Things are slowly opening, closing, opening, and closing again.
One of my biggest disappointments of closure was movie theaters. A few of them are open now with limited capacity which is good, but it’s not the same. The latest Bill & Ted movie is coming out in SOME theaters, but you can watch it on Video On Demand for $24.99! I can see the positive in that…you can watch it anytime you want from the comfort of your own home. Disney+ is doing the same thing where in order to see the new Mulan remake, you have to pay an extra $30 on top your subscription!
Amazon can send nearly ANYTHING to your doorstep, movies can be rented and streamed digitally, video games have gone digital is so many way, services like Door Dash and Go Fresh, Loot Boxes, groceries can be brought STRAIGHT TO YOU! So you may ask…
Why even leave my home? Why even risk going out and seeing other people? WHY even get in my car, use my gas to get the things I need?
It’s a valid argument…with the pandemic still in full stride, this is just the way it is for now. But what about once this pandemic is over…will you just stop ordering groceries online? Will you go to the furniture store to try out the couch before you buy? Will you continue to buy a used car online without ACTUALLY seeing it or testing it? Buying a house without actually doing a walk through? The internet and online shopping have given us a whole new normal and has shown that many of life’s daily tasks CAN be done from home, including work!
But here is the problem…social interaction whether you think it’s good or not, is incredibly important. We’ve seemingly all seen what the ‘safety wall of the internet’ can do…words get misinterpreted, arguments start, and the ever so popular ‘That’s not what I meant…’ gets tossed around more than it has ever. I’ve gotten into arguments because I posted something I found funny online, but a friend of mine thought I was serious! It wasn’t until I called him (not texted, CALLED) and he heard my tone of voice and my presentation, his tone also changed and we laughed. COMPLETELY CHANGED EVERYTHING!
Do I purchase online…oh hell yea, who doesn’t! Things here and there are great, but do I agree that everything should be purchased online? Nah, I don’t. Buying a car, seeing a movie in theater, buying a video game at the store, buying a home…is an EXPERIENCE! You go in, talk face to face with another human being, and get what you need.
You choose…what sounds better and more memorable…
“Dude I saw Star Wars on the BIG SCREEN and the lightsaber battle was SO EPIC! The popcorn smelled SO GOOD I bought the big bucket and ate the whole thing, I was surrounded by the speakers and sounded amazing with all my friends.”
or
“I rented it, it was good.”
In closing, don’t let this pandemic that is keeping us at home be the norm once the pandemic is over. While things may not be the same as we always remember and there will be some cases where you NEED to order online, but don’t forget there is still a world out there, and it’s more than just what you click online.
