To think our new normal could be a better way of life?

[Wehttam]

Ok first of all, hear me out. Maybe this is hypothetical fantasy but I think it has merit.

As we are adjusting to Lockdown and both its benefits and disadvantages, I have started thinking about how civilisation may be able to use this as a starting point for a new way of life, accepting the previous 24/7 have it all lifestyle is fundamentally poisonous to our wellbeing.

I fully understand this is a global pandemic and is catastrophic for many people, losing loved ones, suffering illness and the fear of how this could potentially affect many people’s lives going forward economically is a worry no one wants or needs, I am not minimising this nor am I advocating for blanket suffering or pain before you come for me.

Environmentally this is momentarily allowing the planet to slowly recover from one of its biggest problems, Us. Look outside, the air is cleaner already, the noise we had so become used to has quietened, our frantic pace of living has slowed, for most of us this will have untold health benefits as well as benefits to nature we will see manifest further over the coming weeks.

I fully appreciate how for many people this is an uncertain time, those suffering DV or poverty are living in hell, the situation right now is unpeeling the veneer society generally paints over these problems though. What if our new reality was to help those who are vulnerable and suffering but still maintain this level of calm muted living.

Excessive commuting, over consumption of single use anything, traffic everywhere, takeaways, shops, bars clubs, restaurants catering for every niche or whim, flying everywhere incessantly, worrying about having he latest this or that, which all means sweet FA at the moment. What it all boils down to is all of that was needless to actually live and breathe properly wasn’t it?

Eventually once Lockdown starts to be lifted, are you willing to go back to that chaos the outside world had become? I’m not so sure I am and I dont think it will be any good for those who do. Thoughts?

How about you, blue? What are you looking forward to? We still get takeaways now but the teens miss Subway.

Dp who is one of the vulnerable is slowly going up the wall.

His dm has dementia and his behaviour is starting to mirror her decline.

For some people they need that stimulus to function

@Wehttam

You might be the single most patronizing and disengaged person I have ever interacted with on mumsnet.

The dictatorial legislation refers to exactly that. This is what would have to happen if you want all people to live the simple, slow life you're advocating for. This is because many people simply don't enjoy or want to live this way.

Do you actually have any kind of response to my points. You were so keen before to advocate for how this is 'poisonous' for our 'wellbeing'. Or do you concede that you are wrong? There is nothing wrong with you wanting to live a simpler and slower life but not everyone does and no one should be trying to impose this 'new way of life' on anyone

Dearest blueapples it’s not dictating a way of life, to go back to how things were would be a trade off for the lives of the vulnerable and those with underlying medical issues. You do realise that don’t you? Just so we are clear on that point.

I am not asking for the end of normality on a whim or personal endeavour, it’s because our situation may dictate it, not me. Whether we want it or not, there may not be an option in the coming months and that is the essence of this thread if you care to read it from the beginning. It’s about accepting this situation and wondering if we could sustainably live a fulfilling life in harmony with the environment.

You’re welcome my dear, take care.

No.

@Wettham

At no point have I said I want to trade off vulnerable lives for this. There will be a vaccine or eradication or at least control of this eventually and that is when I would like life to go back to normal, once it is safe to do so.

You're right, you are not asking for the end of normality on a whim, you are suggesting it will be a better way of life though and that's what I disagree with. If things change I may have to accept the situation but you will not be convincing me it is somehow better.

Your thread is extremely confused and convoluted and I have read it from the beginning, thank you very much. In one post you talk about how the slower pace of life is more enjoyable and then the next the environment and the next consumerism. Whilst I understand these issues are all connected on some level none of these are direct. A slower pace of life won't improve the environment in itself as it may just mean people stay in all day, keep all the lights on, use electronics and blast the heating/aircon.

So what are you actually advocating for? Less of what you call 'chaos' and 24 hour living? Maintaining the environmental changes we have seen during lockdown? Less consumerism?

Please refrain from calling me 'my dear' I find it extremely patronizing.

