The After

 

2019 was a strenuous year. From the Amazon rainforest wildfires, passing the Christchurch mosque shootings, the Mozambique’s cyclones, to the burning of Notre-Dame cathedral, the earth didn’t seem to catch its breath. We grieved the loss of our people, our planet, and our heritage. But, true to their ways, the nations celebrated the passing of another year with fireworks, resolutions, and hope. A Hope that 2020 failed to deliver.

Three years have passed in the bat of an eye, and the world seems unrecognizable. What started as temporary solutions morphed into our lifestyle. And although the concept was foreign to most in the Before, online shopping became the norm. The increasing demand forced most shops to create websites and apps to cater to the changed habits of their customers, and soon, there was nothing you couldn’t buy. Clothes, shoes, groceries, skincare, makeup, stationery, furniture, electronics, books, everything was one click away. Food chains and local restaurants alike listed their menus for delivery on multiple platforms and we never looked back.

In 2021, the total revenue of the Moroccan e-commerce market was approximately 1.7 billion U.S. dollars. According to estimates of the Statista Consumer Market Outlook, this value is expected to increase in the coming years reaching approximately 3.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2025.

On the other hand, academic learning reconciled between in-person and online classes, which prompted the surge of e-learning courses and degrees. An array of specialized materials were at disposal, some marketed as vital to career advancement, some aimed to hone skills, and some insured that hobbies are pursued purposefully. From software engineering, to contemporary art, to nutrition, to business administration, knowledge was accessible, entrancing, and endless, and we avidly consumed it.

According to e-learning industry statistics, the MOOC market is currently worth 5.16 billion U.S. dollars. It is projected to grow at an annual rate of 32.09% until 2025.

Perhaps the most notable impact that the pandemic lockdown had on societies was the rapid shift towards Individualism. Despite the shared predicament and the initial communal attachment that ensued, the imposed restrictions encouraged self-reliance and the technologies that were developed secured its claim. In the After, gatherings, now permitted, still maintained their decrease in frequency and capacity, and even though physical engagement is making a natural return after the ease of restrictions, the social cues are harder to read, and even the easy act of a handshake still seems alien to many. 

Another example of the shift towards individual-based systems is the increasing popularity of hybrid jobs among both employers and employees, as a recent AT&T study found that the hybrid work model is expected to grow from 42% in 2021 to 81% in 2024.

Between the innovative technologies and the newly found appreciation for education and knowledge, the world continues to change relentlessly and our needs and aspirations continue to adjust accordingly. Now, more than ever, it is important to take time to explore and assess how today’s decisions could impact our future, as to ensure the maintenance of the right of choice for the generations to come.

 

 

 

 Fatima Zahra Nanat