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?

@Stormbraver99

I don't know anyone who is enjoying it all. We're all pig sick of it. There will always be people who misinterpret other peoples thoughts. Maybe you could reverse it around and say, "There are people who "think" that other people are enjoying the pandemic.They seem to want them to enjoy it so they can have a good moan about people supposedly enjoying it!" As far as I can see we all just want normaility.

I really don't think that's true though. Most people want normality. But there's a sizeable minority of people who apparently struggled before the pandemic with basic social contact and enjoy the lack of social contact the pandemic has allowed them to have and who are anxious about having to go out and relate to other people again.

There are definitely some people with severe health anxiety but I think quite a lot of these people are clinging onto excuses not to have to go back into the big wide world because they are much comfortable when their universe is predictable and limited.

But life can and should be based on quite likely what ifs, and in that category I would put new variants of covid, since it is the nature of highly contagious viruses to spread and in spreading, mutate

Based on that theory no one should ever leave their house again.

What will that look like if everyone took that approach. No food or shops open to buy anything, no factories to distribute anything
No hospitals, no ambulances if you have an accident or just about any semblance of normal life

Think of all the dangers there are even without Covid. Even if you weigh up the risk of crossing the road it might be too risky if a speeding car driver just happened to come a long at that moment.

Think of what would happen if everyone decided that catching COVID and it being a more lethal variant was likely
Life would stop and we would be back living in the dark ages. We wouldn’t have light or heat or even internet as even that relies on others going to work and monitoring the grid

Or are you saying that everyone should be more aware that the virus can mutate and stay at home unless you are going to affect your lifestyle in which case those people can’t choose to not work.

The more likely scenario is that the strains of a virus will get more and more infectious but be less and less lethal until the majority of people will have had it and be in the window of being immune from it and there is no where, or no body to infect.

I think the thing is, life as it was was not working for a lot of people. There are many people who thought the most difficult part of their job was going in the office, working round people who revolved their lives round work, those people who seemed to want to control every aspect of what they did, need to join in team building, works drinks, chat about inane shit, feeling the need to take up a hobby they didn’t enjoy to fit in etc etc.

But you were never allowed to say it, you always had to embrace your “work family” be grateful for free drinks on Friday which ate into private time etc.

Quite frankly the risk of illness is better than having to face over enthusiastic Pippa who wants to control your life to achieve her promotion again, and they don’t want to chat about Angelo from love island or have to take up their lunch break being told about the latest (limited lifespan) initiative.

But you’re not allowed to say it, so easier to just hope the excuse to stay away from that continues.

[quote AllThePogs]@chaosrabbitland if she is constantly signed off sick, then I expect she is ill.
I had this from a colleague pre-pandemic when I was seriously ill. And no I don't share my medical details with colleagues, especially not judgemental ones like you.[/quote]
err no shes deffo not ill i can assure you of that , she makes no secret of it when she does come back to do a week now and then just to ensure she keeps her job and yes i am judgemental , we are the fuckers carrying her workload whilst she chilling out , doing whatever she likes and socialising whenever . we are all sick to death of it , but she wont hand her notice in though , her mantra is they will have to get rid of me first , im not leaving ! well i suppose not shes getting paid to sit on her arse at home .

You absolutely do not need proof that you have been in close contact with someone who has Covid.

The health of a family member is their own private matter not the other family members employer

When you work in a place where you have people who are considered vulnerable you have to rely on staff reporting who they have been in close contact with not wait for NHS track and trace hopefully to contact them (and even then they do not have to provide this as evidence as you may have missed the call/they don’t have your details/incorrect details given/do not use the app

So it’s been a dream. It was no shock who would be taking the most time off and they are milking it while they can as I said lazy fuckers who have taken full advantage of the system

These are the types of people with little to no exposure to, or the idea of, an another way of life other than their own cold, wet and stifled environment. They enjoy being 'nannied'.

God if I never have to hear (or read) another woe is me from a teacher again it'll be too soon.

@OMG12

I think the thing is, life as it was was not working for a lot of people. There are many people who thought the most difficult part of their job was going in the office, working round people who revolved their lives round work, those people who seemed to want to control every aspect of what they did, need to join in team building, works drinks, chat about inane shit, feeling the need to take up a hobby they didn’t enjoy to fit in etc etc.