For some people I think this still seems like an extended holiday. It’s been Easter holidays and the weathers been great.

We’re a few weeks ahead with pretty unpredictable weather and I’m more than ready for a return to normal. I hate home education, everyone in my house misses their friends and family. It’s getting very boring and I have a constant low level anxiety disrupting my life. I’m worried about older family members.

This lockdown has no end in sight and it’s not sustainable to work from home & look after kids long term. As a result I’ll probably end up giving up the job which I’m unhappy about. Can’t wait for normal.

Your misogyny is striking, Wehttam, but I doubt you have the wit to recognise it for what it is.

That aside, your faux concern and wide eyed positivity about learning lessons is toxic.

Environmental healing, yes. That awful obnoxious poem, hell no.

I haven’t spoken to another person except online in weeks. I almost certainly won’t speak to another person for at least another couple of months. It’s very likely I won’t be able to physically touch another human for a year, maybe more.

I’m reliant on begging strangers on Facebook to fetch me the medications I need to stay alive. Knowing the hospital treatments I need to stay alive have all been cancelled indefinitely.

I have no ability to earn money.

But a load of posh privileged people read books and “made art” so the rest of us are disposable.

I think the OP makes a lot of good points. I’d love to see a shift from our disposable 24/7 culture. But I fear the opposite will happen. This crisis is disproportionately affecting the least privileged (poor people, disabled and the elderly), while wealthy people are barely affected at all and are blithely swanning off to their second homes, even jetting off on foreign holidays!

There’s a real risk that the lowest rung of society will be wiped out, and it’s that lowest rung who are low consumers and have the least environmental impact. Most waste and damage isn’t caused by individuals but but corporations and the 1%, and it’s those who will survive and thrive in the post-corona world. The wealthy are protected and they certainly won’t be making changes.

It wasn't that long ago people mocked and laughed at the mere thought of Clovid 19 coming here. People mocked and laughed about schools closing, education being suspended, food rationing, mass job loss, lockdown.

Instead, it was lots of oh please stop being so dramatical, hysterical, crazy, unhinged, live in another reality, deluded, insane. Haha. Nope would never happen to me. My job is secure.

These, comments made on this same forum. Many of you may have been posting on those threads or at least read some and thought yea yea, not this bs again.

And yet. Would you look at that? Here we are.
Same has happened time and time before. So sure about the future. When reality is, no-one knows what today will bring let alone tomorrow.

And let's be really honest here. How are some of YOUR loved ones, family, friends, colleagues going to be around you after this?

Always there knowing what they are doing. Passing notes through letterboxes because of some reason. Calling the police cos David at number 52 went to the shops twice in one week, selfish bastard, going out. Making up daft laws to suit your own narrative.

Those smug panic buyers, posting asking for freezers because oopsie bought a bit too much (behind them enough food to fill a shop). Obviously you fucking did, otherwise unless yours actually fucking needed replacement, it clearly was never needed before. Why was that? Household suddenly quadrupled overnight? No didn't think so.

And in the meantime, your neighbours are growing resentful. Stuck at home, several tabs open, multiple devices, across multiple stores. Panicking looking at their food fast running out. Feeling desperate to be told, silly fucker should have thought about this before we went into lockdown. I managed to book 4 slots this week alone * And same until when they stop, don't be daft, my slot won't be cancelled, I'm fffarrrr toooo special don't you know?

Do you really think they are going to stand there, over the garden fence now that you can? All nice and laughing and friendly as before? Always someone hosting a bbq etc.

Or do you perhaps think they will remember having to use that old newspaper or top to wipe their arse? That time mum couldn't get baby milk unless she spent £50 on something that should have been a lot cheaper?

Might even find out they are extra friendly, and not only suggest you shove something up your arse. They also might have a few suggestions about how to suggestions to shove up there to help you arrive quickly to your destination. Oh and a tad earlier.

