Is it selfish to not socially distance yourself?

[holyzombiejesus]

I want to go to the pub. The pub desperately needs my money, as does the 2nd hand record shop and wholefood supermarket I want to visit tomorrow. I can justify it to myself but I'd be just as bad as those thicko meatheads at the gym in Wolverhampton, wouldn't I? Also, I guess it would be introducing extra risk to my wife and child. So I guess it could be considered selfish but only to people who are excluding themselves. If I was on my own, I'd well be going to the pub and I can't see anything wrong with that. I'd just be introducing risk to people accepting that risk. Is this wonky logic?

[Dewt]

Yes, you could have stopped after your first sentence. It's other people who will suffer because you can't stay in a fucking room. The idea that you're actually doing a good thing by supporting businesses is a selfish lie to yourself. Will you also support families that were torn apart because some people couldn't bring themselves to do a pretty minimal amount of isolating (not even quarantining. Just isolating. Just asking you not to make every single day of your life a fucking outing)

I'm addressing the hypothetical cunt that you would be if you did go to the pub, of course.

[Zetetic]

If I was on my own, I'd well be going to the pub and I can't see anything wrong with that. I'd just be introducing risk to people accepting that risk. Is this wonky logic?

For one thing, you're likely to be going to other places - the supermarket for example - and going to the pub helps extend transmission chains in to those places.

I'll confess that I'm still occasionally visiting near-deserted cafes for takeaway cakes and coffee to get through long working days - I'm still in a office building 10-12 hours a day at the moment. (These practically seem less of a problem to me than the supermarkets, mind you, in terms of surface and person contact...)

I need to start making myself stuff at home before leaving the house.

[massive bereavement]

I haven't socialised for about 25 years so that side of it is not an issue for me but I've been in crowded supermarkets every day this week (not because I'm hoarding but because I don't drive, it's a fairly long walk so I can't carry much and I'm buying food that's not just for me), so I've probably put myself at risk and others far more than somebody going to the pub. Not saying you should go but telling people not to meet with friends when you've got pre-xmas levels of chaos in just about every supermarket in a major town or city seems a bit of a joke right now.

[Dewt]

I haven't socialised for about 25 years so that side of it is not an issue for me but I've been in crowded supermarkets every day this week (not because I'm hoarding but because I don't drive, it's a fairly long walk so I can't carry much and I'm buying food that's not just for me), so I've probably put myself at risk and others far more than somebody going to the pub. Not saying you should go but telling people not to meet with friends when you've got pre-xmas levels of chaos in just about every supermarket in a major town or city seems a bit of a joke right now.

I suspect that it is less likely that you would be the one to spread to a supermarket crowd than a small pub crowd. Also grocery shopping is important and quick. A pub is just unnecessary hanging around

[pancreas]

I want to go to the pub. The pub desperately needs my money, as does the 2nd hand record shop and wholefood supermarket I want to visit tomorrow. I can justify it to myself but I'd be just as bad as those thicko meatheads at the gym in Wolverhampton, wouldn't I? Also, I guess it would be introducing extra risk to my wife and child. So I guess it could be considered selfish but only to people who are excluding themselves. If I was on my own, I'd well be going to the pub and I can't see anything wrong with that. I'd just be introducing risk to people accepting that risk. Is this wonky logic?

Don't take the responsibility onto yourself. It's the Govt's decision to shut them. It hasn't, so they are open. You are one person.

(Probably shouldn't do it, though.)

[Danger Man]

Is this wonky logic?

Depends on what type of pub we are talking about.

[imitationleather]

Going to a drugs festival for four days, catching coronavirus and then bringing it back with you was fine this time last week. If anything, it was to be encouraged.

Anyone doing that now wants stringing up.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

The most contact I have with people is on my daily journey to work, in work and from work, which has been decreed must continue. By any measure that accounts for the vast majority of the risky germ spreading activity.

I selected a bar this lunchtime which had no-one in it. That was the furthest away from a human I have been all day. That isn't just a convenient fact. It was 12 o clock on a Thursday. Often it is dead at the best of times.

