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Americans still don’t get it

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Wag

Wag

Member
Nov 3, 2017
11,638
As people might know I've been laid up the last couple of months recovering from lower lumbar fusion, so today I decided I needed to drive to the corner store, mainly because I needed to see if I could, and I needed to drive my car a bit.

Dollar Tree and Big Lots are right next to each other so I decided to go there. Both stores were not only crowded, but more so than usual. Both young and old were out, no sign of 'social distancing', no disenfectant or hand sanitizer to use at either store. Nobody seemed to care, everyone was out, the local McD's and other restaurants were also crowded at both the drive through and sit down sections. I assume this is the case most everywhere else in the country?

As I type this Gov Baker was just on banning all sit-down restaurants, gatherings of over 25 people and elective medical procedures. It seems this is what needs to be done because people don't seem to give a shit about their neighbors.

Things should really get interesting when most public school systems in the US close...
 
Z-Beat

Z-Beat

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
31,827
You're really, REALLY late on this

On topic though some of my local places installed hand sanitizer things on the walls. People are in those stores because they're preparing to hole up for a long time with supplies. But yeah, most restaurants are still functioning. I've gotten email after email from every store and restaurant that I have an online order account with talking about how they're doing everything in their power to not have to close. Idk if it'll be enough. Probably not.
 
xxracerxx

xxracerxx

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
31,222
It's not just Americans. Also, did you go into any stores while out or just drive your car around?
 
ps3ud0

ps3ud0

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,906
Honestly I think it's the west at large, I wouldn't just say it's the US. Largely because we haven't had to face this really unlike Asia in recent memory...

ps3ud0 8)
 

Cromat

Member
Mar 17, 2019
677
As someone living in NYC, I agree. Bars and restaurants are reportedly full, and I've had people roll their eyes at me (remotely) when I refused to make plans.

People are being super complacent. I'm not an alarmist or a tinfoil man, but it's time to recognize a crisis for what it is. Right now, it's T minus 7 days to Italy.
 
J2C

J2C

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,397
They dont comprehend shit until it hits them directly. Then its "why me! This is awful!!". And with this infection it may not even affect them, but unwittingly the next person. So no lessons coming. Its fucked
 
TacomaSCDisaster

TacomaSCDisaster

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,969
My coworker put it bluntly, but I think he was right:

"Most people are gonna ignore it until it kills their fucking grandpa."
 
Darren Lamb

Darren Lamb

Member
Dec 1, 2017
2,831
Wag said:
As people might know I've been laid up the last couple of months recovering from lower lumbar fusion, so today I decided I needed to drive to the corner store, mainly because I needed to see if I could, and I needed to drive my car a bit.

Dollar Tree and Big Lots are right next to each other so I decided to go there. Both stores were not only crowded, but more so than usual. Both young and old were out, no sign of 'social distancing', no disenfectant or hand sanitizer to use at either store. Nobody seemed to care, everyone was out, the local McD's and other restaurants were also crowded at both the drive through and sit down sections. I assume this is the case most everywhere else in the country?

As I type this Gov Baker was just on banning all sit-down restaurants, gatherings of over 25 people and elective medical procedures. It seems this is what needs to be done because people don't seem to give a shit about their neighbors.

Things should really get interesting when most public school systems in the US close...
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I was at Microcenter in Cambridge yesterday, people were getting close to each other in line, and the guy in front of me coughed all over the card payment dealie.

It's going to be bad here.
 
texhnolyze

texhnolyze

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,145
Indonesia
Not just Americans. It's happening everywhere in the world but China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, perhaps.

The virus has finally arrived in my city as of a couple of days ago. The hardest part is to explain to my parents and relatives the gravity of this situation. They mostly still don't care about all this and live their lives as if nothing is happening out there.
 
RBH

RBH

Official ERA expert on Third Party Football
Member
Nov 2, 2017
32,801
Most people are fucking selfish morons who don't comprehend things until it hits them square in the face.
 
RBH

RBH

Official ERA expert on Third Party Football
Member
Nov 2, 2017
32,801
I think the thing that annoyed the most this weekend in particular were the number of people who decided to go out to bars/restaurants for St. Patrick's Day weekend and flaunt it on their social media and then say "Look at us social distancing! lolol!!111!"
 
saelz8

saelz8

Member
Dec 25, 2017
114
I'm seeing this too. I went to HEB the other day and it was packed to the brim, so I left and came back at 11PM.
 
Piston

Piston

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,155
A crazy amount of younger people are out at bars still per what I am seeing on my Instagram. I think a lot of 20 to 30-year-olds just aren't that scared by it because we have been told it won't affect us as much as the older generation.

I'm going to limit what I'm doing in public to the bare-minimum at this point. I'm going to work, I'm going to get supplies when I need them, and I am going to do important things like go vote.
 
Dubbedinenglish

Dubbedinenglish

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,326
We've spent the entire post 9/11 era with the mantra of "don't live in fear," I'm not surprised the warnings haven't been heeded.
 
shnurgleton

shnurgleton

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,864
Boston
Called my parents who live in FL and the bars and restaurants are still packed with senior citizens. It's going to be really bad down there
 
Seesaw15

Seesaw15

Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,809


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Otnopolit

Otnopolit

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,588
It's gonna be a really rude wakeup call for a lot of people when they get sick or others sick.
 
rjinaz

rjinaz

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
28,361
Phoenix
Regardless of what Trump is saying now, he came out claiming it was a hoax and the right wing media is still going with that. Listen to any Conservative radio and you'll know that's true. So that's probably about 40% of the population right there. Add in the Democrats population that I know that are just calling it the "flu" and I bet we're at something like only 1/3 of Americans taking it seriously. Yes people are stocking up shit but it's only because they go to the store and see that they need to now.

