How will the world be different after what we experienced during the pandemic?

Phase 1/1: Spekulationsphase

As the world emerges from the cocoon of the pandemic, it remains open to what extent the collective experiences we shared have left a permanent mark. While we find ourselves navigating the uncharted waters of a post-pandemic world, the lessons we've learned might reshape the way we live, work, and interact. Or become quickly forgotten as powerful forces – old and new – drag at the fabric of society.

Spekulationsphase

Today

Spekulationen: 14
Bewertungen: 40

Spekulationsphase endet in 27d 19h 45m

Probable

Desirable

Improbable

Undesirable

How will the world be different after what we experienced during the pandemic?

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How will the world be different after what we experienced during the pandemic?

Nothing will change. Everything stays the same and we get back to our old routines.

I wish that people realise how important vaccines are for public health

People value their homes more and travelling to distant places for leisure is less frequent.

Social interactions will remain more physically distant.

Many people remain experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression - with long-lasting effects on individuals and on society as a whole.

A heightened sense of community spirit and mutual aid has long-lasting benefits for social cohesion and solidarity. Many people remain volunteering to help vulnerable individuals and families.

I expect that we return to semi-global worlds similar the 70ies and 80ies ...

Society becomes more polarized and socially fragmented, as people continue to comply very differently to existing rules and regulations.

We have become aware how connected we are internationally and begin to develop a global consciousness.

The accelerated adoption of digital technologies speeds up innovations in areas such as remote work, telemedicine, and online edudaction.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought public health into sharp focus, and has highlighted the importance of investing in healthcare and public health infrastructure.

We make use of the opportunity for society to rethink the way we use and manage natural resources.

We see increased collaboration and dialogue on other global challenges, such as climate change and poverty reduction.

People remain more conscious how they spend their money.

Close How-To

↓ What is the purpose of this challenge?

The goal of a challenge is to create a map of speculative future possibilities together on a predefined question. While we reveal our implicit future expectations, hopes and fears and engage with the thoughts of others, we challenge individual preconceptions and create images of the future. We use this to derive better-informed decisions in the present and to collaboratively create action ideas and desirable visions of the future.

↓ How to participate?

You can participate by submitting your speculation(s) and rating the speculations of others. Please start to immerse yourself into the topic by reading the challenge question, description and explore the already submitted speculations.

↓ What is a speculation?

A speculation is a hypothetical statement about a future possibility. It cannot be right or wrong. It is a mere invitation to think together and explore what could, should or should not become future reality.

↓ How to rate a speculation?

You can rate a speculation by dragging it to the position on the canvas that you feel fits best (use Rate Mode or just click on a bullet point on the canvas): the more you wish for this speculation to become future reality, the more you move it to the top. The less you expect that this speculation will actually become future reality, the more you move it to the left.

↓ How to write a speculation?

Please write your speculation as a brief sentence (max. 200 characters) consisting of one logical statement written in present tense, i.e. you are writing ‘from the future’. Please express yourself as understandable as possible and do not use technical terms. Also, please avoid longer chains of thoughts as this will make it impossible for others to rate it. Examples: “Severe water scarcity affects notably the daily life of citizens.”; “The mass uptake of green energy solutions has paved the way for zero-emission living for everyone.”

↓ What happens with a submitted speculation?

Submitted speculations are reviewed by an editor before being published. The review process is managed by the challenge host and takes about 24 hours. The editorial review is there to assure correct spelling and understandable language. All submitted speculations will be published except discriminatory content and duplicates of already published speculations.

↓ What happens with the results of this challenge?

The results, speculations and ratings of all public challenges will remain open access and online for everyone to use and review.

Most Desirable

We make use of the opportunity for society to rethink the way we use and manage natural resources.

Most Propable

The accelerated adoption of digital technologies speeds up innovations in areas such as remote work, telemedicine, and online edudaction.

Most Controversial

Many people remain experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression - with long-lasting effects on individuals and on society as a whole.

Least Controversial

A heightened sense of community spirit and mutual aid has long-lasting benefits for social cohesion and solidarity. Many people remain volunteering to help vulnerable individuals and families.

Submit your own idea →

Narrative Summaries

Positive Expectations

In this scenario, a heightened sense of community spirit and mutual aid has emerged, leading to long-lasting benefits for social cohesion and solidarity. People continue to volunteer to help vulnerable individuals and families, while also becoming aware of their connection to the global community, developing a global consciousness. This newfound awareness has prompted society to rethink the way we use and manage natural resources, leading to positive changes in resource management. Additionally, people are now more conscious of how they spend their money, leading to changes in consumer behavior. However, despite these positive changes, many people are still experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, which have long-lasting effects on individuals and society as a whole.

Hopeful Dreams

In this scenario, the coronavirus pandemic has brought public health to the forefront and increased awareness of the importance of vaccines for public health. There is a desire for people to understand the critical role that vaccines play in maintaining public health.

The pandemic has also highlighted the need to invest in healthcare and public health infrastructure, with increased attention being placed on the importance of funding for these sectors.

Furthermore, the pandemic has resulted in increased collaboration and dialogue on global issues such as climate change and poverty reduction. This collaboration and dialogue have led to greater awareness and a more concerted effort to address these critical issues.

Expected Challenges

In this scenario, some things remain the same, and people return to their old routines. However, people place a higher value on their homes and travel less frequently to distant places for leisure.

The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies, leading to innovations in areas such as remote work, telemedicine, and online education. This accelerated adoption has resulted in a shift in the way people work, receive medical care, and learn.

Social interactions will remain more physically distant, with people continuing to practice social distancing measures. This may lead to changes in the way people interact and socialize.

However, the pandemic has also resulted in society becoming more polarized and socially fragmented, as people comply with existing rules and regulations differently. This has resulted in varying degrees of adherence to guidelines and increased societal tension.

Finally, the speaker expects society to return to a semi-global world similar to the 1970s and 1980s, where travel and international interactions are limited compared to pre-pandemic times.

About this Challenge

Challenge Background

This is an open community challenge with the goal to explore the development of our individual and collective expectations, hopes and fears related to societal challenges triggered by the corona pandemic. It is a follow-up to the challenge "Cartographies of Change" which was organized in 2021 at the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak as part of the project "Interweaving Change" by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt and STATE.

Challenge Host

STATE is a Berlin-based initiative that builds cultural programs at the intersection of science, art, and society to help forward ideas for a sustainable future. With exhibitions, residencies, and events, STATE invites its audience to curated deep-dives into current topics that shape our tomorrow.