right now, many of us have started to see the days merge into one with our regular daily structure being thrown to the wind.
Will we be a nation of no-doers and couch potatoes post quarantine?
The Workaholic
77% of us (from the poll statistics) feel the need to make the most out of quarantine and learn a new skill/ better ourselves. As the public begins to settle into their new routine, productivity is likely to increase with people learning skills they previously thought were impossible.
One apparent cause for some increasing productivity during this trialling period is ‘motivational pressure’.
This term is associated with both positive and negative connotations however, its premise derives from the fact that certain pressures can ultimately bring some good out of us. The current pressure that many people face is not wasting up to 6 months of their lives achieving absolutely nothing.
I for one felt immense pressure to not waste my time and have already made plans to learn a skill or two that will increase my employability, whilst earning some cash on the side.
The Ticking Time Bomb
This character does not need much explaining. Alongside increased pressure, 60% of participants admitted that they were more likely to burst out in anger since being stuck at home with their families.
For some, keeping their cool may pose an ever-growing issue
This does not come as a surprise considering the fact that many of us are used to having freedom and using the outdoors as a positive release of energy. With the restrictions ultimately disturbing this process, alongside the fact that we have to share more time and space with our family members (some more over-bearing than others), for some, keeping their cool may pose an ever-growing issue.
The Insensitive One
The best example for this character is seen in the USA, where protest groups have flocked the streets in a bid to resist the recent restrictions on movement whilst simultaneously putting themselves and others at danger.
Author’s own poll about quarantine and the British public
Initially, many feared that the British public would not take the lockdown seriously and based on the poll many of us still believe that people are not treating the lockdown rules as well as they should be. However, the media suggests otherwise.
Although on the 23rd of April there was an increase in human traffic , there hasn’t been any major resistance against the lockdown. Experts now fear that there will be mass mortality (mainly of the elderly and most vulnerable) when lockdown rules are weakened as a result of more people than previously predicted adhering to lockdown regulations.
The TikTok Superstar
Since the start of lockdown, 40% of participants claimed to have made a TikTok account. Trends such as the ‘Don’t Rush’ Challenge and ‘Renegade’ in conjunction with the increased app traffic have created the opportunity for your friends, neighbours and family to have a taste of stardom by becoming one-hit TikTok wonders.
The TikTok superstar may spend half of their day planning fame-worthy content with the other half being consumed mindlessly whilst perfecting each and every woah, twist and turn.
Morenike Tomori
Featured image courtesy of Justin Clements via Flikr. No changes made to this image. Image license found here.
In article image courtesy of Morenike Tomori. No changes were made to this image.
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