This is a reflection. The pandemic has left its mark on every aspect of our lives. I’d like to share my experiences and wishes for a historical record:
1) The ‘normalization’ of masks
We no longer go out without wearing a mask. While we used to not know the letter “m” for a mask, now it’s become practically a part of our faces, automatically reminding us of it when we go out, and we wear it every time, out of sheer embarrassment. In fact, I usually wear two masks when I go out.
(My wish: I hope to throw away masks after the pandemic. I hope we won’t be exposed to other serious viruses like COVID-19 in our lifetimes.)
2) The lack of taxis
The other day, I made the mistake of taking a taxi from one place to another on the European side of Istanbul, having dinner, and then returning. I struggled for 45 minutes to find a taxi both on the way to dinner and on the way back. What really caught my attention was the dozens of Istanbulites in the same situation, struggling to get a taxi. As the quarantine period approached, people were panicking, and strange scenes were emerging. People were jumping in front of taxis, fighting like “I saw you first,” walking in the direction of the approaching taxi to avoid each other, talking to taxi drivers and shouting angrily, etc.
(My wish: I hope that the number of taxis will increase with the arrival of unmanned vehicles, and that the problem of finding a taxi will be eliminated.)
3) Traffic around the clock
We all used to know when traffic was heavy. We used to save time by getting out before or after rush hour. Now, since no one wants to use public transportation, they’ve bought cars and hit the roads. This has led to significantly increased traffic at all hours. So, unfortunately, our traffic woes have spread to all hours of the day.
(My wish: I hope that the city will be relieved by the establishment of new cities, reducing the population in Istanbul, and restructuring urban planning.)
4) People are becoming increasingly aggressive
This is the situation that bothers me the most. The number of people being searched for starting fights has increased. The stressful times we live in have disrupted people’s balance. We’re exposed to all kinds of aggression, from those who start arguments for no reason to those who exaggerate the smallest issue. It’s not hard to guess that the number of people using antidepressants has increased significantly. Divorces have also increased. People who can’t handle the stress they experience are constantly snapping at others.
(My wish: Instead of people taking their unhappiness out on others, I hope more people are happy in their lives and don’t spread their negative energy everywhere. For this, we need collective psychological relief.)
5) The rise in fraud
I previously addressed this issue in an article titled “Fraud Explosion in Turkey,” at https://www.serhansuzer.com/tr/turkiyede-dolandiricilik-patlamasi . As people struggle to make ends meet, they’ve started engaging in activities they absolutely shouldn’t be doing and that constitute criminal activity. This is a serious problem. (Wish: I listed the necessary steps in this blog post. These suggestions should be implemented without compromise, minimizing fraud. This is my wish.)
6) House Parties
House parties have increased significantly in Istanbul because people can’t go out and have fun. I’m experiencing this firsthand. House parties are happening in my building. This is a very wrong approach. Those who organize these events, which accelerate the spread of the virus, are endangering public health.
(My wish: House parties can continue after the pandemic. However, one condition is that they should be held in conditions that won’t disturb others. Some solutions include installing sound-isolating systems inside the house and hosting these parties in detached houses instead of apartments.)
7) Hesitation to Go to the Hospital
People are avoiding hospitals as much as possible, fearing they might contract COVID-19. Even people who used to make it a habit to go to the emergency room for even the slightest illness are now reluctant to go unless it’s very serious. Hospitals in Istanbul are full. A similar situation exists in Turkey.
(My wish: I predict that with the advancement of technology in the future, there will be significant reforms in the healthcare sector. Getting sick in the hospital shouldn’t be an issue.)
8) Couriers Dominating the Roads
Today, you’ll see couriers the most on the roads. Their self-confidence has increased, like they dominate the roads, they drive over cars, and they know they play a crucial role in people’s lives. We all knew years ago (at KFC and Pizza Hut) that the home delivery sector would rise, and we directed our investments accordingly. Today, the pandemic has caused the home delivery sector to grow much more than expected. Engines zigzagging between cars pose a serious danger, both for themselves and other drivers. Engine noise is another disturbing factor.
