Consequences of the corona crisis: “It is no longer becoming so loose and tolerant”

© credits unknown Consequences of the corona crisis: “It is no longer becoming so loose and tolerant”

The corona crisis will probably have greater social consequences than we can now imagine. According to experts, society is jerking to the right. "People tend to vote conservatively more often."

Less Loose

"It certainly won't get as loose and tolerant in the early years as it was here before the crisis," says evolutionary psychologist Mark van Vugt of the Free University in Amsterdam in the Volkskrant. "Residents of areas where many deadly infectious diseases have occurred in recent centuries have tighter social norms, are on average more introverted and sexually inhibited, are less open to new experiences and are less tolerant of deviant behavior and people who look different." p>

You can already see that. “Look at the ease with which we accept that the government decides overnight to lock universities, ban travel to certain countries and fundamentally interfere with our way of life. These are measures that we associate with dictatorships, but which we now accept. ”

Authoritarian leaders

This crisis will play a role in politicians such as Trump and Baudet. “There is going to be a revaluation of globalization and internationalization where we will tend to shut ourselves off from others. Our research shows that residents of countries with a lot of infectious diseases have a preference for authoritarian leaders, even in the workplace, and are more likely to vote conservatively. ”

More mental illnesses

Psychological researcher Bertus Jeronimus from the University of Groningen agrees with his colleague. “In societies where many dangerous infectious diseases are prevalent - or have recently prevailed - people are less open to new experiences. Are people less outgoing. That also makes sense: people want to protect themselves. We not only have a physical but also a psychological immune system. ”

Jeronimus also expects negative effects on public health. “In times of disasters you always see health effects. In the months and years after Chernobyl in the West, the World Health Organization WHO reported an increase in mental illness, as well as somatic problems, from head and back pain to cancer. ”

More Nationalistic

< p> Philosopher Jan Sleutels, like the other experts, expects that 'we will be more nationalistic here'. “All measures that countries take are strongly focused on their own people. Countries are becoming stronger on their own again. Governments repatriate their citizens. That feels like a new form of tribalism. ”

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