D&D and the rising pandemic

[J.Quondam]

There’s whole books written about individualistic vs communalist if societies. The USA and Japan are often cited as the polar examples.

The last few years have left me believing that huge swaths of the US have strayed far beyond "individualistic society" and into unabashed "cult of me, myself, and i" territory.
I imagine that applies to certain other countries, as well, but this is the one I know.

 

[Mallus]

There’s whole books written about individualistic vs communalist if societies. The USA and Japan are often cited as the polar examples.

I’m not sure ‘individualistic’ describes us anymore. Getting more of an ‘ornery death cult’ vibe.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

See, I just don't get that.

"It's not illegal, so, I'll do what I please" just seems wrong. I live in a country where there are no mandates, the laws haven't really stepped in at all. Bars had to close early for a couple of months was about it. And that was only bars. Restaurants were fine.

Which means I could go out for a really, really good steak last Friday with a few students for lunch and not be terribly concerned. We masked up the entire time except when eating. The servers and the chef were masked 100% of the time. Everyone on the street was masked. It's just what you do.

Needing the government to tell me not to do something before I'll actually do the right thing is bad.

Some people seem to conflate "legality" with "morality" quite often. Whether or not something's legal doesn't determine whether or not it's right to do that thing. And illegal things are sometimes entirely harmless, or even potentially beneficial. I mean, the fact that there are hundreds of countries, all with different legal systems (even more if you count the different states in the USA, and other countries with similar systems, like Canada and Australia), kinda proves that legality and morality aren't synonymous.

 

[Mirtek]

Everyone on the street was masked. It's just what you do.

Here almost no one on the street it masked except in the limited areas where it's required. If you go through a shopping street or pedestrian zone you see masks doffed the moment people step outside of a shop. And usually just graped with the full hand and then crumpled into the pocket until needed again, so it's pretty clear no one if truly concerned about something that might be on that mask

That's start of Karneval season in Cologne less than 1 month ago.

(And yes, there is discussion and agitation about events like these in Germany)

 

[Hussar]

I know. I see it on TV and whatnot. It just absolutely baffles me. And frustrates me to no end. I WANT to travel again. I'm sick to death of this crap. I haven't been further than 100 km from my house in two freaking years. And it never seems to end because people simply refuse to do simple things. Grrr.

 

[Imaculata]

Same thing here in the Netherlands. People only mask up if it is required. As soon as the mandate is gone, so are the masks and all the social distancing.

The Dutch government has made such a mess of things. They dropped all rules for a few months for no good reason, and instantly everyone except me stopped masking up. I even saw a guy at the supermarket coughing none stop, over pretty much everything, and no mask. It made me furious, and I regret not speaking my mind. No one seems to care about anyone except themselves. And whereever I go, I see anti-vaxer stickers on traffic lights and signs, about how "the government is lying to us". Fortunately, there are also people that take that anti-vax crap down.

 

[Mirtek]

So the rule requiring that vaccinated people need a certified test less than 24h old to enter any Restaurant/bar/etc. is already crumbling after being in effect for just 2 days.

Even before it took effect the first state diverged by announcing that it would not be required of people who already have the booster. A 2nd state followed within mere hours of the first ones announcement.

This morning I heard another state is already dropping the test requirement for all vaccinated people, even without booster

So the state governments were crying for a federal conference to harmonize rules for weeks, only to immediately disgard the commonly agreed rules within days.

Sad fact: this has happened multiple times over the course of the pandemic.

I wonder why the central government even bothers to meet with the state governments anymore. It's s waste of time and tax money

 

[Umbran]

so it's pretty clear no one if truly concerned about something that might be on that mask

And, for the most part, there's no need to be. Unless you are wearing a KN-95 or better, the mask is far better at protecting the public from you, than protecting you from the public.

 

[Umbran]

Got my Moderna booster and flu shot this morning. Hoping side effects will be minimal.

 

[Umbran]

New York City has decided to stop screwing around:

"All private sector employers in New York City will now be required to implement a Covid-19 vaccine mandate by December 27, the city's mayor Bill De Blasio announced Monday."

New York City to mandate Covid vaccines for all private sector workers

All private sector employers in New York City will now be required to implement a Covid-19 vaccine mandate by December 27, the city's mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday.

www.cnn.com