Opps silly me. Such an idiot. What am I thinking? Of course, there's that thing that some people seem to get. So rare noone only certain people seems to get it. It's called I'm too special, aka would never happen to be. I was sure there were more examples, but maybe not.

@Wehttam
Why do I appear drunk?
Because I don't believe in some bullshit idyllic version of what things will be like in the future?

Did I question or imply that you were intoxicated in some way?

Or simply posted what I considered the plausible possibilities.

If it's about grammar, spelling, mixed-up words etc. I try my best. However, something happened outside my control and I wish I could write like I used to. Not that I should have to explain a thing, but sometimes it's better to say it now, rather than being accused at another time by anyone of only mentioning now because of x,y,z.

Although I did use to be crap at Charades. I'm now a born natural at "trying to explain something without mentioning the name. Even simple things like bloody shampoo escapes me." 🤣🤣

And if I have posted something that doesn't make sense, all you have to do is ask and hopefully I, or even at times other posters, will explain the general context.

it’s not dictating a way of life, to go back to how things were would be a trade off for the lives of the vulnerable and those with underlying medical issues. You do realise that don’t you? Just so we are clear on that point.

In the long run, if we don't go back to how things were we will be causing the deaths of even more people - you do realise that, don't you? that we are not producing enough to sustain this lockdown? That it's run off borrowed money that will run out? And if it did run out we wouldn't have the hospitals and ventilators or many other things that keep many of the vulnerable and those with underlying medical conditions (and the rest of us too) alive.

Just read this article and thought of this thread, it's long and a bit America focused but I think well worth a read.

forge.medium.com/prepare-for-the-ultimate-gaslighting-6a8ce3f0a0e0

And are people still getting all uppity thinking the OP was suggesting we sustain this lockdown as its a better way to live. Of course we don't sustain this lockdown, don't be so ridiculous and goady. This is about a chance to look at how the world got into this mess in the first place and learn lessons from it and redefine a new normal after all this where we get back the things that make us happy but have an awareness of and stop the destructive stuff. Anyone who is so pessimistic they don't believe that can happen so they're not going to even bother needs to take a long look at themselves.

The way you have spoken to some grieving and struggling people on this thread is truly despicable OP.

I was with the op until I started reading the whole thread. Then well.

That poem

What will come after this is a huge global recession which will most likely lead to more deaths than this virus has caused, poverty for a whole new generation of children, the collapse of the NHS and hardship for many many people. Forgive me if I’m not looking forward to a life where Mother Nature has healed herself

Goady
As
Fuck

I'm not finding lockdown too bad. But I live in a detached house with a garden in a semi-rural area. My husband and I can both work from home, we have access to the internet and we have access to fairly quiet farm shops where we can get supplies.

I'm very aware I'm lucky. I imagine if I was an essential worker worried about catching the virus and bringing it home to my family, or poor, or living in a 5th tiny flat in the middle of a city, then this whole situation would absolutely suck.

Emily Maitlis's comments about how this situation was impacting disproportionately on the poorer members of society was absolutely spot on.

Oh and Mother Nature is a figment of your deeply unpleasant gaslighting imagination
Still haven't clarified your point about karma have you
Anyway I'm off to work
I'll see what positives I can glean from that today dealing with some of the most vulnerable people affected by this
I'll be sure to share your thoughts with them
Op and read them that little poem
Sure they'll be thrilled

The thing is I'm good. Fairly accepting of the situation,muddling on. I can do that without the spiritual and Mother Earth psychobabble that you are obnoxiously pissing everywhere.

Just because it makes you "happy" doesn't mean you have to subject everyone else to it.

@Santaclauswhosthat I'm really sorry for your loss.

@Wehttam

“I would reconsider your inability to look on the bright side, because after all, out of the Darkness comes the light. It will do your wellbeing a great deal of good and help your mental health”

An actual quote from what you wrote to me. Don’t gaslight me

Yes, OP does seem focused on answering the commenters who are more worked up, so that s/he can respond with a saccharine "dearest" or two and upset them further.