But you were never allowed to say it, you always had to embrace your “work family” be grateful for free drinks on Friday which ate into private time etc.

Quite frankly the risk of illness is better than having to face over enthusiastic Pippa who wants to control your life to achieve her promotion again, and they don’t want to chat about Angelo from love island or have to take up their lunch break being told about the latest (limited lifespan) initiative.

But you’re not allowed to say it, so easier to just hope the excuse to stay away from that continues.

In my workplace we can wfh if we want and I hope it continues. But I totally agree with this post about being forced to join in with things organised by people who make their work their life. My colleagues are fine, but they are my colleagues, not my friends. I don't want to have to laugh at my manager Johns jokes about getting drunk - I don't think drinking too much is funny. I don't want to have to hear about Brians baby daughter and the latest amazing things she has done. And so on. I mean I am not a monster, so when we are together I am polite and do listen. But my life isn't enhanced by listening to this kind of thing. My life also isn't enhanced by joining in the team quizzes Anne insists on organising after work. Or socialising after work at all. It still feels like work to me, simply a different kind of work.

@chaosrabbitland so her GP just signs off her sick for the fun of it?

@Kennykenkencat I know it has been explained to you scientifically why virus mutations do not always get weaker. In fact, Delta was more lethal than the original covid strain. But still, you keep posting this lie.

YANBU. I've really lost respect for a large chunk of my friend group over the last two years as the pandemic brought out the worst in them. Revelling in the drama, appointing themselves de facto News Reporters on social media, and documenting their virtuous lockdown spiritual transformation.

Basically a lot of people with very dull, unsatisfying lives who were secretly thrilled that the world was going to be turned upside down and they'd have a shot at a new identity among the mess.

It was so uncomfortable to see my more hysterical friends seemingly praying for any lifting of restrictions to result in mass deaths, just so they would be "right" and the government would be "wrong and evil".

(Not a Boris fan btw, just someone who prefers to avoid unhelpful hyperbole and panic)

There are people who will exploit their health issue or as in the case of the pandemic exploit the need to self isolate

What can a GP say if you claim to be so depressed you can’t face work. To get further support is very difficult especially at the moment.

Not everyone is hard working and honest

@rainbowmash I cant imagine someone so judgemental and scathing of so-called friends, will be missed by those friends.

@rainbowmash

YANBU. I've really lost respect for a large chunk of my friend group over the last two years as the pandemic brought out the worst in them. Revelling in the drama, appointing themselves de facto News Reporters on social media, and documenting their virtuous lockdown spiritual transformation.

Basically a lot of people with very dull, unsatisfying lives who were secretly thrilled that the world was going to be turned upside down and they'd have a shot at a new identity among the mess.

It was so uncomfortable to see my more hysterical friends seemingly praying for any lifting of restrictions to result in mass deaths, just so they would be "right" and the government would be "wrong and evil".

(Not a Boris fan btw, just someone who prefers to avoid unhelpful hyperbole and panic)

You have a shit friends

I think there's extremes at both ends - both the people being all superior about 'This is all just a conspiracy for government power and I see the truth because I'm clever and we should just ignore it and get on with our lives, it's just a cold and it only kills old people' and those being all superior about 'You're all being terrible and selfish and everyone should be like me and never leave the house and we just all have to sacrifice everything for the foreseeable future'. Human nature, innit, sadly.

@OhWhyNot

There are people who will exploit their health issue or as in the case of the pandemic exploit the need to self isolate

What can a GP say if you claim to be so depressed you can’t face work. To get further support is very difficult especially at the moment.

Not everyone is hard working and honest

No not everyone is hard working and honest. Not that hard to get a few weeks off sick. But employers have policies that mean anyone with depression signed off sick a lot is managed out. It is very difficult to keep your job if you have a lot of time off sick. I have seen people with cancer managed out. And most employers only give sick pay for a short while if at all, and then you are on statutory sick pay. So about £90 a week. That causes real financial hardship. What is far more common is people going into work when they are ill and not up to it. Working when they feel like shit, crying in the loos, and trying to pretend everything is okay.

