To loathe the phrase 'The new normal'

[opalescent]

I don't want to accept for a moment that any of these measures are permanent, and that's what this phrase implies (to me!).

This event will come to an end. Even if that just means accepting a low level of coronavirus existing in the community, and even if there are localised outbreaks in the future.

So why are we talking about a 'new normal'?

It's an annoying phrase, not so much because of the meaning but because of the way it's usually used. I always hear it from people who seem insufficiently skeptical.

Marsha

My dh HATES unprecedented - he always shouts "no it's not" at the tv when they say it.

Bubbles popping is the newest and worst phrase atm.

Goosefoot yep

Also add challenging / strange times to mix

@Goosefoot

I have to leave the room before I start destroying inanimate objects every single winter when the news is reporting on the 'unprecedented' two inches of snow....... that the very same place had at the very same point the year before.

I can feel myself boiling just typing this.....

YANBU I detest it

I find it is patronising, as if I’m going to accept this crappy half life existence over the full, sociable interesting life I had before covid. I don’t think so.

The only concession I will make to the “new normal” is never seeing MIL again but quite frankly I’d rather grit my teeth and see her a couple of times a year to get my old life back.

All sorts of shit gets whitewashed with the word normal but this gives me the rage. Every aspect of my life has been made worse under this "new normal" and like fuck am I going to accept it with a positive attitude.

I won't accept a "new normal", sorry. I'll follow the government advice at the moment but I am not intending to change my life permanently. I don't like this way of life and I'll go back to doing exactly what I did before as soon as I'm allowed.

I hate the phrase.

It is very negative and gives no hope.

Surely things cannot/won't stay as they are forever.

Perhaps the phrase 'temporary new normal' would be better.

Are any people making masks doing ones with messages on them? I want one which says "This is NOT my new normal".

@ActuallyItsEugene

YANBU.

Can't stand it. There's no such thing as 'new normal', it's an oxymoron.

The whole idea is almost as if they want us to get used to wearing face coverings in public, social distancing, queuing to get in to shops, dramatically cut NHS and dentistry services, homeschooling, WFH and lockdowns as par for the course.
These restrictions need to be dropped as soon as they can. They shouldn't be around long enough to become normal.

I think this is exactly what they want

I hate the phrase too, it’s not remotely normal and using the word normal in relation to our current living restrictions seems bizarre and disturbing to me. If the restrictions do become normal I’m emigrating to the least restricted developed country I can locate. To my mind accepting restrictions as normal makes them more likely to become acceptable to the majority, where are we then? I am not arguing against applying restrictions, serious diseases need serious measures to be taken to control them, but normal? Not for me.

Its really frightening how easily healthcare and education literally has been thrown under a bus.