AIBU to wonder why so many SNITCHES on here?!

[GinDaddyRedux]

This is not a joke thread. What is it with all the "AIBU to report..." at the moment?

I can understand the febrile atmosphere due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus. I too was angry when I read the Cummings story and the subsequent reinterpretation of the lockdown rules by no.10 - for a containment strategy to work, people need to trust Government and voluntarily sacrifice to contain the virus.

However... there are just so many scenarios where someone is keen to report a neighbour, friend or individual for suspected behaviour. They won't confront that person and ask them why. They won't gain much if anything from the reporting. But they just have to report... because anything else would mean they're locking down and someone else is gaining an advantage, and that won't do.

I wonder aloud if this will continue post-Coronavirus. Will we remain a tell-tale society where people immediately report like primary school on people they can't stand and want to be punished?

AIBU for being a bit fatigued by all the ratting and telling going on?

[AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter]

So what harm befell they when they explained that then

Plenty actually. Imagine being reported when you are an NHS worker coming off a 12 hour nursing shift when you already feel exhausted and drained and your mental health is near to breaking point.

Its disgusting to report people when you dont know the full facts (barring loud parties obviously).

[CovidicusRex]

This was already a thing before covid. Don’t you remember all the people coming on here to ask whether they should report ‘benefits fraud’ which actually turned out to be someone they thought might be on benefits having a better lifestyle than they thought someone on benefits was allowed? Or calling people names for privately educating their children and blaming them for inequality instead of blaming the state school system for failing to provide an adequate education

[Mirrorxx]

Urgh I really hate people who call it snitching. Like people who refuse to report criminals because it’s snitching. So childish and pathetic

[AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter]

This was already a thing before covid. Don’t you remember all the people coming on here to ask whether they should report ‘benefits fraud’ which actually turned out to be someone they thought might be on benefits having a better lifestyle than they thought someone on benefits was allowed

Yep- not to mention wasting police time that could be spent working on actual crimes. I think people that make needless reports to the police on the basis of little to no information should be charged with wasting police time.

[Justanotherscumbag]

Q"Which many of those reported were actually doing!"

So what harm befell they when they explained that then?

But they're not given the chance to explain to the people making the accusations are they? Because the people making the accusations don't bother to ask.
I'd have much preferred to have been reported to the police actually because I know what I was doing was well within the 'rules', and could at least have explained to them. I don't know if I was reported, but it wasn't followed up on.
Instead I got anonymous notes posted through the door, bravely while I'm out, (oh the irony of someone breaking the rules leaving home for something non essential to complain about someone they think is breaking the rules by leaving home) and passive aggressive shouting between neighbours in their gardens about rule breakers every time I left or came home.
I may not have been harmed but it's certainly not been a pleasant experience, and not one of these morally superior beings just asked a question.
Nope, because then they'd have been told I'm volunteering with a local group, the same local group that has helped many in this village. Then they'd have lost any moral high ground and looked like a twat.
And that would never do.
It's only two houses, the type that think they rule the roost anyway because they've lived here the longest, and the other couple of houses that want to stay on the right side of them so they're not subject to it too.

[OldQueen1969]

What has bothered me quite alot are responses to people posting who have "infringed" lockdown rules suggesting that they should forgo medical assistance if they contract the virus.

Are we going to get to a point where if someone contracts the virus during lockdown it will be assumed it's their own fault for "breaking a rule" and they may be charged and / or denied treatment because it "must be their own fault" and such measures would frighten others into stricter compliance?

Okay so it's an extreme and dystopian thought, but some of the accusations and insults I have seen on threads suggest that punishment by death from covid for rule breaking would seem to be quite fair.

[LastTrainEast]

There are two different groups really. Those rightly angry at a blatant disregard for the safety of everyone have a point (though I'm not sure reporting does anything). Perhaps they are looking at a huge party or outdoor event that is clearly endangering everyone.

The others who are angry about a suspected technical violation are probably the same people who reported neighbours on benefits for having clothes that were "too nice" or "they were gone for 2 week in August. How can they afford a holiday"

That second group don't know all the facts (and didn't before when they harassed benefit claimants). They just want to report someone - anyone really. We've even had people harassing NHS staff on their way to work for being out.

Those 'reporters' we can do without.

[Hingeandbracket]

I come from a culture where we talk about snitches and tellers

Where criminals are heroes and in charge?

[Thecruxxofitis]

I come from a culture where we talk about snitches and tellers
Naples or Sicily?

[rosiejaune]

rawlikesushi they might assume they'd get a ticking off, and that might be the case right now (unless you're black and get tased for taking food to your vulnerable mother...), but it prepares the ground for greater authoritarianism. When it happens gradually, more people go along with it.

[LastTrainEast]

OldQueen1969 well as you can see in my previous post I'm not really with the curtain twitchers, but I kind of understand someone saying "but then you shouldn't get treated if you get it."

Mostly I've seen that directed at those who said outright that they personally would be ignoring all rules as they didn't care what happened to other people. I still wouldn't deny them treatment, but I'd like them to consider the thought in hopes it helps them get the point.

