A Lexicon Primer for the Pandemic
It’s been said that when you want to change a culture the first thing to do is to control the language. For better or worse our culture at large, and leadership in particular, has introduced a whole series of phrases and words we’ve heard before but now have new meaning.
Immersive
What it used to mean – when your swim teacher taught you to hold your breath underwater
What it means in 2020-2021 – surrounding your client with a total sensory experience
Interactive
What it used to mean – playing nice with the other kids…no fighting, no pushing, no biting
What it means in 2020-2021 – Creating an environment or digital platform that requires the participant to participate rather than simply observe
Pivot
What it used to mean – a position or move by a player on a basketball team
What it means in 2020-2021 – what everyone in the event industry is doing to stay alive by offering products and services they previously never thought they’d be selling
Experiential
What it used to mean – the first time you went to Disney World and rode the “Soar” ride
What it means in 2020-2021 – the all-inclusive buzzword referencing all activities designed for multi-sensory experiences
Herd Immunity
What it used to mean – being able to get along with your in-laws…tested especially on Thanksgiving
What it means in 2020-2021 – the point where enough of the population develops the virus antibodies and we can go back to some version of the new normal
Social Distancing
What it used to mean – the practice of avoiding and vilifying people you don’t like, perfected by many teenage girls
What it means in 2020-2021 – the arbitrary distance of 6’ between people, enough to supposedly keep from transmitting the virus
PPE
What it used to mean – Physical Education (except with a stutter)
What it means in 2020-2021 – Personal Protective Equipment, like a mask (which used to be the reserved for use by superheroes)
Mask (see PPE)
Zoom
What it used to mean – the sound a toddler makes when playing with a toy airplane or car
What it means in 2020-2021 – the stock we all wish we bought shares of in 2019
COVID 19
What it used to mean – the technical descriptor used to identify the virus
What it means in 2020-2021 – the additional weight gained by the average person forced to quarantine, but with a cable subscription and bandwidth capable of supporting binge watching while binge eating
Homeschooling
What it used to mean – education previously practiced by a small group of parents
What it means in 2020-2021 – the burden thrust on virtually every parent unprepared to educate at home while attempting to:
Get a teenager out of bed before 12 noon
Hide the PlayStation during “school” hours
Remember the simple principles of Algebra 1
