TANDEM RESEARCH

Digitalization of Daily Communication

Maintains Close Social Relationships During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Alex1
Fajar Adi Maulana 2
Reva3

Abstract

Introduction

In 2020, the world is in shock with the arrival of a deadly virus. Based on the statistics
released by Google regarding this virus, as of August 12, 2020, this virus has caused
approximately 737 thousand human lives lost with a total of 20.1 million positive cases and
12.4 million patients of whom were declared cured. The first confirmed case of this virus
came from the city of Wuhan, China in 2019. The traditional market in the city of Wuhan is
considered to play an important role in the spread of this virus. This is inseparable from the
consumption pattern of people in the city of Wuhan who like animals such as dogs, bats,
snakes, and so on. Bats are considered the main stars because according to an article
published by the MIT Technology Review on April 15, 2020, it was written that 96% of the
bat genome resembles the genome structure of this virus. Other speculation states that this
virus originated from a laboratory in the city of Wuhan which was deliberately released or
because human error caused this virus to spread throughout the world. WHO then released
the naming of this virus to prevent the occurrence of stigma against certain countries or

1
University of Freiburg, German.
2
University of Indonesia, Indonesia.
3
University of Indonesia, Indonesia.
groups. The name of this virus is SARS-CoV-2; so-called (SARS) because this virus was
found as a variant in the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak which also originated from the People's
Republic of China (PRC). On the other hand, the naming of this disease is Covid-19 (Corona
Virus Disease 2019).
The first Covid-19 case in Indonesia occurred on March 2, 2020, which happened to
two residents of Depok city after being proven to have made contact with a Japanese citizen
who tested positive for Covid-19 in Malaysia. This first case caused panic, especially in the
people of Depok. Instantly panic buying occurred at outlets such as Alfamart and Indomaret
for commodities that were considered capable of protecting themselves, such as surgical
masks (masks commonly used by doctors and nurses in hospitals) and hand sanitizers. Panic
buying is not only happening in Indonesia - long before the positive news of Covid-19
spread, the panic buying phenomenon has hit Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Italy, or other
countries. Rare commodities are also the same - surgical masks, hand sanitizers to other
foodstuffs are experiencing extreme shortages followed by an increase in selling prices. The
psychological impact of certain commodities was felt spontaneously in Indonesia when news
broke that something positive was Covid-19. The demands for implementing a national
lockdown echo throughout the country. Unfortunately, however, the central government did
not do this and preferred to carry out the PSBB or Large-Scale Social Execution; If the
regional head is proven to have carried out an area lockdown, he will going to prison.
The Covid-19 pandemic then forces humans to change the pattern of life activities
that have been doing before; study, meetings, religious rituals, hobbies, work - all done at
home on an online basis. The use of video conferencing such as Google Meets, Microsoft
team, ZOOM, Skype is becoming prevalent; it is starting to be recognized by anyone. This
online-based activity carried out to reduce the rate of spread of Covid-19 in specific sectors
that are considered capable of spreading the Covid-19 disease massively - schools,
universities, offices, worship places, malls, discotheques, restaurants, cafes, which restricted
in their activities. Anyone starts to campaigned slogans such as social distancing, work from
home, #stayathome by influencers, celebrities, students, activists, lecturers, government,
young people, parents, doctors, scientists, musicians, actresses - to reduce the transmission of
the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Covid-19 pandemic is truly unsettling - at least for me. First, people cannot go
out of the house except for crucial matters. Second, the price of basic commodities has
increased. I saw onions at Superindo for the one for 20 thousand rupiahs for one piece. Third,
people with extrovert personalities feel very depressed by the application of this
self-distancing or self-isolation. Reducing social interaction boundaries becomes boring for
them because they usually don't stay quiet at home. But, from the front of self-isolation
(staying at this house), it creates new things that rarely done. Free-time activities are the
primary way to kill boredom during self-isolation.
Moreover, it is certain that all ages felt loneliness and stress. This self-isolation
subjects the individual into a stage of self-marginalization. “This coronavirus will have given
many people their first taste of social isolation, being told when you can go out, who and how
many you can meet. Having dementia is like this all of the time” (Dunne 2020, April 16).

Methodology
The research uses a combination method of digital ethnography, observation, and
auto-ethnography. The development of methodological approaches in anthropology is
increasingly fluid. The contemporary world made people who are closer to technology. That
is what then makes anthropology expand the scope of its approach, not primarily to take a
digital approach to see how social relations happened in a contemporary world.

“Digital ethnography outlines an approach to doing ethnography in a

contemporary world. It invites researcher to consider how we live and research in
a digital, material and sensory environment… digital Ethnography also explores
the consequences of the presence of digital media in shaping the techniques and
processes through which we practice ethnography, and accounts for how the
digital, methodological, practical and theoretical dimensions of ethnographic
research are increasingly intertwined.”

(Sarah Pink, 2016: introduction).

On the other hand, auto-ethnography also used in this research process. Auto-ethnography is
commonly used to see how the experiences of researchers who are connected with other
people to engage in processes of explaining social phenomena.

“Autoethnographic stories are artistic and analytic demonstrations of how we

come to know, name, and interpret personal and cultural experience. With
autoethnography, we use our experience to engage ourselves, others, culture(s),
politics, and social research. In doing autoethnography, we confront “the tension
between insider and outsider perspectives, between social practice and social
constraint.”
 (Adams, Tony E., et al, 2014: 1).
Ethnographic research at the time of this pandemic provided new experiences,
especially for me -- I called as ‘Doing fieldwork from home’. In the research I have done, I
go out into the field and meet people face-to-face and interview. But this time is different; it
is impossible to meet in person given the rapid spread of Covid-19. Finally, I chose to do
interviews through medium such as Whatsapp Call, ZOOM, and Google Meet. Constraints
such as unclear voice, poor internet connection, or minor/major disturbances are reflections
of ethnographic research in its current situations.

