Being treated like idiots

[fessmess]

I listened to Matt Hancock on Radio 4 today and I was shouting at the radio(could be my age I suppose). He was just spouting the same crap "we don't have the science to lift lockdown" and "we are still in the peak" and the worst? " The people are with us and support the lockdown, they don't need to hear how we will be lifting it". I am paraphrasing btw. Stop bullshitting, Feds up and be honest. I have seen the graphs we are past the peak and and I feel a lot of people are now getting fed up. Anecdotally I have seen many more people out and about. Anyone starting to feel pissed off at this patronising response? It doesn't help that he sounds flustered. When asked about the 100 000 tests a day he said "yes we will be doing so but life doesn't always work out." There, the caveat. 😡

I felt the same yesterday listening to Nicola Sturgeon. She was supposedly setting out an exit strategy but it was a load of old crap with the same old lines trotted out. I emded up turning it off I was so angry and went ranting to DH.

I understand the need for the lockdown, I understand that they will be unsure of exactly when it can be lifted but if they are still at the point where they don't know how to lift it when the time comes then I just give up...what are they actually bloody doing?

All of these experts who have studied pandemics etc. they advised lockdown so can't they advise how to come out of it or did they not get that far in their studies.

I'm ranting but lockdown has started to really disagree with me now and I feel I am losing all reason.

Yes I felt exactly the same listening to him this morning. The journalists are just as annoying allowing the ministers to talk over them and not answer their questions as well as not asking the right questions.

Journalism has taken a dive hasn't it, almost all of them just let the politicians say what they want. I was watching Newsnight last night, can't remember the name of the presented but was so pleased when she actually pushed for and got an answer. I felt like cheering.

I'm also sick of the encouraging Thursday clap and nothing about how people are behaving, Westminster Bridge for example. Why aren't they questioning this, why aren't they questioning the bullying on social media?

Rant over, I feel better for that so thanks OP.

Glad I am not alone. Don't get me wrong I understand the purpose of the lockdown but it's the patronising air that's getting to me. Give me some hope and give me the info. I can handle it.

It really helps not listening to the news to be honest. Just get a catch up every few days. They told us it was at least 3 more weeks. So in 2 weeks time i will pay attention.

Newsnight and the Channel 4 news seem to be the only outlets that have a decent standard of journalism. It is so depressing what the bbc has been reduced to these days. Some of the programmes during the day on radio 4 can be good but the today programme and PM are a waste of time now.

France is furthur along admittedly however we have some idea on coming out of lockdown. Yes many questions but it has really helped me knowing that there is some kind of relaxing of the rules. We have known the date for some time. I am also able to follow the stats and know if we are on track or not fairly clearly , this has also helped. Dont know why the gov cant gov cant give some kind of indication instead of the constant sloganism.

I agree crazy, i have given up with the bbc.

I don't think it is patronising but they cannot talk about their plans to relax the lockdown because there are so many thick and stupid people who will immediately take the pee and start the process before it has been allowed. Unfortunately, that means some of the more intelligent, responsible people in the population may feel patronised.

exactly what NotEverythingisBlackandWhite says

Just accept they have to talk at the level that the dimmest will understand! If you feel patronized then be thankful you are not in that category.

Although we may be over the height of the peak it still needs to drop substantially below before we can be let loose!

"Give me some hope and give me the info. I can handle it."
But there are many who can't handle it.

Hope isn't something anyone else can give you. It's a quality within yourself. Just decide to be hopeful. Look for the positive in everything or, at least, don't look for the negative.

What is find patronsing is the constant slogans instead of information,

"Dont know why the gov cant gov cant give some kind of indication instead of the constant sloganism."
I understand why they can't give indications (see my earlier post) but I must admit to being peed off with the slogan now. On channel 5 it seems to be on at every advert interval too. Still, if it does save lives it is worth the irritation.

"The journalists are just as annoying allowing the ministers to talk over them and not answer their questions as well as not asking the right questions."
I noticed the opposite today. Naga Munchetty interrupted Matt Hancock so he stopped speaking and just listened. He was also cut off from answering at the end and smiled. Yes it was piss-poor journalism. He dealt with it with good grace though. (I don't know about other times but this stood out to me at today).

God humph yes!

Is there really a fear in government that if they outline the next step (ie open schools to some extent) then 1000s will then take that as a green light? It seems to me that people are starting to push it anyway. Fed up of the not knowing. Oh well, back to my dog walks and YouTube yoga.