Meanwhile, as mentioned in item 3, traffic increases at all hours of the day, which means that those who don’t want to use public transportation are buying cars and using them.
Incidentally, in Article 3, I mentioned that traffic increases at all hours of the day, and this is due to people who don’t want to use public transportation buying cars and hitting the roads. Istanbulites who don’t want to use public transportation are buying motorcycles in addition to cars. This has led to a boom in motorcycle sales, and there’s been a significant increase in the number of motorcycles on the road. I’d also like to share a news report about this: https://www.milliyet.com.tr/ekonomi/pandemide-motosiklete-ilgi-artti-fiyatlar-iki-katina-cikti-6289135
(My wish: A separate road needs to be built for motorcycles and bicycles. This should be standard in all cities. Furthermore, all motorcycles should be electric for the sake of the environment and to prevent noise pollution.)
9) Avoid flying whenever possible
People are hesitant to board flights from the airport. They prefer to drive instead of flying. And they’re right. You can be seriously exposed to the risk of COVID-19 at the airport where you depart, on the plane, and at the airport where you land. That’s why Istanbul’s airports are unusually empty.
(My wish: Air travel can return to its former state, but only on one condition: Planes, like other vehicles, must be solar-powered. Aircraft fuel is one of the biggest polluters in terms of carbon emissions.)
10) The absence of spectators at sports events diminishes the enjoyment of watching.
Istanbul is the province that contributes the most teams to the Turkish Super League, with six sports clubs, including district teams like Başakşehir, Kasımpaşa, and Fatih Karagümrük, in addition to the big three like Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Beşiktaş. It is also represented in the Basketball Super League with six teams, along with Galatasaray, Efes Pilsen, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, Bahçeşehir College, and Büyükçekmece. This is essentially the case across all sports. Even when matches are played behind closed doors in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey, the enjoyment of watching them is diminished, even when watching television. It’s like that feeling of something missing when enjoying a delicious meal.
My wish: I hope spectators return to matches. However, on one condition: verbal and physical attacks must be avoided and the matches must be made more like family celebrations.)
11) Netflix Becomes an Essential Entertainment Element
During weekends at home, the series and movies most watched on Netflix keep us entertained. Netflix, Apple TV, and the like have become an essential part of our lives. Television is still watched, but personally, the series and programs on TV feel very outdated. I don’t turn it on much except for football matches. Instead, series and movies that we can choose ourselves and have control over while watching are more appealing.
Thanks to Netflix, we no longer need to go to the cinema. While some people miss going to the cinema, I’m one of those who believe that cinema cannot compare to the comfort of home. While some cinemas in Istanbul are nice, the vast majority have issues with hygiene and sometimes heating/cooling. Considering the cruelty of driving to the cinema and therefore having to deal with traffic, and the rare occasions when we encounter ridiculous people (people talking during the movie, etc.), I personally prefer the comfort of home to the cinema.
(My wish: It’s good that Netflix and its equivalents continue. Of course, we want to see more international series and films. Watching a film from a completely unrelated country would be enjoyable. They could also serve a purpose in terms of being educational and instructive. In other words, education through entertainment would be very good. The content needs to be enriched.)
12) Zoom Meetings
Physical meetings have been replaced by Zoom meetings. Similarly, we use Microsoft Teams and other video conferencing tools, albeit rarely. Online meetings have surpassed physical meetings. I predict that the balance may shift after the pandemic but Zoom meetings will remain popular.
Thanks to online meetings, people no longer have to travel from one place to another. This means they avoid Istanbul traffic. In other words, they save time and avoid the stress of traffic.
(My wish: May online meetings facilitated by Zoom and its equivalents continue with the same emphasis. Online meetings are beneficial for minimizing environmental damage, reducing carbon emissions, and improving time management.)
Ultimately, a different world awaits those who survive the pandemic. Some things will happen naturally, while others will require a strong vision and serious effort to resolve.
I wish everyone healthy days with their loved ones…
Bonus: I’d like to share the news titled “The pandemic became a short film in Istanbul” (you can see the images that emerged when the city was evacuated in this video):https://www.cnnturk.com/video/turkiye/istanbulda-pandemi-kisa-film-oldu-video
Tag: education
