Press Herald asks Miller, ‘When will life get back to normal?’

The Portland Press Herald interviewed Jessica Miller, professor of philosophy at the University of Maine, for the article “When will life get back to normal?” The Press Herald posed the question to a variety of experts, including doctors, philosophers, historians and sociologists. When asked the question, Miller said “Normal will never be the same, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” The pandemic, she said, highlights the disparities in health, issues with congregate living settings such as nursing homes and prisons, the effects of racism and injustice in policing. “I hope these awakenings lead to meaningful social change, a new and more just normal for those whose health and well-being have counted for less,” she said. “For everyone, the pandemic has meant a daily reminder of the fragility and limits of human life. With a vaccine and treatments on the horizon, I expect our anxieties will subside, but I hope we retain two things, one practical and one philosophical.”