History tells us that it often takes a large-scale war for humans to truly identify and seize opportunities that lead to societies leaping forward.

Desperate measures to win a ‘fight’ open up acceptance levels for all sorts of ideas and concepts that society might usually consider outlandish, too hard or unnecessary.

We’re talking about items such as computers, the internet, microwave ovens, digital cameras, global-position satellite systems, blood banks, jet engines and even canned food to name a few – all can trace their origins back to some form of conflict, war or need to gain a military advantage.

We’re at war now – not in a fight against other people – but a microscopic part of nature proving just as deadly as a bullet or a bomb and representing a foe we need to beat.

And again, as result of one hefty collective international ‘donnybrook’, there is demand for humanity to enter a new chapter of ingenuity and adaptation.

Being forced into uncomfortable working arrangements, like any war, is forcing us to reinvent how we live, work and play – or at least open a new world of options for when circumstances return to normal.

This has led to creative adaptations and what we’ve seen of late, particularly from many clever and desperate business people and service providers, has been impressive.

Everyday people, understanding a need to support businesses, have also backed new ideas.

This is more than simply transforming restaurants into take-away businesses – although this is a clear adaptive move. It’s about unlocking or swinging the door wide open for alternative trading opportunities – while all the while maintaining our social distance until the ‘bug’ loses oomph.

While many businesses and service providers have been forced to close their doors and lay off workers, others are running operations from home offices and-or working in isolation while being connected to work-mates and customers through digital technology.

For some in remote areas of Australia working in isolation is nothing new. For others it is a daunting new experience.

What does this all mean for everything from worldwide trading to going about our everyday lives in the future? We’re not sure. But history tells that at the end of international war there are often strong moves to capitalise on lessons learned. One glaring observation is that we are missing a national self-sufficiency for many products on which we have come to rely. There are obvious questions; what do we need and can we make it here? If not, why not? We watch this space with interest.

Another key observation is that circumstances, again like in any war-time situation, are galvanising the importance of communication for society to survive and ultimately thrive.

If we can talk to each other, get a message through, keep people informed, share what we’re doing or selling in credible ways – we can find a way to get to the other side of this crisis.

The entire April 1, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!