Aibu to ask why we should bother?

[Blossomspring]

Lots of threads on here about people not taking CV seriously and I’m just not sure I get it.

How can you expect people to take it seriously when the government does not impose a proper lockdown?

Also lots of people sitting in judgement of those still trying to work, keep businesses open who haven’t been covered by the government’s income protection. How can you sit in judgement of people who might lose everything, who are being forced to choose between their health and their families as well as others and earning a wage to survive? Another sign the gov aren’t taking it seriously or allowing people to take it seriously.

If you want people to self isolate to protect themselves and others then you need to provide them with the income to do that and also force people to stay at home.

Im self employed and have now lost 6 months worth of work. Most people in my sector saying there won’t be work now for months. None of us covered by the measures announced yesterday. My death and even that Of my family’s is of less concern to me than not being able to survive and losing everything. It might be an unpopular view to publicly say but it’s not an unreal view.

You can only die once even if it is miserable and sometimes life is worse than death.

As long as my income isn’t protected and I’m forced to choose I will keep going out to try and find work and move around.

No actually grey you never read my posts properly and have given it a very superficial once over.

You cannot expect people to care about others when their very need to survive is not being met.

Don't be daft, it's not as black and white as that

Don't disregard my point just because you don't want to answer the question. I'm purposely making it simple because that's the point.

I agree with you that there should be a proper lockdown even if possible universal basic income.

My understanding was that you were continuing to work in your business providing a non-essential service and were losing money from clients. Is that not right?

The difference between working, for example, as beautician seeing clients in their own homes and potentially endangering them and working in a supermarket seeing customers and potentially endangering them is people need food to live.

You cannot expect people to care about others when their very need to survive is not being met.

Well I don't see my family and loved ones as "others" but clearly you don't have a good relationship with them if that's the way you see them.

@Idreamofsummerdays

This is not "just flu". It's at least 30-50 times worse than flu, plus it's more contagious.

Every day, and every week, matter a lot. If you change nothing, then your risk of being in a transmission chain this week is about 4 times what it was last week, and next week, it will be 4 times more than that.

On the other hand, if you apply the measures and stay away from other people as much as you possibly can, you will undoubtedly help to save lives.

Don't disregard my point just because you don't want to answer the question. I'm purposely making it simple because that's the point

The point is it's not that simple and It's a stupid question so why would I answer.

Help for self employed is coming next. In the meantime stay safe!

Why are people arguing this?

As said, it’s clear the op is just angry she’s not getting her income paid by the government. Her going out to work is no different to any others going out to work. If people don’t want to see her they won’t.

Yes she’s being goady saying she doesn’t cate about others or her family dying because no one is giving her her money, but it’s not worth jumping on. She can tread the streets all day long, it makes no difference.

The point is it's not that simple and It's a stupid question so why would I answer

How immature of you to go for the stupid insult- you clearly can't even see my point. How can it be so hard to decide if you'd rather your family's lives be at risk or you'd rather have an income? People can eventually find other jobs but you cant replace lost loved ones. It really shouldn't be a complicated situation if you actually love your family.

I agree with OP that measures should be taken to protect those losing their livelihoods. We all need to take this very seriously but equally people should be given proper financial support to prevent destitution. Also agree the government needs to give the right message. No lockdown can (and is) being interpreted by some as a sign things aren't that bad. We need a proper Europe style lockdown and universal basic income.

Op is obviously being goady and trying to get people riled up. But my surprise is the amount of people who actually agree

Lol greyt. I do enjoy your posts. Maybe you should rethink your surprise and wonder why?

As for people saying I want the government to pay my salary - you’re absolutely right! If they guarantee 80% of PAYE then why would I not want that too? Exactly my point. You can’t treat people so differently. It completely breaks down the fabric of society even further which you are protesting about yet don’t want to acknowledge that the problem is if the government is helping some it needs to help all.

Doesn't time fly. From mental health awareness, bekind etc to berating people for feeling their life isn't worth living. And to the person who said that contemplating suicide is ridiculous, words fail me.