So yes, we're not. And right now it's not effecting many Americans. Wait until all the schools close, businesses, bars, things like that. Once it effects people they are just going to be more pissed off, not more vigilant. Americans are ingrained to see any kind of restrictions as a violation of their personal freedoms. America is in for a rough time.
 
mreddie

mreddie

Member
Oct 26, 2017
43,923
Tuesday, I have to vote because AZ didn't fucking delay the primaries.

People get it, the ones that aren't are because they are trying to keep their businesses alive. Capitalism is gonna kill some people.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,914
Definitely a human thing. Italy was the same way btw and now they are getting blasted sadly.

It really starts with leadership. We had a President who called the whole thing a hoax a week ago. He didn't communicate. Didn't show a strong show of force.

rjinaz said:
Regardless of what Trump is saying now, he came out claiming it was a hoax and the right wing media is still going with that. Listen to any Conservative radio and you'll know that's true. So that's probably about 40% of the population right there. Add in the Democrats population that I know that are just calling it the "flu" and I bet we're at something like only 1/3 of Americans taking it seriously. Yes people are stocking up shit but it's only because they go to the store and see that they need to now.

So yes, we're not. And right now it's not effecting many Americans. Wait until all the schools close, businesses, bars, things like that. Once it effects people they are just going to be more pissed off, not more vigilant. Americans are ingrained to see any kind of restrictions as a violation of their personal freedoms. America is in for a rough time.
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They still don't believe it.

www.nytimes.com

Trump Supporters Know Where to Turn in a Crisis: To Him (Published 2020)

They’re confident, for perhaps the first time in his presidency, that the experts on call aren’t out to sabotage the president.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

"The opinion from the conservative channels is that the mainstream media is making a manufactured sort of crisis," he said. "We haven't contained the common flu, we haven't contained the common cold, but since the president hasn't contained this, he's bad."

"And you know, honestly, they lost the election, and then impeachment failed, all of these things," Mr. Leonard added. "I think they're just grasping at straws to try and make our president look incompetent when he's the best president we've ever had."

Indeed, as these Trump supporters see it, in the same way that the Mueller probe, impeachment or any other scandal in this administration has failed to bring down the president, coronavirus — stock-market free falls and all — will seem a distant memory by November.
 

Shoeless

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,969
ps3ud0 said:
Honestly I think it's the west at large, I wouldn't just say it's the US. Largely because we haven't had to face this really unlike Asia in recent memory...

ps3ud0 8)
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Probably some truth to this. I was living in Singapore in 2003 when SARS broke out in the region, so I know for East and Southeast Asia, they learned lessons from that. What I'm seeing here in North America versus what I saw in Singapore in 2003 to fight SARS are WORLDS apart.
 
mreddie

mreddie

Member
Oct 26, 2017
43,923
entremet said:
Definitely a human thing. Italy was the same way btw and now they are getting blasted sadly.

It really starts with leadership. We had a President who called the whole thing a hoax a week ago. He didn't communicate. Didn't show a strong show of force.
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And fired the people who would have contained this 2 years ago.

Granted, this got through others as well but I get the feeling the lack of urgency isn't helping.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,914
mreddie said:
And fired the people who would have contained this 2 years ago.

Granted, this got through others as well but I get the feeling the lack of urgency isn't helping.
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You can't bullshit and gaslight a virus. That's Trump's only leadership note. He's remarkably limited in his set of tools.
 
Fulminator

Fulminator

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,199
Piston said:
A crazy amount of younger people are out at bars still per what I am seeing on my Instagram. I think a lot of 20 to 30-year-olds just aren't that scared by it because we have been told it won't affect us as much as the older generation.

I'm going to limit what I'm doing in public to the bare-minimum at this point. I'm going to work, I'm going to get supplies when I need them, and I am going to do important things like go vote.
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yeah my friend was telling me jsut the other day she wants to take a trip bc prices are so low.

i'm the same at this point. i still have work until they close, but i'm gonna ride a bike instead of taking the train. and then im gonna go home and lock down unless i really need groceries or something.

i'd rather not get sick even if i'm not at risk at all. i also would rather not be a vector. not worth it, plenty of time after this is dealt with to have fun. i'd rather just take the hit and be out of a social life for the time being.
 

Radd Redd

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,992
You're brave going into both stores that are crowded. Best I risked was having some groceries delivered to me because I had a $10 off entire order coupon.
 
louiedog

louiedog

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,248
I saw a guy yesterday in a store who kept trying to shake the hand of the employee that was helping him and getting up really close to talk to him. He wasn't picking up on the signals at all. Of course then he had to leave to go get money because this place shockingly didn't accept his bitcoin, so I guess he's not 100% representative.
 
B-Dubs

B-Dubs

That's some catch, that catch-22
General Manager
Oct 25, 2017
32,714
This can go in one of the other COVID threads
 
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