By Betsy Gonwa, 
It is interesting to me in these days of social distancing and self-isolation to observe how difficult it is for so many to do. Why am I surprised? After all, we are social creatures.
Apparently, it is difficult and painful, to be disconnected, particularly, it appears, when it is forced on us.
No wonder the practices of shunning and ostracization became the primary methods of punishment. Perhaps it happened naturally because it was the most painful consequence that could be inflicted.
We still inflict isolation on those who we judge as wrongdoers. Some of us have experienced this as “the silent treatment” in our families of origin. Maybe we do it ourselves. We send others to prison for years, many years, even for their whole lives to live isolated from society. When given a choice to save the lives of the less vulnerable, to protect our health care system from collapsing, to protect our health care workers, it is a challenge to embrace isolation and forego connection for even a period of days or weeks.
How can we persuade ourselves to voluntarily self-isolate? To recognize it is a choice for life and not for punishment? When our evolution to this point has taught us that it is punishment, and when we feel the pain of separation?
Perhaps, the experience of our entire society of forcibly imposed isolation will open up minds to how inhumane is the system of punishment that we practice — with the silent treatment practiced in the home, by children and teens in their cliques, in school disciplinary systems, and with the system of retributive justice. This could be an opportunity for our society as a whole to open our minds to the longer view.
Society appears to agree that social distancing and self-isolation are appropriate actions to take to avoid contagion, but it has tremendous negative impact on society, and most individuals do it only reluctantly. After personally experiencing the pain of isolation, how can we justify isolation as an acceptable practice in any situation?