I wish the government would impose a proper lockdown. Dh works in the motor trade and people are still going in to buy cars!! Until they stop then the business won't shut, and dh has to go every day risking getting the virus and bringing it home to us.

Good point Bluntness

@blossomspring

Your posts have resonated with me.

While I have never known real poverty, I can empathise with it because my mother did live in real poverty and she helped me to understand something about it. Although my own childhood was not poor, I would not have been willing to sacrifice easily what we did have: stable housing, enough food, clothes that were ugly and second-hand but warm enough during the winter.

So I can understand why your own very strong drive not to fall back into abject poverty would be your absolute top priority, even if that means posing a risk to yourself or to others.

Would you be willing to share anything about what you do for a living and where (city or region) you do it? Maybe somebody on this board can help you to take at least some social distancing measures whilst also keeping a secure roof over your head and food on your table, if that is what is at stake for you here.

I believe that nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.

OP,
What kind of thing do you do? Am trying to imagine what 'going out looking for work' means, as so much job searching or marketing of businesses can be online or by telephone.

I hope when you are out, you are still trying to minimize the chances of infection for you and others? Or are you basically just parking it all in your mind and rebelliously telling yourself you are not going to compromise?

It is survival that people are interested in
Plenty of people survive on benefits. Losing your income is not a matter of survival. Losing your life is.

That's nice, OP. Poke fun of someone who doesn't agree with you. You know, I have thought why I'm surprised and I shouldn't be. Society is very selfish as a whole so it is silly for me to assume people would love and care about their own family members. Clearly I'm one of the few that actually does

Plenty of people don't survive on benefits midgebabe not anymore. Blair and Brown introduced the housing benefit cap and paid private companies to "assess" ill claimants. Since then housing benefit was cut even further and additional barriers have made surviving on benefits increasingly difficult. Homelessness including rough sleeping has risen as consequence. The number of suicides and other deaths related to benefit cuts and "reform" were being debated in parliament just recently.

You may not have children but you have a family. I won't say loved ones because if you're not that worried about them dying then they're obviously not loved.
I have been there no money no food. Yet I'd go back to that if it saved my family. I don't understand why you think dying is such a good option. I also can't understand why you don't care about all.the people you could infect. You might not care but you risk killing people, people with loving families. Talk about selfish!

There are a small additional number of deaths caused by benefits not turning up or getting sanctioned
Most people do survive though

The numbers are small compared to the numbers dying of this.

Not that I actually support the crap benefit system !

Yes but if no one cares about me and what happens if I slip back into poverty then why should I care about the potential of infecting others?

It’s all a circle. You can’t keep saying I’m selfish when you don’t look at your/society/the government’s part in all this? Benefits is absolutely not surviving and I won’t go back and do it again. Nor tbh is getting a job stacking a shelf where I expose myself to risk for minimum wage? Why isn’t the government increasing the salary for people doing vital work keeping the country fed - especially when most of those people will be on low incomes?

The fact is majority of people wfh are comfortable and can afford to do that and self isolate. Others who can’t are now being forced into the supermarkets. It’s still exploiting those who are poor and vulnerable.

And society is selfish absolutely. That’s what I’ve come to realise - even the thread with people harping on about getting a job - a job that basically allows them to live and function well with low risk to themselves - whilst not acknowledging it doesn’t pay that well plus puts me in high risk. Is that not selfish?

That’s my whole point. If the government wanted people to take it seriously they should do a proper lockdown, give everyone a universal basic income and give those in supermarkets, haulage companies, the truck drivers etc a massive wage increase to reflect the vital work they’re doing.

The gratitude and thanks from the chattering classes about pulling together and how grateful they are won’t cut it with me.

I would rather be sleeping on the streets and eating from bins than lose my family. People that think money and possessions mean more than their loved ones are hideously idiotic IMO. My DH, 4yo DD and unborn DD mean everything to me. Apologies this is very dark but I’d definitely kill myself if my children die from this. I wouldn’t see life as worth living, doesn’t matter if I still have a job, car or a home.