Covid-19 and purity spirals

[DreadPirateLuna]

Covid-19 is a very serious illness which threatens our most vulnerable and risks overwhelming the NHS. We should all do what we can to flatten the curve and save lives. People whose behaviour risks lives (e.g. urban residents traveling out to holiday homes in rural communities) should face criticism and sanctions.

However, I can't help feeling that some of the outrage at some behaviours is less about reducing the spread and more about getting caught in a "purity spiral".

Take all the outrage about people in parks. Fresh air and sunshine is good for physical and mental health, it improves the immune system which is particularly important during an epidemic! Many urban residents have no other source of open space except the local park. The ability to get outside can be lifesaving for victims of DV. Risks of contracting disease are very low if you keep your distance from others outside your household.

Yet I've seen photos of walkers and family groups in parks, keeping far away from others, but accused of selfishness and killing the elderly and disrespecting the NHS. Parks in London have been closed, meaning more congestion of other areas and residents confined to homes, which is damaging for reasons outlined above.

And it's usually (though not exclusively) women and esp mothers who get blamed. Those selfish Karens and their broods.

A more sensible solution would be to allow restricted access to the parks. Maybe allow only locals in nearby flats without gardens. But it seems we're not doing sensible these days.

Very pretty. I don't live within walking distance of a park so I haven't seen anything pretty like that for weeks. Because despite my despair at the Big Brother style spying, I have actually been obeying the rules.

Ooh, just read that back and realised that it sounded like a passive aggressive dig at people going to parks and that wasn't what I meant at all.

So have I Isabelle.
But I am still guilty of Thought Crime because I object to shopping basket searches, Prohibited Lists and curtain twitching delights scolding me on the internet.

And arse

A rogue arse escsped there

I thought you were calling me an arse

I apparently am strongly in favor of sunbathing in parks despite having said nothing about either sunbathing or parks, other than to compliment Binterested's photo. Such are the joys of conversation with those who just really, really like arguing.

I thought it might be the dog's arse, sneaking out the door for an unauthorized pee. Police or army, which should we send?

Binterested

Maybe there are more police available because they've just asked recently retired officers to return ( have to sign up for six months plus pension deducted from salary, so basically working for nothing).

We could have more police all the time if people weren't voting for a party more interested in cutting taxes and reducing public services.

Yes just wagging finger arses. (That's an arse in the right place)

Not as though we don't have enough arses on this board telling us how we we doing things wrong, guilty of thought crimes and endangering people's lives

And I know what I think of selfish individuals who care only about themselves - so back at you

If the shops that are permitted to be open are selling 'non essential' items...then that is actually a small blessing for many people. Only we each know what little pleasures and 'non essentials' we require to make our lives just a little bit more tolerable and enjoyable.
I don't think we all need to be wearing hair shirts - just so we can show others how virtuous we are, or to punish ourselves for some reason.

For example, some of the very large superstores sell crayons, stickers, and activities for children.......they sell children's shoes and sandals.....outdoor play equipment......tights, socks and other 'essential' clothing items.

I've noticed some stores have suspended lottery sales( while others are continuing with them), but are still selling cigarettes........Are cigarettes considered essential items? I guess they are if you smoke ( I don't, myself).

If you have a shopping list and you are familiar with the lay-out of a supermarket then you can hit it running...and picking up 'non essentials', as you proceed around the aisles ( which have now become a sort of sanity saver to make life that bit more tolerable ) doesn't take up much time.

The few times since lockdown I've gone shopping I've found that once I got into the shop I got round very quickly despite not attempting to restrict myself to a gruel and no pleasure diet because fewer people allowed in at once = quicker movement around the shop and no queues at the tills.

I keep seeing posts on our local Facebook group from people asking for help.shopping because they've been but cannot physically wait in line. I couldn't be in store buying non food items, in all good conscience, knowing that people were not able to come in to buy food.

