The Great Leveler

[Zetetic]

I thought my miserable post from the sticky deserved its own miserable thread. I know there were different views on here as to whether it was likely to hit poor and rich alike without discrimination, or whether it would follow the general pattern of inequality.

It looks like we are getting an answer to that in the UK.



"The age-standardised mortality rate of deaths involving COVID-19 in the most deprived areas of England was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 population compared with 25.3 deaths per 100,000 population in the least deprived areas



In Wales, the most deprived areas had a mortality rate for deaths involving COVID-19 of 44.6 deaths per 100,000 population, almost twice as high as the least deprived area of 23.2 deaths per 100,000 population."


https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19bylocalareasanddeprivation/deathsoccurringbetween1marchand17april



I am reminded of the Townsend Centre's Alternative Top Tips, which seem to apply fairly well to COVID-19:

- Don't be poor. If you are poor, try not to be poor for too long.
- Don't live in a deprived area. If you do, move.
- Don't be disabled or have a disabled child.
- Don't work in a stressful low-paid manual job.
- Don't live in damp, low quality housing or be homeless.

Will any of this actually touch politics?

[bgmnts]

The idea that this was a 'great leveler' is fucking ridiculous shit spouted by rich folk to  make them feel good.

[Zetetic]

I think for some people, at the start of this, there was a kind of optimism.

Of course the COVID-19 deaths don't even touch on how unequally the economic and healthcare aftermath is going to fall.

[Danger Man]

I used the Coronavirus postcode map on Nottingham.

Posh parts...no deaths.

Poor parts...some deaths.

Case closed.

[chveik]

I think for some people, at the start of this, there was a kind of optimism.

yeah, the boomer virus etc.

[flotemysost]

This has been discussed in the homelessness thread, but the very fact that the official slogan the government have plumped for is #stayathome unintentionally but instantly demonstrates that we're not 'all in the same boat', as many people seem to be fond of bleating at the moment (often in the same tone as the well-meaning but ultimately useless 'everything happens for a reason').

[idunnosomename]

it's only the great leveller if it kills off all the cunts with huge gardens around their historic old rectory in bedfordshire

get in moat you old fuck

[Icehaven]

Someone I work with lives in a house large enough to accommodate her, her husband and 3 kids, her brother and until he recently died, her father in his own annex. When the lockdown first began and my department was told to work from home I had to email her about a few things, and she was still going into work so her first email reply signed off with 'enjoy sitting in the garden!' Leaving aside the snarky implication that that's what I'd be doing instead of working, I cheerily replied 'I wish I had a garden to sit in!', which didn't get a response. Cheeky bitch.

[Zetetic]

Some interesting discussion from Tom Forth about age and deprivation:
https://www.tomforth.co.uk/coronavirusanddeprivation/

(We might be seeing as many people dying across more and less deprived areas, but possibly younger people in more deprived areas?)

[Dewt]

Cannot believe Madonna lied to me from her bathtub

[Zetetic]

https://twitter.com/resfoundation/status/1260164289274490885

[Buelligan]

Looks like a lovely big kiss.

As has been mentioned elsewhere on CaB this morning -

The working clarse can kiss my arse
H'eyv'e got the foreman's job at larst!

[Sony Walkman Prophecies]

You'll notice the chart uses income (not class) as a metric. This is because class can't really be quantified in a meaningful way.

(Essentially what I was arguing back in the Labour thread, before it descended into Jacobin ranting)

[Buelligan]

I think you're confused about class.  And probably about charts too.

[Jockice]

Jeremy was my favourite. I love white men with dreadlocks.

[Buelligan]

Bit racist.

[Zetetic]

You'll notice the chart uses income (not class) as a metric. This is because class can't really be quantified in a meaningful way.

Yeah, it probably can. More easily than throughout much of the last century, really.

You need wealth as well, really. Maybe ecological deprivation if you're feeling fancy.

[Zetetic]

Jennifer Williams at the MEN has revealed that the Everyone In scheme to ensure temporary housing for the homeless has now had central government funding withdrawn:
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/the-numbers-streets-going-rocket-18254318

[Zetetic]

Resolution Foundation Report

[Zetetic]

One in 10 of those aged 18-24 have lost their job already.

One in 15 of those aged 25-29.

One in 10 of those identifying as Asian or Asian British.

One in 4 furloughed workers expect to lose their job. One in 20 are certain that they will.

[pancreas]

There should be a double l in this title. I assume this thread is partly directed at me.

[Zetetic]

Yes[nb]I'm sort of surprised that I didn't doubt myself enough to check the BNC.[/nb], and not exactly. Your views helped convince it was worth discussing and checking my own.

[bgmnts]

How do you measure class beyond income?

Edit - income/wealth/capital/economics.

[Zetetic]

Wealth, for a start.

(Edit: Oh, like I said.)

[Zetetic]

Edit - income/wealth/capital/economics.

Under the circumstances, why would anyone give a fuck?

[bgmnts]

Maybe it was just SWP trolling I suppose. Made me think though.

[pancreas]

I suppose I was merely hoping it would kill tories. It hasn't killed nearly enough of anyone to make much of a difference on that count.

[thenoise]

yeah, the boomer virus etc.

A lot of early cases were middle class active retired people back from their skiing holidays in Northern Italy. At least it (hopefully) buried the old prejudice against refugees bringing foreign diseases into the country - refugees dont tend to travel that much, as little as they can manage really, theyll stop as soon as they're able. As opposed to poshos, or a certain type of posho, who feels unsatisfied if she hasn't taken a flight in a fortnight or spent a month living in the same continent. Despite having a house that, if I owned, I would never leave.

[Zetetic]

Looks like England's going having a good go at making this a wealth multiplier, with the housing market stuff.

[Zetetic]

Relative income inequality likely massively increasing at the low end. (In few months we might well be seeing this convert into extra deaths, although registration delays will keep these out of ONS figures for a while.)

Hints that the housing market shit is going to disproportionately damage places outside of London, due to working-at-home stuff and no prophylactic measures.