Five things I observed during Covid-times

A few personal observations from a remote and cold country, that has decided to live through these exceptional times, by isolating itself even more.

Life in fear

In economical and financial terms the concept of risk aversion is used to depict economic players that have a tendency to “play safe” in the marketplace. In other words, you could define this notion as the behaviour of humans, that when exposed to uncertainty, behave in every possible way that lowers that uncertainty. Synonymous for a risk avert person would be cautious, prudent or judicious.

In modern, developed societies risk is well-managed. People live generally a safe life in a controlled, risk-free environment. The political, economical and social frameworks are built to make life the safest possible. Additionally, people wear helmets when they cycle and cover themselves with private insurance policies. All this, in turn, makes possible for them to better plan life in the long-term and provides a general sense of serenity and control. However, it tends to pamper people and make them more vulnerable to unexpected, uncontrolled inputs. And incapable of dealing with their fears. Anything that is unforeseeable, unconstrained or doesn’t fit any contingency plan, is frightening and traumatising.

As the concept of risk, is closely related to the one of fear, the pandemic has dramatically upset this “controlled” framework and shaken the peoples' mind. With such an overall setting of uncertainty - in which governments and institutions are not able to provide a reliable safety-net, and each person needs to deal individually with this invisible and potentially lethal menace - risk avert people have obviously struggled. To the point of being willing to do great sacrifices in their personal life and freedoms and - at the same - to urge to apply them to everyone, to society as a whole. All of it, in return to faint promises of safeness and bits and pieces of reassurances aimed at regaining their “psychical serenity”. 

In doing so, they have conflicted with a minority of more risk neutral people, which - with their more pragmatic approach to the outside world - would have arguably been better equipped in dealing with the fact that life needs to go on, in spite of all the hazards involved.

As a kid, I really wanted to learn how to do wheelies on my bicycle, in order to impress girls and friends alike. But I really struggled with learning that, mainly because I was awkward-coordinated and extremely cautious. Until someone revealed me the secret of it: in order to be able to manage your fear to fall, and enjoy all the excitement of doing a full speed wheelie, you shouldn’t stare down at your front wheel, while you are trying to lift it. This is indeed a natural instinct. But looking down at the ground, will ultimately keep you down to the ground. 

Instead, you should keep your head up and high. You should look far away, at the horizon. In doing so, you will lower your center of gravity, achieve a better balance and succeed in controlling better the waiving of the bicycle. 

Will, repetition and practice will do the rest.

Don’t stare at the front wheel, look up ahead! The future is brilliant, not menacing. The crisis will soon be over and you’ll have learnt how to wheelie up your life. 

Decision Making

Risk management and fear control are nothing without the willingness to act.

If anyone needed an ultimate proof of the fact that politicians can say anything, the opposite of anything, and still get away with it …. well, now you have it. 

On the contrary, business Leaders cannot. In time of crises you need leadership. As Ronald Riggio, a professor of leadership and organisational psychology at Claremont McKenna College in California, stated “What leaders have to realise is that when a crisis hits, you can’t just rest on your laurels and think that everything will move along normally. “You need to train, prepare and execute.”

People like me, in positions of responsibility towards both their companies’ shareholders and staff alike, have ultimately realised that no job is more important than taking care of their team. Effective leaders are understanding of their environment circumstances and distractions, but they find ways to act, engage and motivate, clearly and thoroughly communicating important new goals and information.

Time will say if I have managed to do any of the above, but I have lately started to greatly appreciate, of all the people, those who have - in the public arena and my private spheres alike - not claimed, but acted and performed. And as far as my own team at work is concerned, you know guys who you are.

Expertise and Analytical Mind

It takes a long time to become a leader, but in time of crises and great changes it takes just one or or two days for people to become experts on anything. Anything. From epidemiological curve flattening, to web-conferencing tools’ best practices. 

Don’t be fooled. 

Instead, research, check the facts, challenge ideas and doubt each dogma. Doubting and being analytical doesn’t mean, however, that you should deny evidence. Vaccinations is still the best chance humanity has to defeat this virus, and the denial of evidence often serves an hidden agenda. Sometimes, it is even the establishment itself that, in order to protect its institutions, resorts to this strategy.

Marie Curie, was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, in Physics, and with her later win, in Chemistry, she became the first person to claim Nobel honours twice. She is currently the only person - woman od man - having won the Nobel in two separate scientific disciplines. Her efforts led to the discovery of radiation and the development of X-rays. In spite of all this, when she first proposed her theories she had to face and overcome the harsh and unjustified resistance and bias of the male-based scientific community.

An analytical mind is the most important tool you have in modern times, as world-famous historian and best-seller writer Yuval Harari states: "We better understand what is happening and make up our minds about it, before it makes up our minds for us."

The more these “experts” are telling you how you should live your life, the more you should be skeptical and run your inquires. 

Social Life

Running ones life at one’s own conditions … this is something I have been devoting a great deal of thoughts, during my 30+ years spent in Finland as an Italian. From where I come from, most Finns are not people who stands out for an intense social life. 

Covid didn’t help either.

According to a survey commissioned by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), in April, during the validity of the exceptional restrictions imposed in the midst of a state of emergency "Finns met on average 75% fewer people than usual." The primary purpose of the survey was to investigate the pattern of social contacts essential for transmission of the Covid-19.

People here have mostly isolated themselves into their country cottages, enjoyed their new life in complete remote working mode and - just to be sure - closed the country borders. People like me, who like isolation and self-reflection more than the average person, have probably managed better. Some other people, like youngsters and people used to more to be “on stage”, have simply freaked out. 

But one way or the other, this has affect us all. Humans are social animals, Aristotle the legendary Greek philosopher said, “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.” 

It is paramount to keep in mind that social distance and social isolation can be as a concrete threat to our psyche, as a virus can be it to our body.

Personal life

Football ain’t that important, but life without it is such a bore. 

I noticed that one of the best way to fight isolation is simply to keep oneself busy. Whatever you like to do in your personal life, do more of it. Nothing good ever comes from deprivation. And if Covid has made impossible to do what you like most, find quickly something else. 

As an enthusiast traveller, long-term marathoner (this year, almost all races where cancelled) and avid consumer of football, I have found myself with plenty of time at hands.

If you have a project to focus on, you have less time to think about your social isolation. Is there a project around the house you’ve been meaning to do, such as clean out the garage? How about learning a new skill, get a dog or start a puzzle? Also, limiting media overload can be helpful. Too much news about the coronavirus can make us feel even more isolated. Better watch a movie or read a book.

Or, instead, why not learning how to do a wheelie?