Can isolation make us think the same?

COVID-19, isolation and social distancing is on everybody’s mind – It’s almost like the less we are together – the more we think the same.

Keeping our distance, while narrowing our thoughts

Text and drawing by Frits Ahlefeldt

The diversity in what we think at the moment, strangely seems to have narrowed dramatically, as more and more places go into lock-down, and we isolate ourselves. Looking at our screens instead, we are all served the same diet of stories, almost all related to the pandemic. While very few other stories can be seen or heard.

Could it be that when we keep a physical distance from our peers, local places, shops and communities, we will feel an urge to go online instead… using technology to feed on a few global news outlets, that might tend to streamline our thoughts, stories and reality?

Can isolation make us think the same?

In the old days, before the web and global communication giants, isolation created diversity. But now, in a more and more technology based reality, I wonder if it might be that physical isolation instead make us watch the same online reality, and think in same ways and on the same things instead?

Story by Frits Ahlefeldt – On DrawnJournalism.com

Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, cognition, culture, thrive, understanding, facemask, isololation, self-isolation, keeping distance, corona virus, drawnjournalism, graphic journalism, illustration, drawing, news, journalistik, tegnetjournalistik, visuel journalistik, visualjournalism