Explaining past and acting present in the coronavirus era

Abstract

This text is an approach to everyday views and personal and collective responses to the coronavirus, that is, opinions and actions, which are expressed and related between beliefs, emotions and behaviors. Describe, understand and explain the conceptions and experiences that intersect feelings and interpretations of the origin of the pandemic in the recent past and actions and opinions of the present, from the individual level, sometimes extended to the environment, family and society. This is done from interview narratives of a group of people in Mexico City at the beginning of the year 2021. Their ideas about the start of the pandemic are presented, focused on zoonosis, a laboratory and contagion; they affirm the seriousness of the situation and the responsibilities of no one and everyone, and of those who do not comply with the measures, especially. They also reiterate the present need to maintain and respect sanitary measures and even make them stricter and sanctioned, since they are considered necessary, and those who do not abide by them, are the real problem. The general panorama is one of acceptance of the prolongation of the situation and the coming of more pandemics, of adaptation and a positive attitude. Finally, it is possible to interpret an instituted social imaginary, shared social representations, and an important collective conformity that creates and recreates a social consensus, a global socio-health, political and cultural hegemonic model, which comes from obedience to authority and which is consolidated with group thinking, reinforcing even with the pointing out of the other non-compliant as a scapegoat.