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?

You don’t teach them they have to wait for the delayed gratification of a decent education, age appropriate sports and skills clubs, and normal childhood socialisation.

It is sad that some adults are keen to do this even at this point and ongoing. It’s a high level of anxiety and an extreme position.

@MarshaBradyo

You don’t teach them they have to wait for the delayed gratification of a decent education, age appropriate sports and skills clubs, and normal childhood socialisation.

It is sad that some adults are keen to do this even at this point and ongoing. It’s a high level of anxiety and an extreme position.

Agreed.

Math anxiety "
"Do any of you teach your children to wait for things they want? If so, why?"

Like the abused children waiting and waiting and waiting for school to reopen for a decent meal, safety and care? At the mercy of their abusers 24/7. Are they not justified to want their normal routine back? Or do you think they were just being selfish?
No sometimes we shouldn't have to wait.
Do your views take anyone lives but your own into consideration?

I’m sorry, ghostmouse, for your and your children’s loss and for having to deal with it during a pandemic as well.

If you really feel you are justified in returning to your normal routines, that does make you selfish imo, and also short sighted.

I guess that's too bad, because we are going to need to get back to normal as much as possible, with or without your approval. Or we won't have any public infrastructure at all. I suggest you get some help to manage your feelings about it, because you aren't going to be able to control what others choose to do, whether at country level or individual level. It's simply not your decision.

Also, it's rather late in all parts of the US right now, isn't it? Interesting that you're still up.

Education could have been safeguarded with proper mitigations. There are none. Meanwhile, it is kids like mine in disadvantaged areas who have suffered the most from disrupted schooling. And we don't have the money for private tutors.
Those who argued for no mitigations condemned children to frequent school and class closures. I do blame you for my kids getting a shit education

"Do any of you teach your children to wait for things they want? If so, why?"

That's hilarious coming from the same person who expected a poster to build a ladder onto their fence specifically so that neighbouring children wouldn't have to wait all day to have their ball returned to them.

So you thought it was mean to make kids wait all day for a ball(just one of many toys they likely own but they can wait indefinitely for normal social interactions and experiences?

because the alternative is asking people to live under massively burdensome restrictions forever. And most would agree that is not a reasonable thing to ask people to do.

You would think.

@GoldenOmber

Thank you. Our lives have fallen apart and we are struggling. I hate the assumption that I was lording it up on furlough. I wasn’t. 250 people lost thier jobs in my company alone, I worked in a factory in the aerospace industry on minimum wage, I managed to find a part time job as a cleaner for the nhs for a while but had to leave when my husband fell very Ill and died. I’m working again now thankfully.

People are horrible bitter and twisted. Perhaps those who furlough bash would like to live my life for a while

[quote AllThePogs]@Hrpuffnstuff1 I totally agree that it should be a choice. If you love socialising with colleagues and chatting in the office go ahead. Have you lunches and after-work drinks.
But it shouldn't be forced on others. I save 8 hours a week by not commuting. That is time I can spend with actual friends. For example, a group of us now meet every Friday after work. My DP is now home to keep an eye out for the teenagers, so I can go to this every week.[/quote]
Personally, I've always had a separate work and home life for personal reasons. My subcontractors are paid well, hrs are family-friendly and there is zero obligation to have a formal or informal relationship outside of work. They are there to work only, the incentive is the pay.

I think it's interesting Mrs. HR now she's met me has been chastised informally by some for even hinting at her reluctance to participate in work-related socializing. She now prefers to select who to socialize with, rather than be forced. Some people hate that.
It's quite an issue having to be secretive when making arrangements so as not to upset sensibilities and the group. It took weeks to organize a secret gathering of select people.
The problem is work-related goals don't tie in with long-term personal and relationship goals, especially for us as a couple and a family.

I get tired of those who pose the choices as lockdown or nothing.
It is that attitude that has made my families life so shit.

In my experience people on furlough that I knew were worried that they were seen as the expendable ones in the business and would lose their jobs when inevitably cuts would be made. My DP was particularly stressed and spent most of the time doing semi formal CPD. Luckily for him they called him back in after three weeks and when they did let staff go he wasn't one of them.

@Hrpuffnstuff1 I have seen fallouts and real issues caused by people becoming friends with their colleagues. If I and a friend have a fallout it has zero issues for the workplace.

[quote ontana]@ViceLikeBlip exactly. I have a friend who was terrified to come to our house in august and stayed in the garden when it was raining last summer rather than eat inside. He has been wfh from the start whereas I spend my working days in poorly ventilated classrooms with 30 mostly unvaccinated teenagers. My mental health is in a far better state than his, he is borderline agoraphobic. [/quote]
When the first lockdown ended, a friend who was on furlough came for a garden visit. He was pretty jumpy. I meanwhile had been at work on public transport throughout so was more relaxed. Once his (tourism) workplace resumed and thousands of people packed it out, he quickly got used to it.

@ontana that is sad that your friend has such poor mental health. Some people have been badly affected.
I have wfh throughout and have been fine about mixing once vaccinated. But I knew I would be. I am ECV and have been stuck at home for a few months before and I was fine once I got out and about again.

