social distance
A newfound etiquette measuring the gap between humans to avoid mingling with viruses. It masquerades as consideration while concealing personal anxieties under a veneer of solemn ritual. In public spaces, it draws invisible lines that heighten silent pressure the further one steps back. It fashions mass psychology in fear of unseen pathogens, vending both politeness and panic in equal measure. A social contract that forfeits the right to closeness yet grants a peculiar sense of self-satisfaction.