To not understand why people are looking forward to 2021

[peasoup8]

I was chatting to a friend yesterday about how rubbish lockdown is and we were saying how crap this year has been for both of us. We talked about it for a while and then she said, 'Bring on 2021!' I've had a few other people say things like 'I can't wait until this year is over' and 'I'll be glad to see the back of 2020'.

I don't get it - do they think the virus is just magically going to disappear at midnight 31st December?

[BefuddledPerson]

@1dayatatime

I saw a quote a few weeks back:

"Enjoy Covid because the future is going to be hell"

If I'm honest I'm a bit fearful this is the case but in the interests of not alienating all my friends I don't discuss it with those who feel differently! But I think next year will be rocky.

[peasoup8]

That's just offensive. You have no idea what people are dealing with.

Okay, I take that back. But some posters are just so flippant and are clearly just enjoying rubbing it in.

[MrsMiaWallis]

@peasoup8

So other people cant look forward to their lives being better because yours wont?

Oh just sod off - that's not what I said at all

Sorry, but that's exactly what you are saying!

[peasoup8]

The people in my immediate social circle who are really worried and facing a lot of uncertainty are those in things like the arts.

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair I thought you said that things would be vastly improved next year. So do you believe that your friends in the arts will be fine again next year when things get back to normal?

[peasoup8]

Sorry, but that's exactly what you are saying!

No it isn’t. Where did I say that people can’t look forward to their lives being better? What I’m saying is, I don’t understand HOW people can look forward to next year when there is absolutely no guarantee that things will magically be better and this shitstorm will be over.

[MrsMiaWallis]

Well,.some do, so you may have to just accept it.

[MarshaBradyo]

Magically might apply if no vaccine. But there is one good one, and others very close.

It’s a strong reason for positive change next year.

[MacbookHo]

@TheAdventuresoftheWishingChair

I'm on your thread trying to help you and the loss I have suffered this year has been utterly devastating and goes far beyond losing a home, to be blunt.

I’m giving you the biggest virtual hug. I’m really sorry for your loss, whatever or whoever it was, and admire your kindness in helping the OP when I’m sure you often just want to tell the world to F off.

[Fizbosshoes]

2021 is 365 days. I'm not sure anyone thinks it's going to over on NYD, but I think that quite early on it was apparent that most of 2020 would have restrictions and be pretty shit, so people want to have something to aim for and feel positive about. And with several vaccines showing effectiveness maybe that isng misplaced?
Last year my Ddad died, after a short illness. I looked forward to 2020 as a better year for our family. It wasnt really, but I'm not willing to write off 2021 just yet.

[HesterShaw1]

Because it won't be 2020 any more.

That's it really.

[MacbookHo]

OP, have you ever watched “Life is beautiful”? It’s about a man who is so unbelievably positive, he’s even upbeat and optimistic when he’s in a WWII prison camp.

I’m not like that at all - I sink like a stone at the smallest thing - but I’d love to change that as life is always going to have some shit. I’d like to be more like Captain Tom, when he said “I always try to believe that tomorrow will be better”.

I think this thread isn’t helping you because you accidentally asked the wrong question. If you’d said, “AIBU to be angry and terrified about losing my home next year?” you’d have received much more comforting replies.

I’m really sorry it’s crap for you. But please don’t resent other people’s happiness. That would be a very bad place to end up in.

[MrsMiaWallis]

Happiness/optimism is a state of mind.

[goldielockdown2]

I don't know anyone who isn't looking forward to waving goodbye to this weird, shitty year.

[KodakNancyEurope]

@peasoup8

Sorry, but that's exactly what you are saying!

No it isn’t. Where did I say that people can’t look forward to their lives being better? What I’m saying is, I don’t understand HOW people can look forward to next year when there is absolutely no guarantee that things will magically be better and this shitstorm will be over.

Because that’s literally what optimism is.

[SufferingFromLongLockdown]

It's seasonal, so by March when pressure of flu season is off the NHS and cases of covid are naturally falling, there'll be a lot to look forward to.

[peasoup8]

Because that’s literally what optimism is.

That’s true!

[DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon]

No one ever knows what the future holds OP, no one is 100% sure that next year will be better but some people look at the positives rather than the negatives, this is how many people deal with difficut times rather than just wallowing.

Im not sure why you find this concept hard. It doesnt mean their lives are easy at the minute, or that next year will be better. Its just an outlook. Maybe its naivity, maybe its just something they tell themselves to get through this period but just because you cant see positives doesnt mean there are none, and doesnt mean people arent allowed to be optimistic

[Calmandmeasured1]

I believe that when the Covid pandemic is over one day in the future, most of us will look back and see that, as well as the bad things, we will also have benefitted from it. It is difficult but, even now, people are more concerned about seeing their families than anything. It is showing us that in a material world, it is the non-material that is the most important to many of us.

Many have realised the importance of:
Family and friends
Education.
Mental health.
The enviroment with less cars on the road.


There is generally something good to come from all of our experiences.

[lazylinguist]

I thought you said that things would be vastly improved next year. So do you believe that your friends in the arts will be fine again next year when things get back to normal?

In order to look forward to next year, you don't have to think absolutely everything is going to be absolutely fine. Or that it will happen overnight.

But some posters are just so flippant and are clearly just enjoying rubbing it in.

Optimistic isn't the same as flippant. You are assigning malicious 'rubbing it in' intent to people because you are feeling bad. People aren't telling you that you need to be optimistic or that you are not entitled to be pessimistic. You literally started a thread criticising other people's view. And when people point out that other people's views are just as valid as yours, you accuse them of being smug, spoilt Ocado people. Can you honestly not see how unreasonable you're being? Some people are optimists - that is allowed.

[Rabbitholebonkers]

I’ve just completed an essay on my mental health uni module and it’s agreed by various practitioners (psychologists mainly) that once an individual has no hope for the future, then it’s usually pathological (in terms of their mental health).

Hope is something humans can cling on to in order to safeguard their mental health. It’s actually a sign of resilience.

[upsidedownwavylegs]

I don’t think ‘seeing is believing’ applies to vaccines

[CorianderLord]

It's just about hoping that at some point next year shot might be better than right now. Because all of 2020 has been shot so good riddance.

[Whirlwind14]

Well it can’t be any worse than 2020 so why not have some hope?!

[Fizbosshoes]

I'm generally a pessimist, but after such a shit year (and last year was also awful for me due to bereavement) even I have to have something to hope for.
I'm under no illusion it's going to happen overnight but by summer, maybe, or even if it's the end of the year, I'm hoping for some normality.(and the vaccine news supports that hope)

[NullcovoidNovember]

Oh yes I'm with the 2021 s!!.
Once we get through this winter I'm 95% sure that will be it.

By March we will be over the worst, vaccines flooding out, the weather on our side again, each day brings new information on the virus... Learning about it ect.. I so expect covid will remain in the population but break through in testing and vaccine etc will make it have minimal impact on life.