Coronavirus General Discussion

[dualstow]

I have two general thought paths on that.

One, is that it's more of a hind-brain thought process, not a cognitive one. It's natural to be disturbed by deranged people. "Libertarian" leanings aren't relevant in your disturbed feelings when you're standing by someone who is screaming at a telephone pole. I once worked with someone who had a full beard, large breast implants, wore women's clothes, and did a reverse Theranos
…

Ok, the reverse Theranos guy sounds messed up, but are people who wear masks really deranged? Some of them have immunocompromised kids or parents and they probably feel every little bit helps.

..

• There must be a way that I can make some money from the intellectually challenged. I admit, I'm not above it.

[I Shrugged]

Being smart is often agitating.

[murphy_p_t]

Being smart is often being agitated.

[jalanlong]

Ok, the reverse Theranos guy sounds messed up, but are people who wear masks really deranged? Some of them have immunocompromised kids or parents and they probably feel every little bit helps.

As I stated in my original post, I am not bothered by people wearing masks in situations where they were designed to be work such as shopping or anywhere that you may be in close proximity to others. I wouldn't do it myself but there is some reasoning behind that. My issue is with people like the one I mentioned..a man who spent over 30 mins in his car alone, with the windows rolled up and a mask on. I am assuming he put it on before driving there so he may very well have been alone in his car for close to an hour with a mask on.

Now if he had been doing that his entire life then I guess I would be more accepting of it. But most likely he started wearing a mask when he was told to last year but has no actual idea why he is doing it. Unless of course you are going to tell me that the inconvenience of taking it off and putting it back on over a 30+ min span is just too much bother so he made the decision to just leave it on.

[pp4me]

Scott Atlas has written a book called "A Plague on Our House" about his time in the Trump White House dealing with the medical beaurocracy during COVID.

I don't recall ever reading this kind of white house insider memoir before but I think I will read this one as soon as I can get it at a reasonable price. It's not out yet but should be soon.

I remember Scott Atlas as a lone voice crying in the wilderness when the lockdown insanity started. Should be interesting.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/i-was- ... ing-memoir

"As I finished, there was silence," Atlas wrote. "No one offered any contrary data. No one spoke of scientific studies. No one even mentioned the discredited Korea study. Zero comments from Dr. Birx. Nothing from Dr. Fauci. And as always, not a single mention by Birx or Fauci about the serious harms of school closures. In my mind, this was bizarre. Why was I the only one in the room with detailed knowledge of the literature? Why was I the only one considering the data on such an important topic with a critical eye? Were the others simply accepting bottom lines and conclusions, without any analytical evaluation? Weren’t they supposed to be expert medical scientists, too? I waited."

[Cortopassi]

My daughter is a third grade teacher, and I asked her if her class this year was either intellectually or socially worse than previous years. Not surprisingly the answer was yes to both.

This entire generation of children has been irreparably damaged.

I don't completely disagree, but I wonder if certain age ranges and demographics were hurt more than others? I see high school kids all the time and they seem, generally, to have weathered it well. Not without some issues, for sure.

At least we are not Uganda. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus- ... 15c81f1530
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Uganda’s schools have been fully or partially shut for more than 77 weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic, the longest disruption anywhere in the world, according to figures from the U.N. cultural agency.

And unlike many parts of the globe, where lessons moved online, most public schools, which serve the vast majority of children in this East African country, were unable to offer virtual schooling.

[I Shrugged]

Being smart is often being agitated.

That’s a more precise way of putting it.

[WiseOne]

My daughter is a third grade teacher, and I asked her if her class this year was either intellectually or socially worse than previous years. Not surprisingly the answer was yes to both.

This entire generation of children has been irreparably damaged.

Yes, that's the stuff of nightmares. The economy being blown out is less of a problem. That will recover, given time.

There's a whole generation of young adults who should have been out getting their first job, living in apartments or rental houses with roommates, traveling, and in general having valuable formative life experiences who instead have been sitting at home for the past 1.5 years. I have no idea how they're going to get back on track. Then there's the grade school kids who have lost 1.5 years (and counting) of education.

It's going to really suck when we're elderly and need the younger generation to take care of us. And actually, come to think of it, I'm not sure whether an economy can really function minus a whole generation of impaired people.

But no worries, all. Enjoy your mask mandates, closed schools and hobbled businesses. The sacrifice the younger generation is making is worth it to ensure your peace of mind.

[murphy_p_t]

My daughter is a third grade teacher, and I asked her if her class this year was either intellectually or socially worse than previous years. Not surprisingly the answer was yes to both.

This entire generation of children has been irreparably damaged.

I don't doubt it.

My view is that every time someone does not resist the insanity when encouraged to comply, they are enabling more abuse. I include wearing the face covering of submission, obsessive application of rubbing alcohol, respecting 6 ft arbitrary distances, being afraid to shake someone's hand, encouraging the death jab, etc.

[dualstow]

…
My issue is with people like the one I mentioned..a man who spent over 30 mins in his car alone, with the windows rolled up and a mask on. I am assuming he put it on before driving there so he may very well have been alone in his car for close to an hour with a mask on.