This thread perfectly illustrates how purity spirals work. Good work Hooves.

slathers on sunscreen, cracks open another beer and waves at passing police officer

Hilarious, isn't it? Ask and you shall receive. Or just mention, even.

I know kittens. I went to M&S at 5.30pm last night after finishing work (from hone) and there was no queue at all. I was buying groceries for a relative who cant go out and I did also buy an Easter egg, some buns and a choc dessert treat for her. I then drove to her house, rang the door and stepped back, had a brief chat and went home. She was delighted about the little treats, which, I am told by the Stasi, should be contraband.

I was concerned that I might be questioned about my 'purpose' by the many police on the roads. This is something I should apparently be welcoming, otherwise my thinking is suspect.

No.

@Binterested thank you so much for sharing that photo of the beautiful flowers. My eyes are leaking now, but I’m sure it is my raging hay fever.

I keep seeing posts on our local Facebook group from people asking for help.shopping because they've been but cannot physically wait in line

I live in an area with plentiful shops that are open, and I vary my shopping routine depending on what shopping items are required, and where the queues are likely to be the smallest, or even non existent.

I save the big supermarket shop for when i know I need items that can only be bought at the full range superstore - and accept I'l have to queue. Today I picked up a geranium, amongst my food items, for the garden table.

My daughter does supermarket shopping for an elderly neighbour who is shielding for 12 weeks...and on that list has been included tonic water for her gin. Even the elderly like their little pleasures.

I can't eat treats, no carbs, no wheat, no gluten, no dairy, can't drink alcohol because of immunosuppressants I'm on, can't even go outside for a walk now. A treat that would make my life more bearable right now would be to go and visit my kids. So,that's ok right? Because it isn't about doing the right thing it's about ourselves and what's right for us as individuals right?

Votes on whether or not I should tell my cat that she's a very naughty girl to be getting extra treats and should feel guilty?

(I hope your relative enjoyed her chocolate, Dances. We can't get M&S food here but some of the Easter eggs looked lovely.)

And this is what it's all about. YOU.

YOU cant see your kids or eat wheat so you are fucking sure that you are going to make sure everyone else is as miserable as you are.

I'm a bun buying, Easter egg treating buyer for a vulnerable relative bastard, Who has been in alone for 5 weeks.

Go on, I'm sure you will find another way to show that I'm a selfish bastard

The goal isn't to make lockdown as unbearable as possible. We're still getting online deliveries (a shooting offence according to some) but when we have to go to the small Sainsbury's local for extra bread, or milk (non essentials according to MN) then it makes fuck all difference if I also grab a pack of chocolate doughnuts.

Our local M&S has deliberately moved a selection of stuff on to the same level as the food hall - pyjamas, basic clothes, baby stuff, some household.

The government have quite clearly said if the shop is open it can sell whatever it has - and the economy needs people to be able to buy wherever possible.

Went for a walk around the local park today, and saw a woman sitting on the grass as her twin tots toddled about. There's few gardens around here so they probably don't have any outdoor space, did it really make a difference to social distancing or risk if she sat on the grass while the little ones got some exercise rather than standing up? Not a bit.

Just FYI the government have now said if a shop is open they are entitled to sell whatever stock they want and customers are entitled to buy it
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52245937

Maybe some of the "essential" policing will stop now

You'd think, wouldn't you? But in fact the next demand will most likely be that shops remove goods deemed non essential from the shop floor.

My favourite park @Binterested ! Their planting is so good. I would have gone/ been looking forward to going to a couple of exhibitions at the Mall Galleries at this time of year and would have built in a little wander around the park , semi convinced that there would be spies exchanging packages on the benches ( makes me go all John Le Carre).

A friend lives in Soho and has been posting photos of his walks- utterly deserted Trafalgar Square, Regent St and Piccadilly. Must be so strange for you living in the centre - it’s odd enough out here in the leafy ‘burbs.