@Echobelly

I think there's extremes at both ends - both the people being all superior about 'This is all just a conspiracy for government power and I see the truth because I'm clever and we should just ignore it and get on with our lives, it's just a cold and it only kills old people' and those being all superior about 'You're all being terrible and selfish and everyone should be like me and never leave the house and we just all have to sacrifice everything for the foreseeable future'. Human nature, innit, sadly.

So true.

@OMG12

I think the thing is, life as it was was not working for a lot of people. There are many people who thought the most difficult part of their job was going in the office, working round people who revolved their lives round work, those people who seemed to want to control every aspect of what they did, need to join in team building, works drinks, chat about inane shit, feeling the need to take up a hobby they didn’t enjoy to fit in etc etc.

But you were never allowed to say it, you always had to embrace your “work family” be grateful for free drinks on Friday which ate into private time etc.

Quite frankly the risk of illness is better than having to face over enthusiastic Pippa who wants to control your life to achieve her promotion again, and they don’t want to chat about Angelo from love island or have to take up their lunch break being told about the latest (limited lifespan) initiative.

But you’re not allowed to say it, so easier to just hope the excuse to stay away from that continues.

I think that's true. The tyranny of work and is intrusion into everyone's lives was becoming quite grotesque before the pandemic and it needed a bit of a correction.

I'm grateful for the fact that its no longer a three-line whip to have to have your bum on a seat from 9am to 5pm just because that's how its always been done. And so many people are relieved to lose the overzealous insistence on having to be friends with everyone you work with etc. It was always bullshit and its good that its been shown to be bullshit.

But I think in a few cases this has become a bit pathological. Hating team drinks and crying off is normal. People basically refusing to leave their houses, insisting they never want to meet anyone again apart from their husband and kids and asking to be left alone in perpetuity because socialising is so utterly traumatic to them etc is not. And COVID seems to have exacerbated that in a lot of people. I don't think its healthy to never want to leave your house or see more than the same three people.

@Toanewstart22 no she is a shit friend. If friends are over-anxious, I worry about their mental health. I don't dismiss them by saying they are being hysterical.
The friends I have who I think are the most over-anxious are those who are saying the whole thing is a hoax great reset, etc. I think some of them are really affected mentally. But I don't dismiss them, I am concerned about them.
All this talk about how we should support friends with poor mental health is just that, talk. As soon as some people start showing signs of poor mental health, their friends are there ready to put the boot in by calling them names.

A certain number of people are loving it OP - the opportunity to scream selfish at every opportunity at people who favour a more relaxed approach. The majority of these people are middle class who work at home for whom the pandemic has done nothing but benefit them. The "we are still in a pandemic" camp fail to realise we are in the best position we can be in and need to crack on now.

@thepeopleversuswork if people are happy, then leave them be. If I have learned anything in this life, it is not to judge what makes others happy. My father appears never to have had friends since he was a child. He is a very happy person simply socialising with his family. Nothing to do with covid, but he doesn't need a big circle of people. Some people dont.

I agree and to add to that the pandemic has allowed people to work from home. I have done it for years but some have found it’s a skivers charter. Companies have cut and cut during the pandemic using furlough payments and left almost a skelton staff to manage.

A few examples. Our local council are a disgrace. I dont know where all their staff have gone...

British Airways and Virgin have wait times of between 1-2 hours to answer their phones. I flew back to the UK recently and the BA crew just gave out a bottle of water and a packet of plain crisps and then just hid behind the curtains doing very little.

I see that some companies are reducing sick pay for people who refuse the vaccine but want to take days and days off because they are supposedly near a covid contact. My old FTSE company would have been full of these people looking for anyways to get days off on the back of others.

So, yes, you are right. Some people just don’t want to go back to normal.

@Wizzbangfizz all your comment says is that you are judging people who disagree with you.
"failing to realise" i.e. don't agree with you.
Not everyone has to agree with you.

That’s all very well to say, but it’s tiresome when some people have no conversation other than Covid. Use Covid as an excuse not to go out, interact , do anything at all apart from stay at home and watch TV. I have tried to be patient and supportive , but in the end I just can’t be bothered to keep in touch anymore. It’s bringing me down.

To @AllThePogs