Is it selfish to not socially distance yourself?

[Buelligan]

If the govt is intent on massacring its own populace, trying to care-bear a beam of individual responsibility out of your belly at the world isn't going to work; i.e. we may as well treat it all as a joke.

All such events should have been cancelled months ago, but it didn't happen because we have weirdo bald man in tie-dye playing games with our lives like we're spores on a petri dish—and using the wrong epidemiological models for good measure. In abrogating his personal responsibility like basically everyone else in the country Boomy Dier may have infected some people that wouldn't have got infected anyway, or maybe he didn't. It isn't going to be possible to tell. Plus Danger Man was going to the pub when he didn't need to so I don't think anyone should be taking lessons on moral purity from him—or me for that matter.

I was knocking on doors in Teeside in December trying desperately to stop people killing themselves, but they didn't listen. They were afraid of free broadband and they wanted to Get Brexit Done and so they voted for a bunch of brainless psychopaths to hasten them to grave. Now 100s of 1000s of them will die, predominantly constituted of people who voted for it, going on the back of age-based mortality. Therefore most of those people got what they wanted. Of course, that death count should be added on top of the 130k+ unnecessarily dead from austerity that they have also been voting for, so they'll be in good company.

The whole country is an absolute farce. I can't manufacture any more empathy for it. But maybe, just maybe, they will learn something from this. Seeing the abject stupidity which is still going on, even when we know how bad this is going to be, ironically a massive death toll from Covid-19 is the only source of hope for the planet I can see right now.

Someone pointed out that the reduction in emissions in China from shutdown has already saved more people than the virus has killed. So there you go. The virus is some stuff that's happening in a big bag of stuff, albeit different stuff from what we're used to.

I'm hoping very much that this time on humanity's naughty step will present the people with a moment of silence to contemplate the next step.  I feel more and more, if they really can't stop fucking each other and the planet over, maybe the planet and all the other species dependent upon it, should come first.

New age, not like the old age

[Twit 2]

It will go back to the way it was, probably worse even.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

It will go back to the way it was, probley it will get worse even.

But enough about Letchworth leisure centre

[Buelligan]

It will go back to the way it was, probably worse even.

Well, in that case, I suspect this current crisis will not be the last.  We're being sent a message, our current trajectory is unsustainable.  We all know what unsustainable means, don't we?

[Twit 2]

I went to the zoo yesterday. Was my wife's birthday weekend and all our other plans had been Corvid'd.  We figured the zoos would be closed soon, and so it proved: government closed them today. Normally, it would have been rammed as mothers go free (not the animal mothers; they have to stay in their CAGES). I was impressed with their precautions. Ever indoor part shut, no gift shop, no cafe, no feeding talks, you could just walk around and that was it. Everyone kept their distance, but it wasn't very busy anyway. Everything was in bloom, blue skies, glorious. Saw one old cunt on a death wish, but everyone else was young and decent. It was a lovely day and I doubt I did anyone a great disservice by going.

Have I been wrong? Should I be chided sternly?

[Buelligan]

I don't think you need to ask.

[Poisson Du Jour]

Have I been wrong?

You already know the answer - probably not. But let's hope you don't come down with anything in the next few days. You slightly increased your chances and everyone else's by going out. Personally I stopped all non-essential travel about a week before the government-enforced lockdown here, so two and a half weeks ago now. I think it's because of my polarised/tunnel-vision way of seeing the world. Going out = increasing the chances (however infinitesimally) of spreading the virus. Staying in is fine, I can go to the zoo in a month or two. I haven't heard an argument to beat that yet.

I'm also slightly surprised by the argument that we can do whatever we want because the government lets us. There are many things that are perfectly legal that I suspect you would disapprove of Pancreas - most capitalist practices for a start. I don't understand why personal responsibility has disappeared now.

[mr. logic]

You already know the answer - probably not. But let's hope you don't come down with anything in the next few days. You slightly increased your chances and everyone else's by going out. Personally I stopped all non-essential travel about a week before the government-enforced lockdown here, so two and a half weeks ago now. I think it's because of my polarised/tunnel-vision way of seeing the world. Going out = increasing the chances (however infinitesimally) of spreading the virus. Staying in is fine, I can go to the zoo in a month or two. I haven't heard an argument to beat that yet.

I'm also slightly surprised by the argument that we can do whatever we want because the government lets us. There are many things that are perfectly legal that I suspect you would disapprove of Pancreas - most capitalist practices for a start. I don't understand why personal responsibility has disappeared now.

Yeah, it was a splendidly written post by the boy Pancreas, but didn't really address my point that was quoted, which was that I was surprised to see such a placid response to somebody travelling to a music festival during a pandemic.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Unfortunately again the government show a true lack of appreciation for human pack behaviour.

If you trail the prospect of full lock downs but give people individual freedom in the meantime, don't be surprised if they go outside on the first mild weekend of the year.

The quicker they quarantine the at risk groups the better.

[pancreas]

I'm also slightly surprised by the argument that we can do whatever we want because the government lets us. There are many things that are perfectly legal that I suspect you would disapprove of Pancreas - most capitalist practices for a start. I don't understand why personal responsibility has disappeared now.

I think my point is that it never really existed and whatever there was of it has by now gone completely vanished. We think differently in here for the most part. For most people out there it's: 'but what about me?' And in considering that question they don't look beyond the immediate time and space in front of them. They don't understand what society is, and that it can come back to bite them, in precisely the way it's about to do. The only reason they don't run an Aga is they can't afford it. They'd be jetting off to the Bahamas every other week if they could afford it. I'm pretty sure that the only reason there's not litter everywhere is it's something to criticise other people for, like when other people's shoelaces aren't done up.