I really think you need to get over it.
I understand Pug being annoyed at the dubious logic of wearing mask entering a restaurant and taking it off to eat. I definitely get the irritation of being shouted at or complained about by a person who thinks one is not distancing properly. But, if some dork wants to wear a mask in his own car, it’s really none of your business. There are so many other things to be upset about! You’re not a victim.

Unless of course you are going to tell me that the inconvenience of taking it off and putting it back on over a 30+ min span is just too much bother so he made the decision to just leave it on.

I’m not going to; I already did. Except that i suggested he doesn’t want the mask to get dirtier, not that it was too much bother.

[Xan]

…
My issue is with people like the one I mentioned..a man who spent over 30 mins in his car alone, with the windows rolled up and a mask on. I am assuming he put it on before driving there so he may very well have been alone in his car for close to an hour with a mask on.

I really think you need to get over it.
I understand Pug being annoyed at the dubious logic of wearing mask entering a restaurant and taking it off to eat. I definitely get the irritation of being shouted at or complained about by a person who thinks one is not distancing properly. But, if some dork wants to wear a mask in his own car, it’s really none of your business. There are so many other things to be upset about! You’re not a victim.

Unless of course you are going to tell me that the inconvenience of taking it off and putting it back on over a 30+ min span is just too much bother so he made the decision to just leave it on.

I’m not going to; I already did. Except that i suggested he doesn’t want the mask to get dirtier, not that it was too much bother.

It's also possible he's used to it and doesn't really notice it. I'm not like that; it's a constant irritant for me. But it might be different for others.

[Xan]

My daughter is a third grade teacher, and I asked her if her class this year was either intellectually or socially worse than previous years. Not surprisingly the answer was yes to both.

This entire generation of children has been irreparably damaged.

I don't doubt it.

My view is that every time someone does not resist the insanity when encouraged to comply, they are enabling more abuse. I include wearing the face covering of submission, obsessive application of rubbing alcohol, respecting 6 ft arbitrary distances, being afraid to shake someone's hand, encouraging the death jab, etc.

Anyone encouraging vaccination is responsible for closing schools..?

[Cortopassi]

The pessimistic view sure is in abundance here!

My older daughter just accepted a job offer that will start in August 2022, in person.

My younger is finishing up college apps.

Other than the masks, and loss of study abroad and some zoom months, they are perfectly healthy and doing fine socially.

Again, not everyone is going to be as lucky as me. But to wide swath it and say the whole generation is screwed is over the top negative.

[dualstow]

Congrats to Cortopassina on her brand new job.

[Kriegsspiel]

but are people who wear masks really deranged? Some of them have immunocompromised kids or parents and they probably feel every little bit helps.

Some of them are, sure. People who are abnormally terrified of germs are abnormal (usually called OCD or somethingphobic). Western culture as a whole generally hasn't reacted like this to diseases, except for truly terrifying ones like the 1918 Spanish Flu or the Black Death. And even during the Black Death they had some really weird reactions from people.

I think people are naturally unsettled when they see people blindly doing something weird. There are abnormal situations, like with your example of parents of immunocompromised* kids, where abnormal situations beget abnormal behavior. If an adult was leading another adult around like a child, speaking to them in strange, simplistic language patterns, etc. You would think that's weird. But if you learn that the adult as Down syndrome, you'd think "oh, that makes sense." If someone is visibly sick, it's natural to feel grossed out and stay away from them. But if you do that to with healthy-looking people, you're acting weird and people notice it.

* holy shit, I never would have imagined there were so many immunocompromised people. 75% of my co-workers have been working from home for almost 2 years now because someone in their household is "immunocompromised"

[dualstow]

I guess the difference is, when someone washes their hands obsessively or uses a wipe after touching a doorknob, there’s no political flavor. No one mandated it.

On the other side of it, even though (some basic) handwashing is known to prevent infection, disease and death, people regularly use a public restroom and run out with out scrubbing. There’s no Fauci figure or general shaming.

(kriegs) I never would have imagined there were so many immunocompromised people. 75% of my co-workers have been working from home for almost 2 years now because someone in their household is "immunocompromised"

Well, all kinds of reasons to want to work at home and never return to the office.

[Cortopassi]

Western culture as a whole generally hasn't reacted like this to diseases

I agree, but there was never anything close to the 24/7 minute/hourly/daily news cycle that we are currently living in, of any view that you care to agree or disagree with.

It's probably hard not to become OCD about Covid (or believe it is all BS) if you watched and continue to watch stories on it that follow a certain position.

[vnatale]

My daughter is a third grade teacher, and I asked her if her class this year was either intellectually or socially worse than previous years. Not surprisingly the answer was yes to both.

This entire generation of children has been irreparably damaged.

That seems like it might be an overstatement?

Did that describe all those children who lived in England and Germany and Japan during World War II where they were living with both the threat of and actual bombing?

[I Shrugged]

The pessimistic view sure is in abundance here!

My older daughter just accepted a job offer that will start in August 2022, in person.

My younger is finishing up college apps.

Other than the masks, and loss of study abroad and some zoom months, they are perfectly healthy and doing fine socially.

