Home may be where the heart is, but with changed priorities and hearts due to Covid-19, the concept of “home” is not what it used to be.
People were desperate to get out of their houses during the hard lockdown but they have now also developed a keenness to stay in, says Flux Trend’s Dion Chang. “People have been adjusting to life with the virus and the way they have been doing things has now become entrenched.”
The most unusual new trend is the development of drive-in culture. Even though South Africans “still like our malls”, there is a movement towards more strip malls where people can get in, get what they need, and get out.
“People are now definitely used to going out for groceries once a week. And undoubtedly those who had not used online shoppingbefore Covid, now have.
“More and more people do not want to go out especially when infection rates rise. So, if parties and restaurants cannot implement social distancing measures, then people will just not want to go there.”
Although he does not believe that South Africans will reach the same level of reclusiveness as the Japanese hikikomori people, Chang says Covid-19 has “gone completely against human nature”.
“It has killed the social aspect of our being, what with not being able to touch, and needing to social distance. People are now bonding more with their families .”