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. 😡

Gosh he does my head in! He never answers anything and when he does it's we're doing this which other countries aren't doing. Stupid cock.

Sorry @Lynda07 meant some kind of end to lockdown here in France. We have been given a date where some restrictions will be lifted - not totally clear yet, but it has helped me to stick the rules here.

urgh yes, I am in total agreement with you. Its obvious we've passed the peak- the graphs indicate that. He's treating us like bloody morons.

They NEED to focus on an exit strategy now. This constant delaying and blathering and dithering needs to stop. We need firm and confident leadership and we need someone to take control of this, action the correct supplies of PPE, get testing going and the tracing app. Its not complicated, its obvious what needs to happen. So why arent they getting on with it? We cannot stay in this wishy washy, nannying purgatory any longer.

@Astrabees 💐

I'm not sure they're treating us like idiots, but if they are then you can hardly blame them. Don't stockpile, they said. Did you see the scenes in supermarkets before lockdown?

Many, many people are incapable of critical thinking. Asking for any kind of common sense approach only works where the vast majority of people are able to make sensible decisions.

It's annoying being patronised but the harsh reality is that a percentage of the population simply don't have the ability to listen and use critical thinking skills to properly interpret more in depth messages. If you keep it simple, people are more likely to listen and less likely to bend the advice to allow them to go out, etc.

The dialogue currently being used is simple and memorable, akin to advertising campaigns. If they started going into too much detail, while a lot of us would appreciate it, it would be lost on too many people.

Unless you want granny convulsing and bleeding from the ears the lockdown stays.

Unless you want granny convulsing and bleeding from the ears the lockdown stays.

What?

Are you referring to pneumonia?

Can we at least speak like grownups?

Also I fear you are extremely ignorant on what the point of the lockdown is.

Unless you want granny convulsing and bleeding from the ears the lockdown stays

Ebola is doing the rounds too then? wow

That’s a pretty stupid thing to say

i dont think lockdown in the uk should end. But i think we could maybe in very simplistic ways since that appears to be all the poplulation can handle what some of the options may be when the time is right. It has helped me follow the lockdown rules. and if mumsnets threads are anything to go by ( and i realise they may not be) then people are starting very much to push the boundaries. This i think will increase with no information.

I normally take what Laura Kuenssberg says with a grain of salt but I agree with much of what she is saying here.

Coronavirus: Pressure builds over lockdown transparency www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52404692

Chris Whitty has said that the peak will likely be different between London and elsewhere, up to more than a few weeks. And information and recommendations need to be consistent on a National level.

Also, things are changing all the time. Each day something new comes to light. Such as the increase (slight now but it is completely unexplored as yet) of stroke danger in healthy 30/40 year olds in New York? And still no confirmation about immunity.

And still a worldwide lack of PPE.

Schools are saying even starting on 1st June may not be realistic, they don’t know yet how they might manage it and may only be on a limited basis. How does stating a date for lifting lockdown help here?

So, saying that in one month we are lifting lockdown and everyone starts to pre-empt that recommendation, and then having to turn around and revoke the lift. How does that help?

Some people are pushing the boundaries already and it's been written about on these threads most of the week.
I'm not sure if they are treating us as stupid or just hoping people will lift the lockdown on its own ( or a partial one) then they can say ' we told you so' or something similar when it goes wrong. They have behaviour experts on their payroll who may well be pushing this agenda : treat them like idiots and they will be. I've no idea really but it's just an idea of mine.
Either that or the ' exit plan' hasn't really been discussed properly. Science can't be rushed but people want a 'quick fix. '

Exactly NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite and SeasonFinale.

There is a worrying percentage of population that, frankly, are as thick as shit. The lad (aged 23) that works for my husband was gobsmacked that after the first three weeks of 'lockdown' that things weren't going to be completely back to normal. Totally ignorant. He honestly thought he was going to be back out clubbing last weekend and was gutted to realise that this was going to be going on even longer!

Multiply this lad by millions and therein lies your, or should I say, the government's problem!!

