To have to accept that many in this country just don’t give a shit about others?

[Fortheweekend]

I live in Essex which, like many areas has been heavily hit by Covid.
Just heard on the news that Essex Police have had to issue many, many fines last night to people having New Years Eve parties.
I really deeply saddens me that so many people just don’t give a toss about other people.
They can not see past their own noses. Can they not see or do they not give a shit about the long term costs of their actions? That this goes beyond the virus, that because the NHS is overwhelmed people with potential life threatening conditions such as cancer will be overlooked or diagnosis/treatments delayed as they will not be able to get appointments or appointments cancelled because of too many Covid cases in their hospitals.
That people such as those I work with who suffer from disabilities or people like my poor mum who has Alzheimer’s have been isolated for many, many months and many more to come because support groups open and they and their carers will and are suffering from terrible depression and mental health issues which cut deep and will probably never heal.
Do they not care that people like my 90 year old neighbour who is all alone is shit scared every single day because she feels that she will never be able to live out her last months/years with the freedom she had been used to and genuinely believes she will die alone, without help and never having the freedom to just pop to the shops for she fears she will get the virus.
It truly leaves me feeling nothing but despair as I don’t think we will ever control this virus if people don’t do as asked for the short while it would take.

Really saddening isn’t it. So many breaking the rules to do what they want, my staying home and using supermarkets etc as an outing and demanding schools remain open so they have childcare despite the huge risks of group gatherings. I fear for the future generation after the behaviour some are seeing being modelled.

sin that is cruel and uncalled for.
OP I definitely agree with you. It is awful watching the virus spread, take an enormous toll in terms lives, illness, put enormous pressure on the health system and to have others not do their bit.
Hold tight OP, you will get there 💐💐

I recently came to the same conclusion.
But in more charitable moments I feel it is more the general tendency of humans to feel they are different to others and therefore that the rules don't apply to them and /or that "it won't happen to me" ...until it does.
And there's Dominic Cummings. I think a lot of people though "why should I bother" after he got off scott free.

I think they lack imagination. They can’t imagine being other than what they are (the privilege of health), they can’t imagine being ill, they can’t imagine being a super spreader. They can’t imagine their own deaths.

I don’t disagree op
However I keep seeing these threads and am more shocked that this seems to be a lot of people’s first experiences that people are very often incredibly selfish ?

@Mistlewoeandwhine

I think they lack imagination. They can’t imagine being other than what they are (the privilege of health), they can’t imagine being ill, they can’t imagine being a super spreader. They can’t imagine their own deaths.

Good point well made.

Some of us have too much imagination for our own good but it certainly helps protect others. That and empathy if course.

Agree OP, and as the hospital consultant or dr. working on the covid wards has said, they have blood on their hands. They are too selfish or dim witted to realise that it isn't them YET, but at some point they will be that vulnerable or eldely person, or just in need of a health service for themselves or their family that won't be there for them the way we are going.

I think this cuts both ways. It’s not been a short while we’ve been asked to do this, and isolation and hopelessness because of lockdown is also causing terrible consequences.

I think people have been pretty bloody good at following the rules, and I think the virus spreads because it’s a virus, and not because of rule breakers, in the main.

I agree, I have followed the rules, I don't know anyone who has been ill with Covid and no one gives a shit about me or the difficulties I and my family are experiencing due to complete isolation and mental health problems.

I'm the first person to blame the government for the state we are in at the present time, but I do think it's disgraceful that people attended gatherings last night. Absolutely shocked hearing about the parties and the police being pelted with objects by selfish twats, just for doing their job.

It wasn't just Essex though, as I asked 18 year old DS (home last night) if there were any parties going on from his Snapchat, and he said yes.

I’ve come to the same conclusion. It’s very, very sad, but I’ve resolved to be equally protective of my own interests.

I came to the same conclusion earlier this year and found it very hard. Before this I honestly thought most people were fundamentally nice and kind.

There have always been selfish people it's just that when you have something which causes such polarisation it becomes really visible.

Whilst I have found selfish people I've also discovered friendly people who check in on others, our neighbours have been sharing resources socially distance so we can get our gardens done. Neighbours brought cooked meals and colouring books for us when we were self isolating and we all take it in turns to check on our vulnerable neighbours and have doorstep conversations.

Try to find the like minded people who help and ignore the selfish ones.

I feel it is a basic intelligence and imagination thing, for sure. Some people dont have much of either.

Most of the people I know who have contracted the virus in recent weeks have caught it off their children and most of them are in the 16-25 age group. I’m not saying they are the main instigators but I would bet my bottom dollar that the majority of these New Years Eve party goers have been full of people in that age group.

@WouldBeGood

I think this cuts both ways. It’s not been a short while we’ve been asked to do this, and isolation and hopelessness because of lockdown is also causing terrible consequences.

I think people have been pretty bloody good at following the rules, and I think the virus spreads because it’s a virus, and not because of rule breakers, in the main.

Completely agree. The government and media has done a lovely job of getting us screaming at each other.

YANBU OP and I strongly agree with the 'lack of imagination' post. Many people are not comprehending the tragedy that is unfolding.

@Mistlewoeandwhine

I think they lack imagination. They can’t imagine being other than what they are (the privilege of health), they can’t imagine being ill, they can’t imagine being a super spreader. They can’t imagine their own deaths.

I absolutely agree. Intelligence and empathy are also lacking. I am CV so trying to shield as much as possible but worry about what we will face in a couple of weeks. I feel so grateful to the high school teachers who have kept things running as normally as possible for my teenagers and feel angry at all the people still mixing. Ironically, they are often the ones getting angry about school closures. They are putting older and cv teachers at risk and also exposing families like my own to added risk. This year has exposed shocking attitudes towards the elderly and people with underlying health issues.

Many people aren't being as thoughtful as they think they are when it steps outside covid. The name calling, the accusations have been horrific.

Ultimately though most people look out for them and theirs. Am I following the rules out of some duty to protect others? Not really, I am just trying to protect me and my own.

Goodness, I didn't realise it was such a crime to live in Essex

People are selfish, OP. The majority act only in their own self interests. I have no idea how we change this.