Has personal responsibility ever really worked? Isn't this why we end up having laws and regulations?

[Zetetic]

And police forces and prisons.

Mutual aid works a bit, but you need shared identity and demonstrable investment in the group along with the ability to assure yourself that others aren't freeloading.

Freeloading is perhaps a particular issue with social distancing, as you get tragedy of the commons type stuff: I see other bastards going to the park, which they can only do safely if I don't go to the park and crowd the place.[nb]I went to a park yesterday because it was deserted. Didn't go within 100m of anyone else. But obviously that depends on others not being there, and I would have kept on cycling past if it hadn't been empty.[/nb]

I imagine all politics is a bit concerned with freeloading, but we've certainly emphasised it in recent decades - skivers, refugees, other EU countries.

[Zetetic]

The quicker they quarantine the at risk groups the better.

At risk groups have already been told to self-isolate and many will have received individual contact by now.

But you still need food, still might need personal care etc.

Or you might be an NHS worker - perhaps not a nurse on a COVID-19 ward for obvious reasons, but on a remaining non-C19 ward, or you might be a test courier or a lab worker or in catering or estates ... These people can't stop going out easily.

Quarantine the most vulnerable isn't enough, however important it is.

[batwings]

Yeah, it was a splendidly written post by the boy Pancreas, but didn't really address my point that was quoted, which was that I was surprised to see such a placid response to somebody travelling to a music festival during a pandemic.

To be honest, I assumed he was joking, but it seems not. I mean, a rave in 2020?

[imitationleather]

Okay, so a lot of people probably died as a result of my actions.

But on the other hand, I saw Spongebob Squarewave play a happy hardcore track featuring samples of '90s chatline number adverts.

No action is all good or all evil. Everything is shades of grey.

[El Unicornio, mang]

It wasn't even warm over the weekend, just sunny. But my Mum was out (in her car) down by the beach and saw masses of people queuing for ice creams and generally acting like everything was fine. If we actually get some decent weather like we got the last two summers it's going to be impossible to persuade the hordes descending on every beach and park unless there's a strictly enforced lockdown. I went out on Saturday to walk/look at a big waterfall but that was a secluded nature place where you'd struggle to find anyone that isn't a sheep to get within six feet of.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Was in Wickes yesterday picking up some essential bits (PTFE tape for a leaking radiator, toilet seat because ours is fucked, felt tacks because the roof's coming off the shed) and it was amazing to see how many people were just business as usual. Kitchen design appointments, families with kids browsing about, nobody distancing at all. I was just grab bits, pay, fuck off home.

As I was coming out, big family of five making plans about what to do next "If we go to The Range we can get some lunch in the cafe." Just go home, for fuck's sake.

[Buelligan]

I think the UK's a week or two behind Europe.  You won't be queuing for icecream soon, believe me.  TBH, I think it's a bit late to worry about stuff like that.

[Danger Man]

Danger Man was going to the pub when he didn't need to so I don't think anyone should be taking lessons on moral purity from him

Of course not! Morality is just a made up thing that has to be enforced with prisons.

Truth bomb there.

I'm just jealous that imitationeather saw partiboi69 and I didn't.

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

Have I been wrong?

Yes. Zoos are basically prison for animals. And there's untold studies which suggest that, surprisingly, they don't like being cooped up in captivity.

Sorry.

[mr. logic]

To be honest, I assumed he was joking, but it seems not. I mean, a rave in 2020?

Ah right, maybe he was.

[pancreas]

Ah right, maybe he was.

He wasn't joking.

[pigamus]

Bought a club sandwich in Tesco

Dead soon

[holyzombiejesus]

I don't see anything wrong with going to the park if I keep 2 metres away from people, or go out cycling on the lanes around the moors now the weather's a little more pleasant, that's ok isn't it? I think France said cycling was ok until very recently.

[Buelligan]

The right to cycle for pleasure (or do anything else not covered in the attestation document) was officially removed at midday last Tuesday. 

One could argue that these measures were brought in because people couldn't work out for themselves the difference between necessary and not necessary.  That inability has meant that many more people are now ill, some of them will die and huge numbers of people, people like me, are trapped in their homes having to contemplate walking to the nearest town and hauling at least a week's supply of food home on foot, as, apparently, it's now illegal for them to share a car with anyone they don't share a house with.

Necessary and unnecessary.  Prohibited.  What now? 

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Dozens of people crowded around the smoking shelter outside work. It's fucking 13 degrees, belting day, sunny and calm. No, we will stand right next to each other ta.

I suppose if you're happy ingesting other people's exhaled recycled ash and vapevomit you aren't going to become overly picky about an odourless invisible virus.

None of them are at risk to my knowledge so as long as no-one who is comes near them all day...

[holyzombiejesus]

One could argue that these measures were brought in because people couldn't work out for themselves the difference between necessary and not necessary.  That inability has meant that  ... people like me are having to contemplate walking to the nearest town and hauling at least a week's supply of food home on foot, as, apparently, it's now illegal for them to share a car with anyone they don't share a house with.

You should get a bike.

[Buelligan]

If you saw the mountains here and knew how much cat food I buy for the strays every week (and how far away the nearest shop is), you wouldn't say that.

[holyzombiejesus]

We have hills in England too mate.

[pigamus]

Italian mayors going amusing batshit trying to get people off the streets...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/this-is-not-a-film-italian-mayors-rage-coronavirus-lockdown-dodgers

Can you imagine trying to enforce that here? I mean people wouldn't stand for it would they?

[Icehaven]

I've just had a week off work and apart from going to the shops twice have stayed in, but it was completely pointless as my workplace and employers are insisting I still go to work despite it being completely pointless and my job being inessential. So yeah it might be selfish but that's on my employers, not me.