I'm sorry you thinks it's stupid for me to point out that whilst a lot of the public were struggling and suffering following the rules that at government level they were all enjoying their usual beered and drugged up lifestyle. But they were. They should be held accountable. @ghostmouse
I was busy not able to attend a family funeral during one of their parties. If course I'm mad. But you go ahead and call me stupid for being furious at the tossers in charge.

@ghostmouse I also See that you're ranting about furlough. Which I never mentioned. If you're going to fling around unfounded insults then perhaps stupid shouldn't be the go to of choice?! If you just wanted someone to have a go at. Well fine. If you need to just fling unfounded nonsense at someone just use a direct message to me and fill up my inbox. But try to read what I wrote.

[quote AllThePogs]@Hrpuffnstuff1 I have seen fallouts and real issues caused by people becoming friends with their colleagues. If I and a friend have a fallout it has zero issues for the workplace.[/quote]
I find it sad that people have lengthy debates about the missing coffee and teabags. Or jealousy over holiday destinations. Or even fallouts over seating plans at gatherings, dinners.
No wonder people want to WFH listening to that bullshit every day.

@Hrpuffnstuff1 my line manager is sich a gossip. She has everyone at work as a Facebook friend except me. I always have a rule not to have colleagues as Facebook friends. She tells me what everyone is up to. I don't want colleagues gossiping about my life. I tell her things I don't mind everyone knowing like holidays, but I am careful. I am glad I no longer share an office with her as I now wfh.

I'm sorry to hear that @ghostmouse . I think there is a lot of stereotyping and misunderstanding about both furlough and working from home .

"I always have a rule not to have colleagues as Facebook friends."

Me too in theory and kept it up even with one colleague publicly 'shaming' me for not accepting his friend request.
However, I always accept people once I've left as a good way to stay in touch and then I've gone back to the same job twice so now I have colleagues on FB too!
Just have to be careful...

@mathanxiety

The drinks after work culture is something you don't find in other countries and young and middle aged alike seem to do just fine without it.

I live in 'another country' and there isn't an after-work drink culture here, but there is a culture of having lunch together and there is obviously workplace chatting. I think people are focusing on the wrong thing. It's not about going out after work, it's about talking to someone in the 9-5. It's not healthy to go without any social contact all day. Then there are all the work reasons why informal contact between colleagues is good.

[quote 3scape]@ghostmouse I also See that you're ranting about furlough. Which I never mentioned. If you're going to fling around unfounded insults then perhaps stupid shouldn't be the go to of choice?! If you just wanted someone to have a go at. Well fine. If you need to just fling unfounded nonsense at someone just use a direct message to me and fill up my inbox. But try to read what I wrote.[/quote]
That’s a lovely attitude towards someone who has been through a traumatic bereavement.

@mathanxiety

Irish people live in the UK, including many of my relatives and friends. As you can imagine, I care deeply about their health and welfare. As you can also imagine, they vote.

Irish people living in Northern Ireland can hold Irish passports and identify as Irish while still enjoying all the dubious benefits of living in the UK. They can vote there too.

More to the point, a cross-border Irish political party has members sitting in both Dáil Éireann and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Its leader is the Irish leader of the opposition.

So maybe Ireland gets to have some say? And not even obliquely.

@mathanxiety

You do realise that the Common Travel Area means that Brits can also live, work and vote in Ireland? No, it doesn't mean that the Republic of Ireland will consult the UK govt on their covid policies. In what way does Sinn Fein being a cross border party or Mary Louise Mcdonald the Leader of the Oppoisition in Ireland mean that the Republic of Ireland will be consulted on the UK's covid policies?

And I don't agree with it, but if you want an idea as to how significantly the concerns of N.I. are treated in wider UK politics, have a look at their derisory treatment during the brexit negotiations and since. Or Karen Bradley's comments when she became NI Secretary. It's not going to be the kingmaker of UK covid restrictions (which are largely a matter for devolved administrations, anyway).

Has it sunk in yet that the UK is ending Plan B, whether you or your "many friends and relatives" (significant voting bloc, are they?) like it or not. It's really quite bizarre that you spend time debating and learning to recite covid death rates for countries that you're not a citizen of.

"You would be at home in red states"

Again - No one is interested in or needs your toxic, partisan US politics propagated here. Although it is interesting that you regard political opposition itself as inherently illegitimate. Even the colour of their party can be used as a pejorative? If only there was some way you could stop all the stupid people who don't think like you from voting, right? "You'd enjoy living in a state governed by a political party that I didn't vote for! Take that!" - er, great. Thanks for that.

[quote ghostmouse]@GoldenOmber

Thank you. Our lives have fallen apart and we are struggling. I hate the assumption that I was lording it up on furlough. I wasn’t. 250 people lost thier jobs in my company alone, I worked in a factory in the aerospace industry on minimum wage, I managed to find a part time job as a cleaner for the nhs for a while but had to leave when my husband fell very Ill and died. I’m working again now thankfully.

People are horrible bitter and twisted. Perhaps those who furlough bash would like to live my life for a while[/quote]
I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through. There is no need for anyone to stick the boot in when you’ve been through such distress and trauma. I hope you are being supported in real life and please know most people don’t think furlough was all “building a garden den and baking banana bread”. That was only a privileged minority. Too many people lost businesses and employment. You’ve had so many losses. Sending unMN virtual hugs.