Is anyone else imagining that this could be some kind of social experiment?

[Childhoodbooks]

Ok so I know it's ridiculous to say really. So this is semi lighthearted. But my mind does have a tendency to run away with itself.

But honestly all of this reminds me of a dystopian film or book. Some kind of government experiment, to see how easily we can be controlled, or to get rid of a few people.

I've wondered if the governments have created the virus themselves to kill off some of the world population, in order to deal with climate change. My mind runs away with me too!

Sucking, I am not saying Italians should go about their business as usual. I was just expressing my surprise that no-one knows of any victims personally.

I know exactly what you mean OP - the combination of the sudden emergence and then the domino effect as countries lock down feels very dystopian and surreal.

My jury is out to be frank.

Logic says we have been blind sided by a natural SNAFU; other bits of me are groping for an answer - any answer - this kind of high octane uncertainty makes one reach for any sort of explanation, even the less rational.

One thing that did occur - and is bonkers but might make a great film plot if this blows over - quite a few Iranian officials have apparently succumbed. Hot on the heels of the drone strike debacle, could this be a well hidden way of prompting regime change? A bit like the Agatha Christie plot in the ABC Murders. Not that I want to believe it at all...... believe me, I am almost sure that this is just naturally occurring but devastating chaos.

Someone died of it in a hospital four miles away from me.

I don't know them personally. Why on earth should I?

Oh wait, it didn't really happen and it's a great big conspiracy.

If things do get nasty, I wonder how people with this level of reasoning skills will survive.

think it may be nature’s way of population reduction
I suspect this is the painful and less conspiracy theorist and more likely answer. Nature rules us. We try to fight it and it fights back.

^*Someone died of it in a hospital four miles away from me.

I don't know them personally. Why on earth should I?

Oh wait, it didn't really happen and it's a great big conspiracy.

If things do get nasty, I wonder how people with this level of reasoning skills will survive.*^

Erm, I wasn't thinking along the lines of it isn't really happening.

Ohhh....dh & I have come up with LOTS of plausible (ish) & not so plausible ideas.....first in line - anyone notice how NOTHING is being reported on Russia....?....

It has hit Russia, but (according to bbc reports) they have all been sent to Siberia.

Gulli. “ Bans on large gatherings after St Greta materializes in front of a vast adoring crowd in Bristol. Coincidence? I think not.”

HOW DARE YOU. YOU HAVE STOLEN MY MID-40s.

It was Prince Phillip, king of the lizard people, in order to stop the negative publicity about Prince Andrew.

It's worked too, I've not heard anyone talking about him for a couple of weeks now.

@Gingerkittykat you beat me to it.

Did Philip really "retire from the royal family" or has he been cooking stuff in a lab?

I know what you mean op. I stumbled across this 'pandemic drill' video by the Bill Gates Foundation/John Hopkins/CDC people behind something called Centre For Health Security. It was uploaded four months ago or something and watching it, it's almost as though they predicted everything we are currently going through, and about to go through. Makes you wonder!

Yes, it makes you wonder why public health specialists and virologists would try to model a pandemic.

It's not as if it's their job or anything.

Oh, wait.

Brexiters are behing this all ofcourse.. Borders are closed and they are now isolated in their precious island. They all wanted to go back how things were... lets see how much we will survive without goods from the outside world ...

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I am finding it a bit odd that the names of the dead aren't being released; I get that it's confidential but on the other hand it might trigger people who often see them on a casual basis into self-isolating.

I agree that the UK in particular feels like a social experiment; the govt has already shown it doesn't care about causing deaths of expendable people with Universal Credit. It is also a perfect opportunity to see how much control people will take (being told to stay indoors etc, and how many jobs can be further computerised - teaching for example).

No doubt that it's real; nature does create these things to stabilise populations. I call it the Revenge of the Pangolins.

Dystopian films aren't just totally made up though, are they? Writers of that kind of thing base their storylines on actual measures recommended in times of crisis, that's what makes the story believable enough to relate to it.

I don't get this argument that just because what's happening is like the plot of a film/book about a pandemic that means it isn't a real pandemic? Just because something is fiction, it doesn't mean it's not realistic.

My favourite programme as a teen (probably still if I’m honest) was The X-Files so a few conspiracy theories have (not too seriously) crossed my mind!

Mildly surprised that 67 posts in, and no one seems to remember "Survivors" ... (maybe it's an age thing).

Growing up, my DM had this book on the shelves which I devoured ...

DGRossetti - Survivors used to scare the shit out of me as a child. I could only watch it from the relative safety of behind the sofa.

God, I loved Survivors! Great programme.

They remade it a while ago but only commissioned one season I think.

I remember Survivors. It’s when we were all scared of Nuclear war.

Happy days 🙄

I can recall getting together with friends at school in 1980 to assemble a survival kit for after the nuclear winter. We were earnestly discussing it in registration and the form tutor came over to ask what we were doing.

In hindsight, it must have been the matter of factness of 14 year olds, but she was clearly very upset that we had just assumed it was inevitable. Certainly left me with a vivid memory that surfaced when DS was born and I made a silent vow to try and make sure he never grew up like that.

Just sorry I - we all - failed.

@Papoy what are you talking about

May the odds be ever in your favour