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What positives are there to this?
Sarahlou63 · 14/03/2020 08:45
It's a bit of a stretch but I'd like to know what good might come out of the current crisis.
Personally it's affecting us financially as my DP can't take up a new contract (we live in Portugal - potential job offers are Utrecht/Brussels or Copenhagen) BUT he's going to write the work related books he's always wanted to but never had the time. For me, my coaching business is on hold BUT I've just finished a CBT practitioner course so I'm going to try and build up an online/Skype counselling service. I'm also able to spend more time helping out at the local dog shelter. Shovelling shit is strangely cathartic...
A neighbour is setting up a Whatsapp group so we can all keep in touch and help each other out with shopping/help with animals, etc so it will strengthen our little community, which has to be positive.
Globally, the reduction in travel and pollution has to be good for future generations.
Can you see any positives?
itsgettingweird · 14/03/2020 11:41
Not sure there's any positives as such to the illness.
But I understand what people are saying re community and re evaluating.
Even going back 60 years ago there were frequent epidemics of extremely serious illnesses. It's not great but people's attitudes were different.
We live in a want it now and get it now era.
We love in a era of seeing luxuries as necessities.
I also think we've forgotten as humans we aren't a superior race and the world itself is a nature.
I agree that people are going back to the basics we've seemed to long forget and which are the basis of a sensible and happy lifestyle. We forget about neighbours and the frail and elderly. We work hard and forget about other important things. I think people have forgotten that you can go for a walk in fresh air and it doesn't need to end up in a cafe etc.
But the fact remains despite the positives we can gain from it the negatives will by far outstrip this. The main one being global economy.
Blackbear19 · 14/03/2020 11:44
Positives,
The general public will become much more hygiene conscious.
The anti vaccination movement will have the wind knocked out it's sails. As people realise how dangerous viruses can be. People have become overly reliant on antibiotics and herd immunity.
We will see a need to produce more things locally. Not rely on so many imports.
Better and more resources for the NHS.
lynsey91 · 14/03/2020 11:49
I don't see that there can be any positives really. Lots of businesses will likely go bust and we will likely go into recession.
I do hope though that it teaches people to wash their hands more especially when using the loo. Always amazed at how many women don't wash their hands in public loos.
I also think that people will realise we should never take anything for granted
APatchyTomCat · 14/03/2020 11:50
What this virus has shown is that there is a large group of people who get a real kick out of catastrophe, and actually really enjoy the pumped up self-importance of sharing bad news, even if the bad news isn’t true, even when it’s a total fabrication.
Instead of showing some kind of compassion and sensibility about the people you are endangering, you want the thrill of imagining you’re in the midst of drama. It’s absolutely absurd. I doubt anything I say will change your mind about anything, but at least if anyone else reads this thread they might take this bullshit with a pinch of salt.
Hear hear.
Or, here here
Whichever one is correct, I never remember.
SemiSkimmedMilk · 14/03/2020 11:53
Hi @BookMeOnTheSudExpress
I tried to DM you but can’t.
I hope you are okay. Unfortunately you won’t persuade people who don’t want to know what’s going on in Italy (and heading elsewhere).
On another thread someone actually said covid-19 is a good thing (I do not exaggerate). I got deleted for objecting. I believe my crime was using the word “disgusting”.
I hope you and your loved ones are doing okay.
SSM
Lweji · 14/03/2020 11:56
I understand that you're trying to find a way out of the sense of doom, but, quite frankly, the reasons to be pleased should be if it doesn't get as bad as it can get.
I can only think of "it could be worse" as any sort of positive attitude.
But with the sense that we have to work hard not to make it worse.
TooManySocks · 14/03/2020 12:11
Always amazed at how many women don't wash their hands in public loos
DH has told me how disgusted he's been by blokes in public bathrooms too. He says 9/10 of blokes use the facilities, look in the mirror to tidy their hair and then scarper. I really hope better hygiene does penetrate cultural ideology.
BonnesVacances · 14/03/2020 12:16
A couple of positives I've come up with is that folk should gain a better appreciation of what life is like for the housebound and a better appreciation of the freedom to do mundane things every day that they had taken for granted.
Also, with a high percentage of the population being infected with a serious virus, the number of people who don't recover and are left with a post viral type illness should be high enough for the government to finally start investing in some proper biomedical research into chronic illnesses such as ME.
Binting · 14/03/2020 12:50
I really feel like this might make people reevaluate their lives. Realise they work to much- don't spend enough quality time with family. Realise they can strip back to basics and do without a lot of things people think necessary and spend more time at home doing less.
I’m also hoping this will be one of the positives in the long term.
Blackbear19 · 14/03/2020 12:54
I know this is a strange one but I think people could end up with more respect for education. The system and teachers.
I know that's a strange one, but if education is removed from everybody for a couple of months (and let's face it when schools close it's not going to like a two week holiday). That's a lot of work for schools and teachers to catch up on.
People will have more respect for healthcare workers.
And generally hygiene standards in schools is going to have to improve.
Binting · 14/03/2020 13:00
I do have a personal positive already. I’ve been signed off work with depression and anxiety since January, with suicidal thoughts and no MH therapy in place yet. It has been horrendous, however in the past week the situation we are in has actually focussed me and my thoughts have switched to being pragmatic.
I’m still anxious and have catastrophic thinking (eg, if I were really ill would they let me die due to previous suicidal thoughts?), but on the whole I’m now in survival mode. My thoughts are with everyone and not just focussed on ‘me’. The mental chatter has got a whole lot better.
BonnesVacances · 14/03/2020 14:13
After years of degeneration of the NHS, everyone has been reminded how vital it is and the severe effects of underfunding. It has really bolloxed the Tories' plan to systematically devalue it and turn all our minds to the positives of private health insurance.
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