THE reintroduction of professional sport in this so-called ‘new reality’ is not without its oddities.
Firstly, the lack of crowds, replaced by simulated fan cheering sounds at football games, is more reminiscent of computerised games than live sport.
Then there’s the strictly regulated Covid-19 precautionary measures, including social distancing, sanitising the ball every time it goes out of play, sanitising goal posts and corner flags… every possible measure is being taken to prevent the spread of the dreaded virus.
But the minute a goal is scored, rules go out the window and the players dive on top of each other in celebration.
The fact is, human touch is a part of life, and trying to live without it in the age of coronavirus is proving a lot tougher than most of us would’ve thought.
Even the most touch-averse people crave some form of physical contact, whether it’s conscious or not.
Our need for touch
A friend recalled a recent episode of Australian MasterChef where a popular contestant was eliminated from the show.
She stood alone crying, yet stringent social distancing prohibited anyone from giving her a comforting hug.
Sometimes words just aren’t enough to convey our true emotions.
In an article published by Science Mag, social scientist and physician at Yale University, Nicholas Christakis, explained that this lack of physical touch actually goes against natural instinct.
‘The coronavirus is calling on us to suppress our profoundly human and evolutionarily hard-wired impulses for connection: seeing our friends, getting together in groups or touching each other.’
This was reiterated by Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, who was quoted in
Time magazine as saying: ‘Touch is the fundamental language of connection. When you think about a parent-child bond or two friends or romantic partners, a lot of the ways in which we connect and trust and collaborate are founded in touch.’
The forced lack of direct contact affects our emotional and psychological state and even physical well-being.
As Keltner explained: ‘The right type of friendly touch – like hugging your partner or linking arms with a dear friend – calms your stress response down. [Positive] touch activates a big bundle of nerves in your body that improves your immune system, regulates digestion and helps you sleep well.’
Getting innovative
We are fortunate that we’re experiencing an era of technological innovation, with social media platforms and video messaging allowing us to keep in contact with loved ones near and far.
The problem with these modes of communication is they can’t fully replace face-to-face interactions and touch.
As University of Arizona behavioural scientist, Chris Segrin, explains, the subtleties of body language can be lost through electronic communication.
‘When we interact with other people, a lot of the meaning conveyed between two people is actually not conveyed in the actual words, but in non-verbal behaviour. They’re not as good as face-to-face interactions, but they’re infinitely better than no interaction.’
To counteract this sense of isolation, humans have done extraordinary things, such as singing and playing music on balconies in Italy; or simply going out and having a ‘distance braai’ from your respective driveways in South Africa.
In the United Kingdom, Antony Cauvin designed what he called a ‘cuddle curtain’ – a transparent shower curtain with safety sleeves – that allowed him to safely hug his beloved grandmother.
Navigating this new reality
For now, we have to live with this touch-free world.
For parents, having to tell children not to hug their friends or share their toys is counter-intuitive to accepted social norms.
The greater reality is too much for little ones to fully comprehend.
Hopefully the lasting lessons learnt from this time aren’t the need for social avoidance and prioritising the self, but rather the true value of human interaction, and the positive impact we can all have on each other.
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