PositiveThe New York TimesReading Marissa King’s Social Chemistry during a pandemic is an unsettling experience. King, who wrote her book well before Covid-19 hit, details the dangers of not meeting in person ... And yet, King’s work is one of a number of new books that emphasize the importance of social interaction at this moment of social distancing ... King calls on us to be intentional not just with our individual relationships, but with our networks ... How might we use King’s insights to shape our new existences in the age of Covid? If we know it takes employees an average of three years to determine whom to trust, can we design remote work differently to account for that? If people need about 50 hours to move from acquaintance to friend, how might colleges navigate social life when there are no dorms or physical seminar rooms? If touch helps boost feelings of social support, how do we replace the handshake with a nonphysical exchange that still signals care?