@noteverythingisblackandwhite I totally agree, the rules have been pretty clear so far and there are still hundreds of people flouting them. The government have to aim the ‘rules’ at the people who will immediately break the rules and not at intelligent people who are folllwing them, therefore I think they have to dumb them down!

What Noteveeything said.

We all take info in different ways.
You do have hope, it won’t be forever.
They will tell us the next steps when they have evidence to support it.

In the words of Phill Collins ‘No you can’t hurry loveCoronavirus, no you’ll just have to wait’

I've heard news reporters say things like "Over 70s may have to stay indoors for a year or more". What does this mean? Will police be on the streets asking for ID? Surely you can't take away someone's freedom for a year "for their own good"? And if it won't be enforced then will it actually make any difference? What about those who are at the very end of life and just want to enjoy what few months/years they have left?

We need to have sophisticated, thoughtful conversations about rights and priorities. The public needs to be a part of these conversations. Instead these press conferences just come across like a headteacher talking to a room full of unruly children.

Yes i understand that they must treat us all like total idiots - i find that really scary and unfortuately for me they now appear to , either have no plan, or cant agree, or just keep us in the dark for the reasons you have said. I am a bit lost for words about this lack of any clarity. As i said, having some kind of end date has really helped me, and in fact has helped me to stick to the rules knowing there is some kind of end, otherwise i think i would be inclined to start trying to bend the rules. I cant be alone in this.

I think most people can actually handle a bit more information and being treated as grown ups instead of irresponsible kids. If you are totally stupid and irresponsible surely you would be doing what you want by now anyway, well as far as you can with pubs shut etc.

I did really listen to Nicola sturgeon so did not realise she was full of platitudes but was encouraged that she was at least prepared to publicly address the issue. Also the Welsh government are now starting to discuss plans for lifting lockdown. Are we going to have to close our borders? A trial period for the break up of the union perhaps.

Why are English people being treated like they have not got a brain?

I thought there was a recent survey where a huge majority responded that knowledge of the exit plan would make it easy to comply.
I work as a social care manager, work is very full on and challenging at the moment, no support from my manager who is constantly rude and grumpy. At home DH is furloughed from both his part time jobs and is trying hard to be cheerful and doing lots of DiY. I have been OK mentally until the last few days but now I feel trapped in hell.
Every morning and every evening I cry, think I can't live like this any more, want t go and do all the things I love that one at a time have crossed out. My skin is very dry, my eyes are baggy and my hair (usually my crowing glory) looks like shit. I eat and drink too much and meditation and yoga don't help very much. I constantly itch through new allergies on top of the old ones.

Last night I just wanted to get out and go anywhere. If I could just have a few days in a little cottage by the sea on my own it would help. If I could just get my hair cut too. But I can't. If there is any civil disobedience I'll join it, if I can find anyway at all to get my hair cut I'll take it I get no pleasure from anything on zoom, and yesterday was m sons birthday and we could't see him. I have never felt suicidal in m life before this but I really think on the days I can't face work and I can't face home I'd be better off dead.

I am not badly off, nice house, fair sized garden. If I feel this dreadful and so close to the edge how do those worse off than me manage?
We must be allowed some extra freedoms soon.

Sorry, I did not listen to Nicola Sturgeon.

Humphriescushion Fri 24-Apr-20 10:35:44
Yes i understand that they must treat us all like total idiots - i find that really scary and unfortuately for me they now appear to , either have no plan, or cant agree, or just keep us in the dark for the reasons you have said. I am a bit lost for words about this lack of any clarity. As i said, having some kind of end date has really helped me, and in fact has helped me to stick to the rules knowing there is some kind of end, otherwise i think i would be inclined to start trying to bend the rules. I cant be alone in this.
.....
I 'get' what you're saying but where exactly is the 'some kind of end', apart from knowing that this will eventually end, all reports say something different about 'when'.

Astrabees post shows how bad this is getting for some people, I hope you are OK and find strength to keep going.

But it's not good enough for govt to say "we won't tell you and you are not allowed to question us, because you are too thick to handle it" Fuck that.

I’m not sure they’re treating us like idiots, I think they just have no idea what to do.

Even the scientists are getting pissed off at him stating 'we are following the science'.

No, they aren't, and The Science is actually quite complicated and doesn't just say one thing!

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/scientists-criticise-uk-government-over-following-the-science