Should this generation prepare itself for another Roaring Twenties?
By Sophia Falk, Sports Editor
The music, the dancing, the art: the Roaring Twenties was a time characterized not just by women in short, sequined dresses but a period of economic and social growth for our country. This iconic time occurred following the Spanish Flu pandemic that raged from 1918-1920, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans. Sound familiar? Now, as the U.S. looks to emerge victorious after months of battling COVID-19, it seems as though we should be prepared for our own Roaring Twenties.
Despite the 100-year difference, there are many ways in which our two pandemics are eerily similar. According to Dr. Nicholas Christakis of Yale University, pandemics in general cause a massive increase in how religious people are and how much money they save, while their participation in risky behavior declines. This has been a common pattern in four centuries of pandemics. Even the economic situation is comparable. Ancient civilizations that faced pandemics also endured collapsed economics, despite there being no government to close businesses or schools. Simply put, the shocking effects we are feeling today are extremely predictable. Therefore, the script of our post-pandemic has also already been written.
Now comes the fun part: after months of being frugal and languid, Americans are just as ready for a change as they were a century ago. Of course, women wearing short skirts and voting is no longer considered outlandish or extreme. Instead, the “roar” in our twenties will most likely be found in packed nightclubs, stadiums and theater venues. The arts will flourish as performers, musicians and artists were trapped at home without any way to share their creative expression. People will seek out intense social interaction to make up for the pandemic loneliness they have experienced. Whether this is in the form of liberal spending, lack of religiosity, sexual freedom or simply going out far more often than perhaps they should, our 20s will indeed be roaring.
There are psychological reasons for this. Pandemics are always a painful time. As such, any behaviors that result from isolation will be automatically associated with a time of death, disease and loneliness. Some behaviors might even be improvements; exhibiting frugality, for example, is often a smart choice. But because these changes were made as a result of an overall depressing experience, people are expected to go to the complete opposite extreme as soon as they can to erase the behaviors they associate with such a painful period of their lives. And that opposite extreme is what will define our next decade.
But these changes aren’t guaranteed just yet. Firstly, the vaccine must be distributed to a majority of the population, guaranteeing herd immunity and enticing the government to lessen restrictions on businesses. Furthermore, the economic crisis we are experiencing will not go away with COVID-19. People worldwide will feel the effects of this virus economically long after the vaccine has been distributed. Of course, for those who are fortunate enough to not have suffered financially during the pandemic, their roaring twenties may start earlier than those who are struggling.
There is still hope. The Biden administration expects to vaccinate nearly every American by the end of 2021. This will allow restaurants, stores and other businesses to open, giving our economy a much needed boost. That, combined with the increased consumerism that many people fall to after a frugal pandemic, should help to lessen the economic damage that COVID-19 has caused.
Luckily for Samo students, many are in the perfect age group to enjoy the freedom of our new roaring twenties. Dr. Christakis expects for the trends of the pandemic to be largely reversed by 2024, meaning that as many Samo students are in prime young adulthood, they will be in the midst of a revolution of freedom and expression.