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.

My Dad just touched down in London yesterday and I warned him that it was probably going to feel like stepping into the opening of 28 Days Later.

Statistically
I'm afraid it is absolutely about making things as unbearable as possible for some of the posters here.

It's like some kind of warped social Marxism, where the goal to ensure the misery is imposed on everyone.

I'm going to drink some wine later but I'm thinking that I'll make a huge effort not to enjoy it, that way I'll not be harming anyone.

I demand that you only drink it using a tiny pipette dropped straight down the back of your throat so you don't taste it at all

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

Sounds like you are having a miserable time of it..... that can't be enjoyable at all.

I, for example, have responsibility for shopping and feeding my family, which also includes looking after my granddaughter everyday. I see myself as providing the 'mood music' and the basic rhythm of the day, for everyone else.......It is important to be able to keep myself sane and mentally healthy- and to be able to provide nice food, treats and so on for others.

Many people exist within a web of inter-relationships.......and if one is miserable or down, then it affects the whole 'system'.

Very true Dances. There was a story earlier - in a few places - that early modelling suggests more people could die as a consequence of lockdown than from coronavirus itself. Yet some people seem determined to make it as miserable as possible.

Sounds like you are having a miserable time of it..... that can't be enjoyable at all.

No it isn't. I'm listening to Matt Hancock now saying the more we all adhere to the rules the quicker this will be over, but no, what I see on here is post after post saying can I do this, why does it matter if I do that. Everyone knows the rules but no, apparently the thing to do now is to figure out the loopholes, find ways to bend them.

It's just utter selfishness. Scientists have told us what we can do and what we can't, for good reason but no, you have to have people arguing that going out three times a day won't really do any harm, that sitting on a park bench won't really do any harm, that going to the shops twice a day won't really do any harm, that spending an hour in the supermarket won't do any harm - well then they wouldn't have restricted it would they?

Can anyone suggest a good, non-misogynist alternative word to “hysteria”? I keep thinking how useful one would be.

I walked through our local London park on Wednesday. I was on my way to the supermarket on foot (no car) and that’s the quickest route. It’s also by far the safest in terms of being able to keep my distance from other pedestrians; if I’d walked on the streets, it would have been along narrow pavements alongside the (still quite busy) main road, so I wouldn’t have been able to step into the road to avoid oncoming people without getting squashed by a bus. Going through the park, I could walk on the grass and keep far away from the runners, bike riders and park pushers on the footpath. I don’t know if they’re counting people in this park, but if they were I would have added to the statistic (twice! On the way home too!) then everyone could clutch their pearls about stupid, selfish Londoners “flocking” to parks. And all I was doing was getting food for my family by the safest and most efficient route!

But did you spend a whole hour inside the supermarket, Mrsfrumble? Did you?

(Not sure how anyone could tbh but hey ho)

I reckon there should be a klaxon for time spent in the supermarket. You would be ejected with fuck all if you go over the Approved Time. For advice on what the Apprived Time is, please refer go the curtain twitchers.

Also a big voice booming 'Contraband Goods. Publics Shaming Imminent!', when someone tries to lift a bottle of plonk, or a tea scone. Make them sit in the town square and have people lob the scones and wine at them.

That'll learn 'em

NON ESSENTIAL WINE GUMS DETECTED IN THE BAGGING AREA. I REPEAT...

kittens

And we could all turn and point.

And then make the offending person do a shame walk with people chanting like on Game of Thrones.

(No head shaving unfortunately because that would involve physical contact.)

Ha! I honestly don’t know how long I spent. Longer than usual, because I was making careful decisions about what I could carry home, what would last as long as possible, and I kept having to change what I’d planned to buy because things weren’t in stock. I usually just wang stuff in a basket and get out as quickly as possible because I know I can go back again anytime, but it’s all different now isn’t it?
Everyone is having weigh stuff up now. Some people’s circumstances will allow them to follow “the rules” to the letter. Other’s will not.

Bloody phone... apols for typos. I am of course gallivanting all over the country at the moment (not cleaning the lavvy)

Oh god, can we not do the "not everyone has a car and a chest freezer" conversation again? The amount of people I've seen insisting that everyone can buy 12 pints of milk and 15 loaves of bread at once, plus however many tins etc, and take them all home and store them no problem, and if you say you can't obviously you're just lazy and bad at organizing things.

So you're against purity spirals prodigal but on another post just now you're complaining about your nephew socialising with friends??

1/10, poor effort even by your standards. Must try harder.

Hhmm or maybe you could just not be a hypocrite?

1/10, poor understanding of how to goad effectively.

Hooves
There is a Selfish Bastards thread in the go right now where you will do splendidly.

Or, you've been called out for double standards and don't like it?

Hearhoovesthinktediouschildishbaiting.

Oh god, definitely not trying to start on of those AGAIN TheProdigalKittensReturn. I feel like I’ve had that discussion 17349864 times on here over the last 3 weeks, with people insisting that one of those tartan granny trollies has the same capacity as a car boot. Or that if you can’t carry enough food for a family of 4 for 14 days in a large rucksack you’re a feeble weakling