Again, not everyone is going to be as lucky as me. But to wide swath it and say the whole generation is screwed is over the top negative.

Yep, the younger generations are just fine. I'm far more concerned about the angry boomers watching Tucker Carlson than the young folks.

I know a couple of angry boomers who watch Rachel Maddow.

[I Shrugged]

Am I wrong to be irked by this? If it was just one person I could write it off but I see so many of them every day!

You can’t be wrong for being irked by something any more than you could be wrong for not liking cilantro. It’s out of your hands.

It is a bit weird to dwell on it, though. Some people just like wearing a mask. They got used to it, and they don’t want to keep taking it off, putting it on a dirty dashboard (or even touching it too much their hands), and then putting it back on when it’s required.

Related, why IS this thread still going? I can't think of a single reason other than a continuous unending need to vent. Amongst my peers, family and friends regardless of stance on the issue, it's all background noise at this point.

Literally the ONLY people I know who talk about COVID frequently anymore are the highly politically partisan of either ilk.

jl...yeah, my .02 is if you are actually a libertarian then mask or pink hair who cares?

It’s the biggest thing happening. And it’s happening to everyone in the world. This is our water cooler for talking about it. Including gripes.

[Kriegsspiel]

I guess the difference is, when someone washes their hands obsessively or uses a wipe after touching a doorknob, there’s no political flavor. No one mandated it.

On the other side of it, even though (some basic) handwashing is known to prevent infection, disease and death, people regularly use a public restroom and run out with out scrubbing. There’s no Fauci figure or general shaming.

The aspect of it I'm talking about is when they do something obsessively that is unsettling. Like if you've ever seen Scrubs, the episode where Michael J Fox is the OCD doctor. They made a lot of his compulsions cute in order to endear his character to the viewer, but then later, when JD finds him repeatedly washing his hands and screaming.. that's the feel I'm getting at (well... trying to). That's the unconscious aspect to the feeling of unease when you see abnormal behavior.

The cognitive part that relates to the political stuff is that one may come away with the understanding that these people, who can be convinced to do something as abnormal as wearing a mask in a car alone for 30 minutes, can be convinced to do other things that WOULD effect other people outside of just themselves. I agree with Cortopassi that the corporate press & social media are being used as information weapons in our current day. I call it "Clockwork Orange-ing yourself."

(kriegs) I never would have imagined there were so many immunocompromised people. 75% of my co-workers have been working from home for almost 2 years now because someone in their household is "immunocompromised"

Well, all kinds of reasons to want to work at home and never return to the office.

Yea, that was a jk

i think the idea you are looking for is the uncanny valley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

the uncanny valley is a hypothesized relation between an object's degree of resemblance to a human being and the emotional response to the object. The concept suggests that humanoid objects that imperfectly resemble actual human beings provoke uncanny or strangely familiar feelings of eeriness and revulsion in observers. "Valley" denotes a dip in the human observer's affinity for the replica, a relation that otherwise increases with the replica's human likeness.

[jalanlong]

The cognitive part that relates to the political stuff is that one may come away with the understanding that these people, who can be convinced to do something as abnormal as wearing a mask in a car alone for 30 minutes, can be convinced to do other things that WOULD effect other people outside of just themselves.

Thank You!!!! I am bothered not by what those people are doing in a car with a mask but what they could very well do in the future without the slightest thought if someone in “authority” simply told them to.

[jalanlong]

Amongst my peers, family and friends regardless of stance on the issue, it's all background noise at this point.

So your peers, family and friends find it background noise that in the last weeks a sitting President ordered private businesses to require a specific vaccination in order to work there, a Federal appeals court paused the order because of “grave constitutional concerns “ and the President then told businesses to ignore the court and continue the vaccine requirement preparations?

That is not something I would call background noise. That is a fundamental change in the relationship between politicians, private businesses and their employees.

[dualstow]

The cognitive part that relates to the political stuff is that one may come away with the understanding that these people, who can be convinced to do something as abnormal as wearing a mask in a car alone for 30 minutes, can be convinced to do other things that WOULD effect other people outside of just themselves.

True, but A) the wearing of the mask in the car alone, while weird, is not something they were told to do and B) the other side of the coin is that some comments about mask wearers are one step away from intolerance. Remember when SomeDude or whoever suggested harrassing mask wearers in stores the way some mask wearers do to non wearers? That’s just as bad.

I’m not seeing a live and let live attitude on either side, at least on this forum.

[Xan]

The cognitive part that relates to the political stuff is that one may come away with the understanding that these people, who can be convinced to do something as abnormal as wearing a mask in a car alone for 30 minutes, can be convinced to do other things that WOULD effect other people outside of just themselves.

True, but A) the wearing of the mask in the car alone, while weird, is not something they were told to do and B) the other side of the coin is that some comments about mask wearers are one step away from intolerance. Remember when SomeDude or whoever suggested harrassing mask wearers in stores the way some mask wearers do to non wearers? That’s just as bad.

I’m not seeing a live and let live attitude on either side, at least on this forum.

For a while there, wasn't the advice to put on a mask as you left your house and never touch it again until you returned and washed your hands? In fact that may still be the "best practice".