COVID-19 - On the Ground

[pdub]

I get wearing a mask in a place like a shared kitchen/break room.
It's probably more of a comfort measure than it is an actual prevention measure, but that's fine.
I just wouldn't get being at a desk job and having to wear a mask all day.

[Deleted User 289]

I hear ya and pretty much feel the same way.

[ousdahl]

So on a whim my roommate is going on an interstate road trip to see his elderly parents! Liberty over fear woo!

I told him I think it’s irresponsible, and is putting himself, his high risk demographic parents, and others at unnecessary risk. I also told him he should consider some way to self-isolate for two weeks before coming back here. But other than that, dunno what I can do.

Am I being a dick or is he?

[pdub]

I think there's somewhere in between the mocking of someone going to see their parents 'just because liberty' and a government conspiracy to instill fear.

[ousdahl]

Whoa, conspiracy.

I guess my response to the “fear” angle is, hell yes I’m afraid, it’s a deadly pandemic!

But the thing is, I have much less reason to be afraid if myself and folks I come into necessary contact with (like housemates) are reasonably cautious, and do things like, DON’T go on a nonessential interstate road trip during a pandemic!

But unfortunately, once a Merican frames something as a matter of “liberty,” there’s no way to change his mind.

no amount of appealing to reasonable caution is gonna make a difference. If anything, my expressing concerns only made him even more stubborn in his resolve to go.

[pdub]

You are afraid.
Some are more afraid than you.
Others are less so.

If someone is less afraid than you doesn't automatically make that person unwise or stubborn.

[ousdahl]

But if someone I come into necessary contact with, like a housemate, is making decisions that put him at a higher risk, it puts me at a higher risk too.

I might as well just say fuck it, I’ll stop social distancing too. And wearing a mask and washing my hands too. Why live in fear, right?

It seems nihilistic.

And when the only good reason for traveling is “cuz my parents and I miss each other,” it seems selfish and shortsighted.

Motherfucker I miss your mom too! But if heaven forbid you end up infecting one other, is it really worth it?

If you think you miss a loved one now, how much more would you miss them if they’re dead?

[jfish26]

Better six feet apart than six feet under.

[Deleted User 310]

Well, assuming his parents have been isolating, if he's careful while filling up his car with gas, and ONLY sees his parents, then it is fairly low risk...assuming he's been safe before this trip.


Now, my wife's aunt just FLEW in from Florida to stay with my in-laws for a few months...needless to say I'm not happy about it. I asked my wife to please keep her aunt and parents away from our kids for a few weeks...we all live in the same neighborhood as her parents and mine, so while we've absolutely been social distancing we do still see them on walks/bike rides or the occasional patio visit where we stay outside and keep our distance but have a drink (we bring our own) and talk....we have had 1 dinner with my parents at their house, which i was not really comfortable with, but my parents pushed it since they've been in isolation for months with very limited movement outside their house...i tried to explain that I'm not worried about them infecting us, I'm more worried about us infecting them...granted our outside movement is very limited too, so it was relatively safe, but was still hesitant since I still go to work a few times a week to do a few things at the office for an hour or 2 and also have been golfing a few times a week (walking in 2somes and being careful to keep distance so I think golf is pretty low risk).


Also, this is yet another example why its hard to be an adult and have roommates.

[ousdahl]

there’s a good in-laws joke in there somewhere.

[pdub]

It seems selfish and short sided to you.
Not to everyone.
He sees it differently.

If he's going out proclaiming 'liberty' and carrying guns around on the street in protest or hanging out in big parties at the beach, then yea, sure, I think it is selfish and short sided.

If he's trying to be cautious while traveling and his parents want to see him, I don't find it selfish and short sided. I'm assuming he already goes to the grocery store. I'm assuming he already fills his tank with gas. Some people are going to handle the re-opening differently.

The shaming thing isn't going to work.

[ousdahl]

but on some other selfish level, I’m also secretly looking forward to a break from the beav. We’ve spent quite a bit of time together the past couple months. Excited to have the place to myself.

Cuz if you REALLY wanna talk liberty, I have felt oppressed by the expectation to so frequently wear pants...

[pdub]

Silver lining right there.

[ousdahl]

It seems selfish and short sided to you.
Not to everyone.
He sees it differently.

If he's going out proclaiming 'liberty' and carrying guns around on the street in protest or hanging out in big parties at the beach, then yea, sure, selfish and short sided.

If he's trying to be cautious while traveling and his parents want to see him, I don't find it selfish and short sided. I'm assuming he already goes to the grocery store. I'm assuming he already fills his tank with gas. Some people are going to handle the re-opening differently.

The shaming thing isn't going to work.

I feel weird claiming the “objectively right” side, but I just don’t know how much subjectivity goes into it.

Yeah, he goes to the grocery store and fills his gas tank, all within 5 miles of his house. If everybody stuck to that, this would be a lot less bad for everybody.

But now he’s going to stores and gas stations over a range of hundreds of miles, and doing it with the “liberty” of mocking guys like me wearing a mask or sanitizing their hands after they grab the gas pump.

At the very least, objectively speaking, a smaller bad apple’s worth of folks stand to ruin it for everyone.

And it sucks that you can’t suggest that nonessential travel is not essential without folks framing it as you “shaming” them.

[pdub]

I don't wear a mask at the gas station when pumping gas as I'm well over 6 feet from people.
I wouldn't mock you for wearing a mask.
Neither of us can be certain if they are objectively right - not even the CDC at this point as they are still learning about this virus.

[HouseDivided]

You are afraid.
Some are more afraid than you.
Others are less so.

If someone is less afraid than you doesn't automatically make that person unwise or stubborn.

^^^^^ This. I wear a mask to the grocery store to appease the OCD shoppers around me, but I’m not going to wear one hiking in the park or pumping gas. You can be paranoid all you want, but there are limits to how far I am willing to go to accommodate you.

[ousdahl]

I suppose much of my concern is that his parents are even more so the “just the flu” types, with that mindset that it’s not that big a deal, and that we “did our time” so now it’s time to un-suspend the constitution.

[ousdahl]

And yeah, I won’t wear a mask either to go for a run or do things where I’m appropriately distanced.

Beav (and his parents) are the type to proudly and brazenly NOT wear a mask at places like grocery stores, because, liberty

[Deleted User 310]

You are afraid.
Some are more afraid than you.
Others are less so.

If someone is less afraid than you doesn't automatically make that person unwise or stubborn.

^^^^^ This. I wear a mask to the grocery store to appease the OCD shoppers around me, but I’m not going to wear one hiking in the park or pumping gas. You can be paranoid all you want, but there are limits to how far I am willing to go to accommodate you.

I do throw on an old golf glove to touch the pump and press the buttons with a penny (been looking for a good use for both of those items for YEARS!).

[Deleted User 289]

Even though I can watch them from my window/s, I am going to go outside and check out the flyover today. Will be interesting to see how many other people do the same. Debating if I should watch it by Northwestern Hospital and get reactions from those they are supposed to be "saluting" or if I prefer to be closer to the lakefront - that my Mayor bans me from going to. Which I feel is bull-shit, as a tax payer, who purposely lives where I do so that I can enjoy the lakefront - and that if we had proper "policing" and people gave a fuck about "social/physical distancing", I happen to feel people should be able to enjoy the MANY miles of lakefront.
Can you tell I have mixed feelings about a lot of things this morning?

https://wgntv.com/news/coronavirus/blue ... o-flyover/