There was a certain fear of scarcity in the air just a couple of weeks ago that has, thankfully and logically, fallen to the wayside for all but the most critical medical essentials. However, certain common goods remain in shorter supply than normal, and we are all learning to get on with it in the face of deprivation. Given the lagged nature of supply chain disruptions, it seems likely that we'll repeat this process in short bursts through the next few months, but I think we all have what it takes to get through it.
Social interaction is the one exception, the collective effect of its scarcity impossible to measure yet likely felt by all. As I was thinking about this unique situation, I wondered if there was a fair comparison to make to another form of collective deprivation. I think I got it - rationing, this is essentially rationing. We are being asked individually, collectively, to take our fair share, and when that fair share seems immeasurably paltry - particularly as it relates to almost all social activity at this time just two months ago - we are feeling the same sense of deprivation experienced by a majority of humans throughout history. Sometimes affixing an appropriate label to a difficult situation makes it more tolerable, and I wonder if calling our current moment 'social rationing' would have the same effect.
At the end of the day, though, it's all the same, named or not, we saddle up and move forward. Welcome to the battledome, I guess, and keep those horses six feet apart. At least we have Wi-Fi.
