Why do people keep referencing World War II when talking about covid?

[Covine]

They're not the same at all. The restrictions aren't the same at all. The causes and consequences aren't the same at all. Plus there are plenty of people globally who are actually dealing with both war and pandemic and know that they are two separate things and also know that lots of bad things happened in the world between World War II and now.

It's just weird. Why do people do this?

I know its not the same thing at all.

I think though people use it as a reference point because its the last time our society was in a major life changing state of upheaval. It was a time when everybody to pull together and majorly change their way of life in order to survive a major threat. That's why its used as a comparison.

I know. It drives me crazy. There is an obsession with WW2 in this country, like it was the last heroic time of the nation, when all pulled together. While there might have been a tiny bit of the spirit of Blitz solidarity in first weeks, there is certainly not anymore and anyway the comparison is not a valid one. Men being sent to fight, working class women working in factories, children sent to countryside, bombs on cities ....not exactly happening.

It was an event that affected the whole country and every person regardless of anything (wealth/status etc) the same as Covid affects everyone. Rules were imposed by Government too.

That said I’ve not read or heard it mentioned much at all so...

They weren't the same but there are some common factors - social upheaval, increased privations, being asked to make personal sacrifices for the common good. And I think you can draw parallels between the psychological effects - populations under constant strain from "an enemy" for many months.

There were lots of comparisons to ww2 during Brexit negotiations too.

Can you imagine the response from rural areas if it was suggested kids from high rate areas get sent to the countryside to keep them safe 🤣

Because the UK has a weird, rose tinted, obsession with WW2.

Because even though the events are different; the need to give up elements of what you previously took for granted, for the common good, is required of both.

We can take the best of what wartime national effort meant, or there can be carping and nitpicking aboutnwhat it really jeantnand how people did not always do as they should.

But most people then, and one hopes now, just get on with it

The people who reference it are also usually people who didn't live through it. My Dad actually did and he used to tell me stories about how people broke the rules and didn't follow guidance. He was supposed to have been evacuated to Canada but my grandparents changed their mind at the last minute. (Thank goodness they did, his best friend did go but the ship transporting them was sunk and so his friend died).

There was the black market, looting, and the level of crime was the worst it had been for decades. It certainly wasn't the rosy picture of everyone coming together that some of the posters on here like to think. Probably 99% of people were pushing against the rules in some way or another, even if that pushing was bartering some home grown veg for an extra sausage.

Oh and no one during the war was expected to break off all social contact with their community. In fact the opposite was true, there was an expectation of the communities coming together to support one another (often over a cuppa tea).

@Justcallmecaptainobvious yeah I guess that's true. Tbf it's probably the most recent event of note for the UK; since then it's just been the slow decline of a fallen empire.

It's annoying though, some of the fatuous non-comparisons people are making. Eg "schools didn't close in the war" when they did and anyway it's irrelevant to bring up as it's a different situation.

people broke the rules and didn't follow guidance

That’s quite a similarity.

Because nobody lived during world war 2, nobody has ever experienced a war, and they think that there is some nostalgic glow where people all miraculously changed into selfless heroes who coped admirably with everything whilst trouncing the bad guys. I have worked in three war zones. Anyone who thinks war is glamorous and sets a brave example of how to live during a pandemic that might, regrettably, have some poor outcomes for some people, needs their head testing. An estimated 75 million people died directly as a result of deliberate actions of other human being in World War 2. And we did all that to ourselves. Who needs a virus?

If it helps people to draw strength from the brave actions of their Grandparents and family members, even if it is a bit idealised it's not a bad thing. When I go out to work in a school canteen I know it's a bit of a risk but I think of how my grandparents and people I remember from childhood got on with similar things in a good humoured way and that makes it easier.

@Sparklingbrook

It was an event that affected the whole country and every person regardless of anything (wealth/status etc) the same as Covid affects everyone. Rules were imposed by Government too.

Sorry, but that isn't true. Wealth/status wouldn't and won't stop a bomb being dropped on your home/being killed in battle/catching Covid. However they make a very significant difference to living with the restrictions imposed as a result of war or a pandemic. That's a major factor that many posters on MN wilfully refuse to accept.

Oh ok @BamboozledandBefuddled as I said I’ve no seen the comparison really so my first thought was that. Maybe I should have added a’?’ Not my intention to lie to everyone.

My real peeve is hearing people in their 70s talk about how “we fought a world war”. My FIL is nearly 93 and was just too young to see active service. Unless you are in your mid 80s, I doubt you can even have distinct memories of wartime life. (Hats off to Capt Tom and the DD veterans - but they are the only group people who can genuinely talk about fighting a war and I actually find it pretty disrespectful coming from my 78 year old neighbour....)

Only reference to world war 2 I’ve seen regarding covid is here!

Thing is we look at WW2 through nostalgic Rose tinted glasses
Vera Lyn singing./the nation had Never been healthier / communities coming together / blitz spirit etc etc

In reality ( according to my nan) it was awful
Food shortages, rationing,stress, getting bombed out, thefts ,racketeering
Etc.

But they had each other

This current pandemic is not the same at all

@Everleigh2021

Only reference to world war 2 I’ve seen regarding covid is here!

I agree. I think the couple of times I ever saw it was in here. Not conversations with people in RL or anywhere else. Is it that much of a problem?

I think England has a weird rose tinted view of WWII gleaned from films rather than reality.

Not forgetting all the Churchill/Johnson references 😡

I think it was Michael Rosen who wrote a great tweet earlier this year about BJ in a Spitfire attacking the enemy, Covid, to show how ridiculous all the jingoism is.

Because apparently people aren’t allowed to be pissed off or upset with the situation because people have had it worse at some point in history 🙄

I don't know OP - it drives me crazy too.

All this obsession with WW2 is partly why we are in this mess. We would have covid anyway, but without harping on about WW2 leading people to think Brexit was a good idea, we might have had a more sensible government now. A Cabinet selected for its loyalty to the Brexit cause isn't the best group of people to deal with a national crisis.