The Result
Social relations are a connection between two or more people, and there is a
reciprocal relationship in these connections. The impact of this relationship then makes the
individuals engage to maintain the existing relation. In the form of culture, maintaining social
relations that have occurred can be in the form of exchange of goods, or we are known as
reciprocity. This relationship makes the individuals/groups involved in it more intimate. On
the other hand, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought humans into the stage of not having
physical contact with other humans to not transmit the virus to one another. Therefore, the
impact of these events makes humans stay at home and refrain from meeting other people.
Then, the question is, how do these people maintain the social relations that have
existed before? This is how people maintain close relationships.
The World Economic Forum (@wef) released an infographic on the increased use of
video chat applications during the Corona Covid-19 pandemic. The infographic shows a
sharp increase by the Zoom application in March (26.9 million users) compared to January (2
million users) or in February (4.5 million users). This graphic shows that the need for Video
Chat Apps has increased dramatically, given the conditions of the Corona Covid-19
pandemic, which do not allow people to interact face-to-face - thus requiring a 3rd party as a
bridge to bring people together online.
In one interview, the people who I interviewed said that he used video conferences to
meet and chat virtually with his friends.
 “wah awal pandemi parah sih, gue rindu banget ngomong dan tukar pikiran
sama orang, menyiasatinya ya pakai Zoom atau Google Meet. (Wow, the
beginning of this pandemic, I miss talking and exchanging ideas with people, as
a workaround, I use Zoom or Google Meet).”
(Aqil, interviewed, July 24, 2020).
“Gue selalu bersemangat kalau teman gue, ‘hai, ada yang kosong gak?’ gue
akan balas ‘gue kosong, nih.’ Padahal kondisinya gue lagi revisian skripsi, dan
kemudian kami Google Meet. ("I'm always excited when my friends ask, 'hai, is
there anyone free or not? I will reply, 'I'm free.' Even though I'm revising my
thesis, and we start to Google Meet).
(Rayi, interviewed, July 10, 2020).

The ways used by Aqil and Ara that utilizing video conference, however, in depressed
conditions, humans will find another way for how to maintain the social relations -- Hence,
this pandemic does not cut off those social relations; it will be more to strengthen existing
relations before. Later, it will increasingly interpret the meaning of the meeting itself.
A gift, referring to the writing of Marcell Mauss. Mauss discussed in his book that
giving something (a gift) to someone else is not in the intention of giving unconditionally -
there will always be the intention of the giver to receive a reply from the recipient. The reply
period is also relative; it can be short or long. That is what Mauss later called reciprocity - the
exchange of goods or gifts carried out by individuals/groups with a purpose to maintaining
social relations between the giver and receiver. If there is no form of reciprocation, then this
will result in the tradition of giving the next item/gift.
Rayi, my friend and also my informant, said that he often gives gifts to friends -
especially now that he is in the middle of a thesis trial, "yap, if my friend finally passed the
final exam or thesis examination, I usually give a gift. I wonder why? I don't know. I just like
to give a gift," said Rayi. Rayi also added that the gifts he usually gave were snacks,
chocolates, or flowers. This gift makes the friendship between Rayi and friends even closer.
Appreciation turns into a medium to maintain close relationships in friendship. It is as if there
is a feeling in the recipient 'he cares about me, next time I'll give it back.' This reciprocal
relationship makes a close bond in friendships, such as the Rayi case.
Another way to maintain close friendships is to play games with them. Asep, Fatwa,
Habib, Rinov, Indra, and I often play mobile games, Mobile Legend, one of Indonesia's most
popular games. We formed an e-sports team, called KONS. Every night we played the game,
from 8 pm to 10 pm, can also untill 11 pm or more. There are features such as a microphone
and speaker, making it possible to hear team conversations in the game. Usually, apart from
talking about strategy in the game, we talk about our thesis progress (yes, we are final
students). At one time I asked, "How is the progress of your thesis, guys?", Then Asep
replied, "I just sent a revision yesterday to Mas Toni. He scribbled a lot, and I became lazy to
fixed it (laughs). "Another fatwa answer," I don't know, I'm still confused about what topic to
discuss because the data in Riau can't be used."
We sometimes joke around with each other too, make fun of our friend skills that we
don't think are so kind and laugh at them. He laughed along to, so there was no anger
between us because it was only to break the ice so that it wouldn't be too tense in the game.
We also have a Whatsapp group called ML ANTROP 16. In that group, we talk about
reflections on the strategies that have been implemented before, what is bad and what needs
to be trained again to be better.
Those are the ways how to maintain a close friend relationship, especially in a
pandemic like this time. Moreover, at times like this, moral support means a lot to any
individual. This pandemic has brought individuals to a stage where many people suddenly
experience psychological distress when they stay at home for too long, and family
relationships might become less harmonious. People at this stage are at risk of experiencing
emotional instability and are prone to anger and boredom. The existence of social support
such as having close friends, is one effective solution to being able to survive these times. We
can forget for a moment about this pandemic and behave normally.
Finally, an article said that during this pandemic, stress management can improve the
body's physiological function; because it allows individuals to control how they can survive
when faced with the same conditions.
“In the face of a global pandemic, avoiding stress altogether is simply not an
option. For instance, some research finds these mind-sets can increase the
possibility of ‘stress-related growth’, a phenomenon in which stressful
experiences serve to increase physiological toughening, help reorganize our
priorities and can help lead to deeper relationships and a greater appreciation for
life” (Bavel, J.J.V., et al. 2020).

Conclusion
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