To think some people are ‘enjoying’ the pandemic

[Flynnqwer]

I’ve noticed an attitude amongst some people where they’re nothing short of praying for a new, more lethal, variant.

I’ve noticed it amongst people I work with and people I do a hobby with. Any discussion about going back to our workplace (we can work from home but not easily or particularly effectively) once the Government ends the restrictions on waiting from home, or back to our hobby in real life instead of on Zoom (the hobby is controlled by a central board who are following the WFH advice until it is lifted) are met with cries of ‘No! We can’t do that! It’s dangerous!’ and it anyone points out that, thankfully, it looks like the vaccination programme is working and Omicron is less severe, they come back with ‘but what if there’s a more lethal strain that appears and kills millions?’

My workplace has one element which has legally got to be done in person. I have had emails today from managers begging us to cancel said work thing and do it online. We cannot do it on line lawfully (it’s along the lines of witnessing signatures). We have told them no, we must go into the building for an hour to fulfil this function. They are saying that that is breaking the working from home directive, that it’s unsafe, and what if a deadly variant is discovered? Then we’d have to find a way around the law.

AIBU that some people are actively hoping that the situation worsens and we are locked back down? Why would anyone want this to happen?

YABU. Recognising that we are still in a pandemic is not the same as wanting the fucking thing to continue.

It’s the ‘but what if a new, more dangerous variant is discovered and kills millions in the UK in a week?’ attitude. Life cannot be based around what ifs.

There are things the pandemic has brought about that I enjoy: people staying away from me and working from home.

That does not mean I want a virus to continue spreading. So YABU.

Of course. All the people enjoying the pandemic have a jolly good giggle work in no. 10 about plebs having to stick to the rules. It's hardly fun for anyone else.

I’m not enjoying the pandemic.
Quite happy with life as it is though

@LoveaStatementNap

There are things the pandemic has brought about that I enjoy: people staying away from me and working from home.

That does not mean I want a virus to continue spreading. So YABU.

Okay, I understand people like working from home. If people said that, then fine. But they don’t. They don’t want anyone else going back to real life. They want to speculate on what terrible new variant could be discovered. If people want to stay at home, that’s up to them, but it seems they actively want everyone else locked down too.

If I never have to hear “I’m a key worker” ever again I’ll be happy

Yes I agree, and the majority of those enjoying the pandemic are the ones that benefitted from furlough and spent lock down relaxing in the garden while the rest of us worked liked dogs.

@WhatTheWhoTheWhatThe

If I never have to hear “I’m a key worker” ever again I’ll be happy

Yes!

They want to speculate on what terrible new variant could be discovered

But they are entirely reasonable to talk about something scary that could well happen.

YANBU. Some people seemed to really enjoy lockdowns because they didn’t like to socialise but didn’t like to feel left out, so they were happy to see everyone stopped from socialising.

I get that there’s an element of some people genuinely still being scared but there’s also others who just seem to like the endless drama of it all, presumably because it gives them some focus in their little lives.

@Flynnqwer

It’s the ‘but what if a new, more dangerous variant is discovered and kills millions in the UK in a week?’ attitude. Life cannot be based around what ifs.

Isn't that just "planning"?

In my line of work its called Business Continuity. We plan for events that might happen that may affect normal business.
We are not hoping that it does happen, just that if the worst does happen, at least there is a plan in place.

You see it all the time. Something bad happens, managers, businesses, governments run around trying to quickly and often badly, put things in place so work can continue.
Without fail employees and the public are saying "Why didn't they see this coming? Why didn't they have plans in place already?"

This is controversial but I do think a small number of people are enjoying the drama of it all. They may not be enjoying the pandemic overall but they do like all the headlines and ups and downs and feeling like it’s terribly important that they follow this or that rule.

Fortunately it's a declining minority but there are people that lap up gloomy predictions and the prospect of further restrictions.
Discussions like The Jeremy Vine Show are never short of people demanding lockdowns.

There is a small cohort of people that like having a small world with firm boundaries. They could have created that for themselves but unfortunately they also have FOMO, and they loved being released from FOMO as everyone had to live within the same little world. They don't like being responsible for themselves, and anyone else not willing to martyr themselves to keep these people safe is SELFISH.
Oh the irony.

@LizzieSiddal

They want to speculate on what terrible new variant could be discovered

But they are entirely reasonable to talk about something scary that could well happen.

And could well not happen (and given the nature of viruses is to develop weaker, more contagious variants probably won’t.)

What is the point on speculating on a disaster? We don’t not go to the shop in case we’re hit by a car when crossing the road, or refuse to go on holiday in case the plane crashes, or eat only liquids in case we choke. Why would we stay living our lives online in case a new, deadly variant emerges?

I think lots of people have enjoyed working from home and having less social obligations.
However I do not think most are hoping for another deadly variant. Most are just being cautious because the case numbers are extremely high at the moment.

If I never have to hear “I’m a key worker” ever again I’ll be happy
So will I and I am one!
I couldn't believe it when some of my colleagues changed their FB picture to 'Proud to be a key worker' We are not NHS staff and we weren't in the front line like hospital workers. Frankly it was embarrassing!

‘If I never have to hear “I’m a key worker” ever again I’ll be happy’

100% and I’m a icu nurse! Bloody grates me to the core that phrase! Absolutely embarrassing watching nhs staff March to the front of supermarket queues gripping there ID badges for ‘priority entry’… clearly on your day off!!!

Some people seemed to really enjoy lockdowns because they didn’t like to socialise but didn’t like to feel left out, so they were happy to see everyone stopped from socialising.

This exactly. This explains much better what I was trying to say.

My mum is one of those people! But it's less about being worried about the pandemic and more about enjoying staying in the house. She hates any sort of socialising so is happy to stay tucked away

Isn't that just "planning"?

@minou123 But we’ve got plans down to the ground at this point. If we are told to work from home again then we do what we did in December and transfer back online. There’s no reason to stay online forever.

Oh god yes, all the 'I'm a keyworker' stuff!

A friends husband has insisted throughout everything that he's a keyworker when he isn't. He's obsessed with covid and still disinfects all their food packaging when they have it delivered each week, wears two masks when he goes out, and just loads of other stuff that just isn't necessary. He's convinced that things will 'never be normal again' and seems to relish the prospect