APRIL 17 — Walking into year 2020, many of us were looking forward to a significant transformation, an elevated economic status, especially for us Malaysians a Vision we were looking forward to, Vision 2020. Many of us may have had resolutions to travel more, to lose weight, to start a business, all this building our hopes and dreams towards a better life.

Alas, little did we know, a market in the Wuhan province of China re-wrote our lives to a state that was never imagined by any of us. We are slowly learning to live like we have never lived before, moving away from togetherness, embracing the isolated lifestyle.

This is evolution. An evolution that is changing the entire world’s definition of social decorum. What we once considered as respectful, a firm handshake and a friendly hug is now frowned upon. Social distancing is now the respectful thing to do. Funny isn’t it how normalcy took a 180-degree turn.

The “New-Normal” we speak of today is a clean slate, a white canvas where we can all come together and set new standards and new definitions of what is acceptable and what isn’t. Call it trendsetting if you wish, but I have got a couple of ideas to start off with.

The New Hello

We Malaysian’s had it figured out ages ago on how we greet one another respectfully while maintaining zero-physical contact as well as social distancing. We put our right palm on our left side of the chest and bow a little as a way of saying hello. It’s probably time to make this popular.

The New Conversation

With a distance of 1 metre from one another communications will have to be kept short and simple. I can’t imagine having a full-blown gossip session with a 1 meter gap between one another, and I’m pretty sure that will not be something you would enjoy either.

It is time for us to hone our conversation skills to get to the point quickly, realise that most meetings can be done via emails or explore new means of communicating.

The New Office

Since we have been under the MCO we have developed a new norm for working. Bosses are realising that working from home is a viable option, most companies are giving up their physical offices and moving towards virtual office to cut down on operational expenditure.

New ways of meetings, townhalls, brainstorming sessions are being practiced using platforms such as Facebook Workplace, Skype, Zoom and even Whatsapp. Maybe and ideally with the power vested to us by the internet, most businesses, out there can move towards having their employee working from home.

Existing office buildings can now be transformed into high rise gardens planting food crop to help reduce the world food crisis. Now wouldn’t that be ideal.

The New — Celebration

Social distancing... metre apart from one another...how do we then organise social gatherings such as birthday celebrations, or weddings?

Is it rude to not go or is it selfish to go? Well, here’s an idea that may not sit well with everyone but should really be considered. Celebrations such as weddings and birthdays are generally an intimate affair between the couple and close family members.

Invite a few key members, have the occasion as intimate as possible and for the rest of the crowd who would like to join in can do so via online live stream platforms such as Facebook or Instagram Live.

Plus point your wedding video is automatically saved online and more importantly you will not have to spend your entire life saving on a celebration.

How will this effect death, I really do not have an answer for it now, but I know for sure that customs will have to be adapted with our new-normal to ensure a safer environment for all.

Our fore fathers created the world, the thinking the culture we are living in today. It is time we stand up and be the change the world now needs, to create the new-world, new thinking that we require to live today for us and our children. With advance technology our new Vision for the 2020 to create the new-Normal should be an easier ride.

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking” – Albert Einstein

* Venkates Rao Enkatesulu is president of YouthCorp Malaysia

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.