To be fair though many people don't watch the rolling news or listen to the radio or are at work all day and not informed because they don't have time to read things or just in their own little bubble. The messages about this virus have been mixed too.
Some people are also not that interested if it hasn't affected them personally and may believe the tabloids more than other media outlets.

To me it seems as though they've forgotten their audiences. The "stay home, protect the NHS, save lives" TV ads are fine as they reach the kind of people who don't watch the news/read the papers so would be clueless otherwise.

But the kind of people watching the press conferences actually want some nuanced information, not just another hour of slogans and politicians covering their arses. Yes we can see that transport use has gone down (well der). Tell us why the Nightingale Hospital is empty and why our death rate is so much higher than Germany's. Tell us what easing of restrictions you're thinking about trialling and when. Tell us what different scenarios we could reasonably expect over the next 12 months.

.” Multiply this lad by millions and therein lies your, or should I say, the government's problem!!”

Not really, they’ll learn as they go.

But quite a lot of businesses and individuals need an idea at least, of what the plan is.

If there’s no hope of a hairdresser returning to work before September, they might want to look at alternatives. I’m thinking of applying for care work.

Since our peak is trailing behind other countries, it also makes a whole lot of sense to watch and wait to see what happens. No country seems to have the best practice. Look at Singapore. How are they dealing with a second peak? How will France be set to deal with it?.

So why do people think the UK isn’t interested in learning and adapting while it can? And do you honestly think that there are no plans being made and considered, and evaluated on a daily basis with all the new information? Do you think that the government is that bereft of intelligence?

It also begs the question: how will people react to the lock and lift cycle that could eventuate if lift is too much, too soon? It is a concern that Angela Merkel has mentioned too. And just how many are going to follow the recommendations if a second lockdown is needed.

No. I don’t think we are being treated like idiots.

Listened to Hancock on the radio this morning too. He just gives out no new information. No information. Everything is coverup, defense and lies.

The interviewer was giving him such an easy time. He didn't answer any of her questions - just twisted his attempts at answering into nonsensical boosting of the government.

At this time government needs to be transparent and working with us. Not dealing in the same bullshitting way the usually do.

I do wonder if they are waiting for Boris to be back on the scene. How much longer do you think he will be off for? I would hope the government has got a plan for gradually releasing aspects of the lockdown, but just haven't communicated it yet. Perhaps that's a vain hope.
I resent being treated like a child. I don't agree that you cannot outline a plan openly for fear of confusing people.

“ I don't agree that you cannot outline a plan openly for fear of confusing people.”

I think one reason there’s no communication is that lockdown will be very long indeed. Sorry. I find it appalling but I think that’s the reason.

I just wish he'd stop with the 100,000 tests mantra.

It's not going to happen, just admit that and shut up about it.

I suspect they aren't able to give out any information regarding their strategy for coming out of the lockdown because they don't have one.

The whole thing seems to have been done on the hoof. It'll be the same with easing the lockdown, they'll start to implement changes when the figures seem favourable, as to what those figures are, do they actually know? I suspect not.

And as to how we go about easing the lockdown, I suspect they'll make that up as they go along.

No one really knows if opening certain sorts of businesses first, or sending children back to school is best. They just need to go with what they think the public will respond well to. First and foremost they need to keep the public onside.

A large percentage of the population has had enough now - that's evident from the increase in traffic I think most of us are seeing, certainly happening in my small town - so the government will need to make some changes soon.

Regardless of the science, I don't think they've got much more idea how to get us out of this than a great many of the general population.

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

Erm, evicting NHS worker staff? Racially abusing people who might look like they could be from any number of countries including China? Going to Cheltenham Races or the Football? All the 'I know it's against the rules, but I want to...' posts? Vandalising 5G masts?

Mitzi - that’s like saying all of us have to be treated as criminals because knife crime is high in London.

I would far prefer a more transparent approach like Macron has taken. I increasingly want to throw things at the TV - and Sturgeon's approach wasn't really much better.