As the world reels with the impact of COVID19, I am led to wonder about how this tragedy will change the way people look at interactions beyond the local. The catchy portmanteau GLOCAL is a combination of GLObal and loCAL. By placing the word “global” first in the word, I can’t help but feel the word ends up suggesting that “global” is more important than “local.” But in a post-COVID19 world will this be true?
What if staying local becomes the safe and sensible thing to do? Does this mean we will have to give up a global imperative? I hope not. I hope it will mean we find ways – through technology – to connect with others not in the same physical location in powerful, life-changing ways. We need to make communication that isn’t face-to-face as powerful, or nearly so, as that which is.
Could it be that COVID19 will be the event that starts a movement where people can stay local while truly connecting globally? Can we find ways to get out of our comfort zones without physical travel?
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