I know, transmission points, surfaces etc but when you have to stand cheek by jowl with people in the morning and evening on your commute and go about the office all day it seems utterly pointless to fixate on that.

As I have said, the at-risk demographics are stark vs the effect of COVID on the general populace. Clearer direction to at risk people to isolate while the rest of us stay away from them is what will help. As a designated hamster wheel worker cunt, I won't be held responsible if someone in that category is refusing to take the far far more morally incumbent steps of isolating themselves from others. I will try to keep a clear distance from them, obey the personal hygiene directions and I will keep going to a pub if its quiet.

[jobotic]

Yeah. Don't go.

I'm getting a bit obsessed with this seeing as work have made it impossible for me not to distance myself from people who should know better.

Instead of going to the pub help kick up a fuss about them not being shut by the government with proper compensation.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Instead of going to the pub help kick up a fuss about them not being shut by the government with proper compensation.

Or do the former and the latter, another option.

[BlodwynPig]

[holyzombiejesus]

Depends on what type of pub we are talking about.

The Fox and Goose.

I'm in a similar situation to Shoulders in that I'm having to carry on travelling in to work. So I have to get two trains a day, travel through a filthy (albeit increasingly mausoleum like) Victoria Station, walk through the grounds of a school, leisure centre and library and then share an office with about 30 people. Today, I also had to go to the post office to post a record someone had bought from me, the cafe for a sandwich, the supermarket for food and a cafe as 2 trains were cancelled. I also had to go and collect my little boy from the nursery which is also visited by dozens of other children's parents. I share a house with my wife who has had to do pretty much the same thing as myself. We're not socially distancing and we are not able to come anywhere close to doing so.

Tomorrow I have the day off and need a haircut. I also need to go to the supermarket and, as it's my wife's birthday next week, some local shops to get her a present. I'd also like to get a few things for our lad as he may well be housebound for a while, and for the local foodbank that's crying out for stuff. These shops/ organisations are desperate for money, as is my local. I could buy my wife books from Amazon, or just give her money or vouchers but to stop myself from going to these places seems bloody silly when I am already forced to expose myself to loads of people every day.

Having said all that, I'm not going out now.

[Danger Man]

I'm off to the pub now. I'll have a pint for you.

[weekender]

Which pub?

[Buelligan]

The Fox and Goose.

I'm in a similar situation to Shoulders in that I'm having to carry on travelling in to work. So I have to get two trains a day, travel through a filthy (albeit increasingly mausoleum like) Victoria Station, walk through the grounds of a school, leisure centre and library and then share an office with about 30 people. Today, I also had to go to the post office to post a record someone had bought from me, the cafe for a sandwich, the supermarket for food and a cafe as 2 trains were cancelled. I also had to go and collect my little boy from the nursery which is also visited by dozens of other children's parents. I share a house with my wife who has had to do pretty much the same thing as myself. We're not socially distancing and we are not able to come anywhere close to doing so.

Tomorrow I have the day off and need a haircut. I also need to go to the supermarket and, as it's my wife's birthday next week, some local shops to get her a present. I'd also like to get a few things for our lad as he may well be housebound for a while, and for the local foodbank that's crying out for stuff. These shops/ organisations are desperate for money, as is my local. I could buy my wife books from Amazon, or just give her money or vouchers but to stop myself from going to these places seems bloody silly when I am already forced to expose myself to loads of people every day.

Having said all that, I'm not going out now.

I suppose it's like having unprotected sex isn't it?  The more you do it, the greater chance you have of catching something nasty or fucking someone else.

[idunnosomename]

AHHH touch my face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alan nagsworth]

Make your own packed lunch, tell the record buyer you can't post it due to the circumstances. Tell your wife it's too much of a health hazard to be selfishly buying gifts. You don't need a haircut. There, that's not hard is it?

[pancreas]

I suppose it's like having unprotected sex isn't it?  The more you do it, the greater chance you have of catching something nasty or fucking someone else.

It's a bit like having protected sex for the 500th time that day, rather than stopping at the first unprotected 499.