[SaskiaRembrandt]

@GinDaddyRedux this is not a joke post - what is your obsession with snitching? It's pretty much all you ever post about, do you have no other interests? No opinions on anything that isn't snitch related? Not watched a really good film you'd like to discuss? What about cheese, what is your opinion of cheese?

[BogRollBOGOF]

Reporting large, blatent transgressions of the law on lockdown particularly in the early days when the virus had a much higher community transmission was fair enough as it was creating favourable conditions for the virus to spread.

There has been a massive amount of snitching over trivial issues, many of which are totally innocent and within the guidelines and others totally consequence-free.

So many people not only took the guidelines seriously but added extra layers to them and get upset that others are not following non-existent rules. So many people shaming others for non-crimes such as not joining The Clap.

Snitiching is the perfect word to describe petty grassing up and bitching over non-issues.

The scariest thing about the past few months is how quickly a significant proportion of the population will turn on itself, as with the rise of Nazism or the Cultural Revolution, and without any practical self preservation involved. Clearly I was always wrong to assume that most did it in the face of self preservation against draconian consquences, but no they are just pathetic, vindictive individuals boosting their self-esteem.

[LemmysAceCard]

I am waiting to be "snitched" on by my curtain twitching neighbours as my son who doesnt live with me has been coming round everyday for the last 2 weeks. If they asked i would tell them - he bought and moved into a new house 2 weeks ago but as we are in the pandemic BT will not come out and install his internet. The earliest they would come out is second week in June.

Son has to work from home as they office is shut and he needs the internet so has had to start coming here to be able to work, if he doesnt work he doesnt get paid, then cant pay is new mortgage.

He doesnt mix with other households and we dont so the chances of passing covid onto each other is slim. But i am still expecting a knock on the door from the police.

[Bluntness100]

I’d agree a blatant transgression that could cause major risk in the early days was something understandable.

Now much of it is “I stayed in. So fuck you” type snitching. Its often not about risk. It’s about the Smug satisfaction of telling. That rare moment where they get to be superior.

I do wonder if these adults were the unpopular kid in school who did the same thing then. Reported minor transgressions to teachers or parents, and are equally unpopular in adult life. I really wouldn’t be surprised if there was a correlation.

[Sparklingbrook]

I hadn’t heard the expression ‘snitching’ since primary school and then not often and ‘telling’ as in ‘I’m telling of you’ the same.

[Delta1]

Completely agree. It's an awful part of this whole saga and it turns my stomach. I need to stay off the numerous 'Should I report ....' threads as I just get riled up...And as @BubblesBuddy says, the word Snitch is exactly the right word.
I think @Bluntness100 's description of the likely character traits of these people is spot on. I cannot think of a single friend, family member or casual acquaintance in my life currently, who I could imagine snitching on people like this. Thank God.
Let's hope this whole miserable episode comes to a close soon, so these awful people can go back to being miserable on their own, without the benefit of a soap box to give them their thrills.

[SharonasCorona]

Another thread attacking women for having an ‘angry’ opinion. Yawn.

[Rosebel]

So is it all laws you think we should ignore or just the ones relating to lockdown?
I,haven't reported anyone but am sick to death of following the rules only to watch others doing whatever they want. If only people could follow the rules there would be no need for snitching.

[Waveysnail]

"Snitch" are you 5

[LaurieMarlow]

@GinDaddyRedux this is not a joke post - what is your obsession with snitching? It's pretty much all you ever post about, do you have no other interests? No opinions on anything that isn't snitch related?

This is what I was going to say. Wtf is it with this poster and ‘snitching’ like we’re all still in primary school?

[Highonpotandused]

He/she also refuses to answer if he’s male on another thread.

[mencken]

snitches, sneaks, grasses. It is so embarrassing that this is allegedly a predominantly female site with so many clearly having a playground mentality.

[FrippEnos]

Bluntness100
I do wonder if these adults were the unpopular kid in school who did the same thing then. Reported minor transgressions to teachers or parents, and are equally unpopular in adult life. I really wouldn’t be surprised if there was a correlation.

I wonder if those against "snitching" are the ones that bullied kids and then beat them up/turned others against them because they had the audacity to try and get help by "snitching" and are still getting away with bullying people because they manage to get others to turn against the "snitches"?

[cologne4711]

Urgh I really hate people who call it snitching. Like people who refuse to report criminals because it’s snitching. So childish and pathetic

In most cases it's the "snitching" that is childish and pathetic.

There is a big difference between reporting a crime and reporting someone for going out more than once a day. As people have pointed out, in most cases you do not know the facts and you have no idea why someone may be apparently breaking the rules. It really is better to mind your own business, stick to the rules yourself and forget it.

At the moment you see more and more people out and about and think they're probably technically breaking the rules but unless it affects me I don't care.

If bonfires were illegal I would report that because it affects me and it's dangerous, sadly they are allowed. But I am not reporting someone for talking to someone from outside their household less than 2m apart.