Make Me Smart

Unpacking our collective COVID-19 trauma, five years on

8 snips
Mar 12, 2025
David Wallace-Wells, a science writer for The New York Times, discusses the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on American society. He highlights how the rush to recover often neglected the collective trauma experienced, resulting in increased individualism and less empathy. Wallace-Wells points out the shift from public health responses to a privatized approach and reflects on how this impacts trust in institutions. The conversation also dives into the new consumer behaviors shaped by the pandemic and personal stories from listeners about their experiences.
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INSIGHT

Unprocessed Trauma

  • Americans haven't fully processed COVID-19's immense impact, from the trauma of loss to societal shifts.
  • The pandemic's effects are comparable to historical traumas that defined generations.
INSIGHT

Rush to Normalcy

  • America rushed back to normal before processing grief or the pandemic's transformative impact on our society and politics.
  • This rush to normalcy happened even before the dying had stopped.
INSIGHT

Erosion of Solidarity

  • The pandemic's social impact includes increased selfishness and a decline in solidarity, marked by conflicts over masks, vaccines, and school closures.
  • Initial pandemic solidarity eroded as individual burden and risk assessments took precedence.
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