Does anyone else have fatigue from all the arguments and polarising?

[Namara]

I realise that this is a huge thing in all of our lives and that obviously people understandably will have opinions and heated feelings.

It just seems everything is so polarised and nasty at the moment.

I'm not one for trusting in governments. I believe they usually have an agenda. I despise the current UK government, but I still think we should all adhere to all the COVID guidelines. I understand if some people don't, yes it makes me a bit angry, but they won't care what I think. I haven't fallen out with family or friends about it, we've agreed to disagree.

It's difficult to put into words what I mean.

I'm sick of the vitriol and nasty patronising judgement towards people who choose to take extra precautions. Who are they hurting exactly. If anyone is still worried, they are told with patronising faux concern that they need to 'get help for their anxiety'.

Everyone arguing over every aspect, debating every aspect. You can find conflicting studies to back up almost any viewpoint. On either 'side' of the divide or anywhere in-between.

Do people in other countries do this? For example the Facebook campaign groups about masks in schools? Does that happen in other countries?

It's overwhelming.

Not really. I trust the Government to do the best it can with expert advice.

I do my own thing to ensure I'm safe and honestly have zero interest if others are doing differently.

Yes that’s how I feel too. I wish I could just fast forward to Christmas and see how things are then, without the daily / weekly updates around infection figures, deaths, hospitalizations etc (I struggle to switch off).

The fragile social consensus of March / April also seems like a distant memory. I would never want to return to that form of lockdown, but now I’m finding challenges of a different sort, in navigating different attitudes amongst my friends to the rules, and to the crisis in general. In some ways it feels lonelier than it did back then.

I’ve had young children before so I’m used to writing off whole chunks of the year due to newborn / gruelling small baby stages. It’s one way of reconciling myself to what’s happening now.

I feel the same, so much. It's exhausting and has been the worst thing to come out of this pandemic, for me. Everyone turning on everyone else, tutting, accosting strangers, fighting over differences. It's so sad and so draining.

@Redolent Yes - fragile social consensus is exactly what I mean . I feel it's evaporating and instead of we are all in this together and examining the evolving science, it's becoming polarised and a case of who can shout the loudest.

I follow statistics and science stuff. I do try to set a limit as I struggle to switch off too.

I'm sorry you are finding it difficult navigating the situation with friends. That sounds difficult. I've been lucky with friends and family in that way, even if we disagree on some stuff. DC dads a different story. He refuses to believe the virus even exists it's been faked or if it is real it's just a normal flu. Shouts me down and says I'm a sheeple etc. I hate that DC have to go there when he feels like that.

With you on the young DC thing. I remember the monotony as well

Yes I'm tired of the insults.

I just had a discussion where someone contrasted those who are 'hysterical' and 'scaredy cats' with people who are 'sensible'.

I do think covid is a huge issue to process and humans hate uncertainty.

I see many different strong responses:

• anxiety
• denial
• despair
• anger
• magical thinking

etc., etc. I am most certainly not responding perfectly, all I can do is try not to fall too far down any particular rabbit hole!

I only find this polarisation on MN really, even my FB is 99% non-Covid related. In RL we may pass the odd comment about the situation but that's it.

I do feel a certain rage when I go shopping and people pick things up, manhandle them, put them back on the shelf, repeat with the next item etc. but I've never said anything.

All my friends/family seem to be striking a good balance between being careful and following the basic guidelines and getting on with a slightly restricted life.

I think if I was finding it overwhelming I'd avoid SM and change the subject (or avoid the individuals concerned) if people want an argument in real life.

Where do you see most of this OP?

I do know what you mean, but I’m generally avoiding it and am quite successfully doing so. I don’t have a Facebook account and I wonder if that’s the massive difference? But it might be the people you are socialising with, or the MN posts you are clicking on for example.

I’d say most people I’m socialising with are on the same page and no one feels passionately either way. There is one mum in my postnatal group who is feeling quite anxious about stuff and therefore being very cautious and that’s respected and not mocked.

@Babs709

I suppose I see most of it on here or on FB. I don't know any single family member or friend who has stuck to the guidelines completely, although most of them make some attempt or pick and choose. That makes me angry but nothing I can do other than gently point out. If I fell out with them all there would be no one left!!

I suppose there's just an undercurrent of 'dementors' Vs 'antidementors' , trading insults etc. When it had felt like for a while, after the oh my report them for everything phase, where it felt we were all in it together.

It's worse on the Facebook groups centred around schools. I joined just to see what was going on, and .