[Buelligan]

Yes, dear numbers fellow, it might well be your 499th but it could be the other person's first and only.  Think on't.

[pancreas]

Yes, dear numbers fellow, it might well be your 499th but it could be the other person's first and only.  Think on't.

Would you also counsel people not to drive cars? Well, I guess you would, but you're not at the moment.

[Danger Man]

Which pub?

The dog and rapist.

8 people in the pub. 4 twenty year olds and 4 middle aged men.

[Buelligan]

Would you also counsel people not to drive cars? Well, I guess you would, but you're not at the moment.

Heheh, I'm not at the moment... what? 

[BlodwynPig]

Make your own packed lunch, tell the record buyer you can't post it due to the circumstances. Tell your wife it's too much of a health hazard to be selfishly buying gifts. You don't need a haircut. There, that's not hard is it?

Everyone is having haircuts now. My wife got a message from her Russian hairdresser (business out of her garage) "We're open for business"

I feel sorry for the brothels.

[pancreas]

Heheh, I'm not at the moment... what?

You're not currently counselling people not to drive cars, rather to avoid contact. I haven't tried to crunch the numbers but it's possible that getting in a car is as bad as going to the pub, in terms of likely numbers of deaths you'll cause.

[BlodwynPig]

Heheh, I'm not at the moment... what?

searching the magic car park

[Buelligan]

Truffling there for chocolates.

You're not currently counselling people not to drive cars, rather to avoid contact. I haven't tried to crunch the numbers but it's possible that getting in a car is as bad as going to the pub, in terms of likely numbers of deaths you'll cause.

But surely, it's not the risk of each individual activity, it's the adding of each activity to one's other activities?  That's what multiplies the risk.  Like eating chocolates.  One may not hurt, fifty thousand will probably kill you outright.  Especially if the 49,999th has cyanide in it.

[Sin Agog]

The Fox and Goose.

I'm in a similar situation to Shoulders in that I'm having to carry on travelling in to work. So I have to get two trains a day, travel through a filthy (albeit increasingly mausoleum like) Victoria Station, walk through the grounds of a school, leisure centre and library and then share an office with about 30 people. Today, I also had to go to the post office to post a record someone had bought from me, the cafe for a sandwich, the supermarket for food and a cafe as 2 trains were cancelled. I also had to go and collect my little boy from the nursery which is also visited by dozens of other children's parents. I share a house with my wife who has had to do pretty much the same thing as myself. We're not socially distancing and we are not able to come anywhere close to doing so.

Tomorrow I have the day off and need a haircut. I also need to go to the supermarket and, as it's my wife's birthday next week, some local shops to get her a present. I'd also like to get a few things for our lad as he may well be housebound for a while, and for the local foodbank that's crying out for stuff. These shops/ organisations are desperate for money, as is my local. I could buy my wife books from Amazon, or just give her money or vouchers but to stop myself from going to these places seems bloody silly when I am already forced to expose myself to loads of people every day.

Having said all that, I'm not going out now.

The point isn't that you're much more likely to catch it and bring it home to your family, it's that you're putting other alchies at risk with that one extra completely extraneous activity.  The fact that you're such a busy boy is exactly why you shouldn't go the pub.  That might be the only place they've been all day.

[pancreas]

Truffling there for chocolates.

But surely, it's not the risk of each individual activity, it's the adding of each activity to one's other activities?  That's what multiplies the risk.  Like eating chocolates.  One may not hurt, fifty thousand will probably kill you outright.  Especially if the 49,999th has cyanide in it.

Yes, it's a bit like voting, really. Each individual person makes no difference, but everybody together does. We sort of suppress this thought out of social conscience. But it doesn't stop it being a reasonable analysis on an individual level. He probably shouldn't go to the pub, but ... if he's quick ...

[kittens]

as long as i'm still going to work i'm going to continue my normal life. it isn't selfish. i'm just going to work and then the gym for about an hour a night. the advice is to stay home if you have symptoms, which i don't, so it's fine.