A theory: Government Inaction? Or Reverse Psychology to Ensure Full Compliance?

[YouAreTheEggManIAmTheWalrus]

Ok so Boris keeps saying he's being “led by science” but if you dig behind that, he’s actually also being led by a lot of behavioural science.

As we live in a democratic country of free-will and not a dictatorship, how many would truly self-isolate when told to, even if the lives of many others depended on it?
Covid19 has been minimised by most of the population and some of the media bearing in mind, constantly comparing it to “just” flu or a cold and doing little to modify behaviours and habits for the greater good.

So, bearing in mind there are behavioural scientists behind his plan - and bearing in mind the services are already crippled (as well they know) what is a very effective way to swiftly change opinions, get people to accept that this actually is a big deal and suddenly leap into action to take necessary steps themselves to protect their families? Get full cities to self-isolate and comply on a mass scale when asked to do so? Get 64 million people to change their habits and behaviours?

By slowly ramping up the rhetoric to mentally prepare people, saying things like many loved ones will die, then sitting back and doing absolutely nothing.
Thats how.

(Or am I deluding myself and giving them more credit, that actually they’re just letting the train derail?)

Yes I heard this theory. Football has stopped without being told too, other large events cancelled, people going out less. By doing it without being officially told to, physiologically it’s our own idea so it must be right and we are more likely to carry on doing it.

I think a lot more thought has gone into Boris’ plan than we realise. Unlike the Chinese we are not conditioned to comply or worried we will be locked up or worse shot if we don’t. The physiological aspects of the plan are probably the most key. Like that hand washing. Most people are actively doing that more. my 21 yr old sons’ hands are dry and sore with all the sanitizer and soap. They were probably lucky to see water twice a day before this.

get people to accept that this actually is a big deal and suddenly leap into action to take necessary steps themselves to protect their families?

I'm know this may sound smug (I'll risk it!) our family already started taking various calculated steps to reduce our risks and take responsibility for our own health, and collectively the health of the wider community. We saw this coming and I'm sure we aren't the only ones.

I don't think it's true that many people have minimised it as just a bad dose of flu, that one of many tropes, misinformation and fake news being spouted around social media. People are taking it seriously, but I hope this will be a sustained effort. I haven't got a clue if it's reverse psychology, I don't think that even matters. Let's collectively, as a United Kingdom, do what we each can, family by family, person by person and within the constraints of our lives, to minimise the spread of this novel virus.

Don't wait for the Government to tell us what to do, if social distancing is a powerful tool to reduce spread, get on and do it. We're adults, we can make our own judgements, and right now everyone knows that big crowds increase risk, we don't need anyone to tell us. Those of us who don't know (or don't want to face reality), will be influenced by those who do, and hopefully get dragged kicking and screaming to the realisation.

I heard someone, probably early mid-20s, in the gym loos, saying "right, just let me wash my hands for 20 minutes, oops I mean 20 seconds!!" Which caused some laughter but it was very positive to know the younger age group are really taking the messages seriously and just getting on with it. They will influence their friendship group and those people in turn will do the same. Positive messages spread virally (pun intended!) we have to believe in the will and determination of our country and it's people.

Government can only do so much. Our democracy needs to use its freedom to exercise choice to do the right thing.