Many people believe that the world has changed significantly since 2019. There is a prevailing sense of confusion, as if life has accelerated to a pace where most individuals can hardly believe that 2024 is already coming to an end.
It feels as though 2019 was a pivotal year a clear dividing line between two different eras. But is this feeling real? In other words, was the world truly different before 2019? And why is this particular year seen as the turning point?
Did Time Stop in 2019? The Strange Psychological Phenomenon Explained
Throughout history, the world has witnessed major events that marked a clear divide between what came before and what followed. Events such as World War I and II, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the invention of the internet, and many others have had a profound impact. These pivotal moments not only shaped global affairs for decades but also transformed life as we know it.
What makes these events particularly significant is that they did not occur consecutively within a single year but were spread out over decades. Each event was separated by many years from the next. However, when we look at the world from 2019 to the present, we can see a series of major events that have had a profound impact globally.
Here, we are not just talking about two or three events but rather dozens of significant occurrences. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the past five years, from 2019 to 2024, have witnessed more impactful events than the previous 50 years combined. These events span politics, economics, global health crises, and pandemics shaping the world in ways never seen before.
The year 2020 introduced a new term that had a profound impact on people's lives: COVID-19. First emerging in Wuhan, China, the virus rapidly spread from one province to another before eventually reaching the rest of the world. COVID-19 infected nearly 700 million people and caused over 7 million deaths globally. As a result, people were forced into prolonged isolation in their homes, and many daily activities came to a complete halt.
Why life changed after 2019:
The key takeaway from this is that major events leave a lasting imprint on our memories and can be recalled vividly. The COVID-19 pandemic stands as one of the most significant events of our lifetime. Virtually every media platform covered it extensively, with daily updates on infection rates and death tolls dominating the headlines.
Government offices and public places remained closed for an extended period, and when they finally reopened, it was under strict regulations. This situation persisted for more than 18 months. As a result, the events of late 2019 and 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic are deeply engraved in our memories. This is precisely why these years feel so recent rather than distant.
Additionally, the lockdown period brought significant changes to various aspects of life, both positive and negative. One of the key positive impacts was the widespread adoption of remote learning. With schools and universities closed, the internet became the only viable alternative for education. This shift not only made learning more accessible but also encouraged many people to develop new skills.
To put this into perspective, in 2019, approximately 36% of students worldwide were engaged in online education. However, by 2020, this percentage had surged to 74%, marking a dramatic transformation in the way education was delivered.
On the other hand, the pandemic also brought several negative consequences, one of the most significant being the rise of short-form video culture, such as Shorts and Reels. This trend negatively impacted the attention span of children and young people worldwide, making it harder for them to focus for extended periods.
Additionally, the global economic situation became unstable, leading to job losses for many people. Social distancing measures also resulted in widespread isolation and loneliness, which contributed to increased rates of anxiety, stress, and mental health issues many of which persist to this day.
A research project conducted by Duke University studied the mental health of 5,000 individuals after the pandemic. The findings revealed that 40% of participants were still experiencing moderate depression, while 25% suffered from severe depression a stark contrast to their mental well-being before 2020. These results highlight the long-lasting psychological impact of the pandemic on people's lives.
A public survey conducted by the Brookings Institution on 1,000 individuals, two years after the pandemic, revealed alarming insights. 30% of young respondents stated that they felt unable to take control of their lives and that they were merely being carried along by the passing days. This highlights the lingering psychological and emotional challenges that many continue to face even after the crisis has ended.
In addition, several other studies have shown significant personality changes in individuals following the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have become less cooperative, less confident, more anxious, and emotionally unstable. These findings further confirm that the global crisis between 2019 and 2020 not only changed the world but also had a profound and lasting impact on people's mental well-being.
But is this limited to the COVID-19 pandemic alone? The answer is no. As we mentioned earlier, the past five years have been filled with consecutive major events. While none may have been as intense or as globally disruptive as the pandemic, they were still significant and had a considerable impact on the world. One event after another has shaped the course of recent history, making this period one of constant change and uncertainty.
Reasons for life to change after 2019:
The massive wildfires that swept through Brazil and Australia in early 2020 were unprecedented. They were classified as the most intense wildfire outbreaks ever recorded, causing devastating environmental damage. The losses were staggering, with an estimated half a billion animals perishing in the tropical forests. These fires not only destroyed vast ecosystems but also highlighted the growing impact of climate change on our planet.
Severe floods and landslides struck Jakarta, Indonesia, causing widespread destruction, while other devastating floods also hit parts of the Gulf region. In addition, Antarctica recorded its highest temperature ever, a concerning sign of climate change's accelerating effects.
Another rare and shocking event was snowfall in Baghdad only the second time it had occurred in nearly a century. These unusual and extreme weather patterns highlight the growing instability of the global climate.
Aswan, Egypt, recorded an unprecedented temperature of 50°C, marking one of the hottest days in the country’s history. Meanwhile, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico, classified as the strongest earthquake to hit the island in a century.
Additionally, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated Turkey and Syria, affecting several neighboring countries. It was the most powerful earthquake to hit the region in modern history, causing the tragic loss of over 50,000 lives and leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the global economy would shrink by 3% due to the worldwide lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This marked the biggest economic slowdown since the Great Depression.
Meanwhile, the World Trade Organization (WTO) predicted that global trade would decline more severely than during the 2008 financial crisis. Adding to the crisis, the world faced a global energy crisis and a sharp increase in oil prices, further straining economies worldwide.
The past few years have also witnessed major geopolitical and health-related events. Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit) reshaped Europe’s political landscape, while the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan after an 18-year-long military presence, marking a significant shift in global power dynamics.
Additionally, the ongoing war against innocent civilians has gained worldwide attention, with increasing awareness among young people across all religions and nationalities.
On the health front, new disease outbreaks emerged, including monkeypox, the spread of black fungus infections in India, and the dengue fever outbreak in South America further adding to global health concerns.
The unprecedented advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also been a game-changer, with its rapid development in various technologies. This progress is expected to lead to the disappearance of many traditional jobs, reshaping the global workforce and economy.
These, along with numerous other major global events, have all unfolded within an incredibly short span of time, marking this period as one of the most transformative in modern history.
The reason why many feel that time has stopped in 2019:
Psychology experts suggest that when major global events occur consecutively, people around the world experience a heightened sense of instability and insecurity.
This leads to a constant fear of the unknown, causing individuals to continuously reassess their goals, priorities, and ambitions even if they are not directly affected by these crises. The rapid succession of impactful events has left many in a state of uncertainty, reshaping perspectives on life and the future.
All these factors explain why many people feel a sense of shock since 2019 and believe that the world has fundamentally changed. However, when we compare the present era to the tragic events of the past, it becomes clear that despite the challenges we are still living in a relatively peaceful period in history.
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