What Do You Owe Your Neighbor? The Pandemic Might Change Your Answer

America will almost certainly emerge from the coronavirus pandemic as a different society.

Survey with a representative group of 8,000 Americans

surprising paradox:

--> suggests that the shifts are effectively canceling out each other

The survey showed that the crisis is moving Americans toward solidarity.

--> independent of political affiliation, gender, age or geography

--> spotlight on community engagement and, in particular, on the personal risks nurses and doctors are taking to treat their communities

--> we sacrifice our own desires, such as going outside, in the spirit of keeping one another healthy.

--> The Coronavirus has made Americans care more about their country

--> the crisis has highlighted the role of luck in people’s well-being.

--> world leaders test positive

These changes in moral perspective may have important implications for politics.

--> people who prioritized America’s problems over their own were more likely to favor economic redistribution and universal health care.

--> the study doesn’t allow us to estimate the size of the effect

But there are indications in the data that lead us to believe that these effects are of great importance

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--> also captures the significant decline in the level of happiness

--> the poorer respondents showing the greatest decreases in their happiness.

-->The gap between rich and poor Americans’ happiness has expanded