Also read: Chat remotely – get started with Discord in 5 minutes
I would also like to strike a blow for digital communication. As these lines are being written, I am – barring X number of walks – in my third week of what can most closely resemble home isolation. The only one I see regularly is my wife. Before this misery (the virus, that is!) swept across Sweden, the weekends were fully booked with couples’ dinners, excursions and other things that satisfied one’s social needs.
The new stay at home is a tricky adjustment. For my wife – not for me. I spend more time with friends than ever before. This weekend we met seven people and played board games. A voice client, webcam and of course the game itself (Tabletop Simulator) was all that was required.
The experience was deceptively similar to its analog counterpart. The hours passed in a flash and everyone was touchingly in agreement that the experience felt special.
Tip: 10 time-consuming games for long weekends at home
On the streaming site Twitch, people sit and paint, play guitar and enjoy computer games in front of thousands of viewers. Netflix launches its party function in Sweden, which allows you to watch movies and chat with connected friends at the same time. My condominium association is preparing the spring annual general meeting digitally.
Despite the terrifying setting, I can’t help but be fascinated by man’s ability to adapt. I’m also having a hard time getting over the fact that the digital board game night was in many ways superior to its analog counterpart (unlimited table space, no travel times, no risk of infection).
Will the covid 19 pandemic be a turning point to look back on in a few decades, showing the way people interact with each other before and after? Or am I just caught up in the news and clamoring for restaurant visits and vacations in a couple of weeks? We shall see…