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Is it just me?

(50 Posts)
Blossoming Tue 10-Nov-20 22:24:43

People seem so ‘touchy’ and suspicious at the moment, ready to take offence or look for hidden agendas.

I don’t mean Gransnet, just people in general. Panic buying more than they could possibly need, etc. There is a really horrible online discussion about Covid vaccine, whatever happened to kindness and consideration? It’s so sad watching how selfish people have become.

OceanMama Tue 10-Nov-20 22:29:41

In the end, people have a survival instinct. I think that drives a lot of what look to be selfish motives. It's the fight of the fight or flight instinct coming out. I did stock up on some things to prepare for a situation where I might not be able to leave my home for some weeks, right at the beginning of all this. I do know I would also share with others I knew were struggling though, where I could.

Oopsminty Tue 10-Nov-20 22:29:52

Hello there, Blossoming!

I know what you mean

I blame the wonderful Internet

And it is wonderful but it has also got some negatives. People are brave sat on their sofas, laptops on knees. We type stuff we'd possibly/probably not say face to face

But there are still many wonderful and lovely people around smile

MissAdventure Tue 10-Nov-20 22:30:17

Maybe it's an involuntary response to a serious threat?

"They" say that trying to save a drowning person is risky, because they will tend to drag you down in their attempts to live.

BlueBelle Tue 10-Nov-20 22:46:25

Doesnt appear to be any panic buying around my area shelves are totally full and normal looking no queues or anything just masks otherwise as normal
There’s definitely sniping on some of the local sites
It’s all about divisions first the Brexit divide, the left right divide there is now a COVID divide a lockdown divide and definitely a vaccine divide I notice most of the younger generation say 20-40 age are saying they won’t take the vaccine whereas on here most want it
The country seems to be polarised on everything and of course that will bring about lots of bad feeling and unpleasant comments

Calendargirl Wed 11-Nov-20 06:51:51

I suppose the younger generation are not accustomed to having the flu jab, so this new vaccine won’t seem so important to them.
Plus many youngsters are a bit ‘wussy’ about needles.

BlueBelle Wed 11-Nov-20 07:10:38

It s not very young people I ve read the remarks from calandergirl I m talking about young compared to us These are people who are very used to injecting their children so personally I don’t think it’s that I think they are less trusting than our age group maybe
Basically most of them won’t be offered it for a while anyway it’s the very elderly isn’t it
I still think the country has become a very divided country and polar divided on passionate subjects which has made people more chippy towards each other
It’s a shame because we certainly don’t have the war mentality of ‘we re all in this together’

Txquiltz Wed 11-Nov-20 07:25:03

Great topic. The virus has turned on the survival instinct full blast. Toilet paper is an indication of self-protection gone wild. Policing neighbors actions, even those not in violation of rules set to protect us, is a pastime judge righteous by some. We can all try harder to muster up the courage to be kind.

Teetime Wed 11-Nov-20 09:17:57

blossoming I have really noticed this but at the moment I only see DH every day and possibly a neighbour or two as they walk their dogs. Fortunately for me our town has too many supermarkets and I shop at the one least used anyway (Sainsbury) so it hasn't run out of anything and its never crowded. I do get a delivery most weeks and DH is 'listed' whatever that means now so he could get help if we needed it. I do think however that this lockdown although only partial feels harder than the first one and I dont really know why.

timetogo2016 Wed 11-Nov-20 09:31:18

I totaly agree Blossoming and with Oopsminty.Very brave from a distance.

Spangler Wed 11-Nov-20 09:40:33

Blossoming Tue 10-Nov-20 22:24:43
^People seem so ‘touchy’ and suspicious at the moment, ready to take offence or look for hidden agendas.
I don’t mean Gransnet, just people in general.^

It does happen on Gransnet, Blossoming. Mostly on the political threads. Time and again I seen those that disagree get savaged.

Davida1968 Wed 11-Nov-20 09:54:57

Shopping yesterday seemed to be fine in our area. Plenty of everything - shelves laden with loo rolls and no-one seemed in a mad rush. Everyone wearing masks and people being polite!

Craftycat Wed 11-Nov-20 10:07:12

I haven't seen any panic buying at all round here. I was prepared for empty shelves when I went to do my weekly shop at Sainsburys yesterday but there was no queue at front of shop & I walked straight though the self scan checkout- (well I did stop to pay!).
There was no shortage of anything that I could see.
I think the media hype it up for something to fill the News with.

Reaps Wed 11-Nov-20 10:19:00

I also agree people are very polarised in their opinions on all subjects nowadays however I do wonder whether such divisions already existed and the anominity of social media has provided them with an outlet to vent. An angry frustrated population living on an island ! Sounds like an Agatha Christie novel?

suziewoozie Wed 11-Nov-20 10:24:14

Calendargirl

I suppose the younger generation are not accustomed to having the flu jab, so this new vaccine won’t seem so important to them.
Plus many youngsters are a bit ‘wussy’ about needles.

Call me touchy you want but this type of ageist, prejudiced, divisive, unevidenced post makes me want to scream.

toscalily Wed 11-Nov-20 10:24:25

I went to my local Aldi as soon as it opened on Sunday and the shelves were fully stocked. Small town, people wearing masks and everyone polite & friendly. Not the same when I went to the very big Sainsburys in a large town a couple weeks ago, first time in ages and it appeared everyone had forgotten the Covid crisis. I do agree there seems to be a great deal of the "me first" attitude now. This makes me very cross indeed: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-54873164

jaylucy Wed 11-Nov-20 10:26:07

I am an admin on a local community group and I have certainly noticed how much nastier some people have become over the last 12 months or so by their comments to complete strangers.
There are some that think they can hide behind a keyboard and it no longer matters what you say because you don't know the person and are probably never going to meet them face to face - if you did, it's easy to also hide behind a fake Facebook account name , with no profile pic !

Jillybird Wed 11-Nov-20 10:35:12

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

suziewoozie Wed 11-Nov-20 10:44:14

Jilly fake news, uninformed comments, lies and prejudice should irritate all of us - it’s bloody irresponsible to behave this this and we should be old enough to know better. I’m never tolerant of such behaviour. It’s potentially harmful , scares people unnecessarily, may encourage them to behave differently in a negative way. A few weeks ago a complete idiot posted that the flu jab at pharmacies was not the special one for over 65s This was a lie and could have worried people who’d been to their pharmacy. Can you explain why this should be tolerated? My cri de coeur is why can’t posters be more responsible and check information first rather than just rush to post?

suziewoozie Wed 11-Nov-20 10:44:58

And don’t patronise me Jilly I don’t need talking to

suziewoozie Wed 11-Nov-20 10:46:37

And there’s a difference between facts and opinions which sadly is unknown to many both here and across the main and social media.

mernice Wed 11-Nov-20 10:57:43

Hear , hear suziewoozie!

Bijou Wed 11-Nov-20 11:26:15

When I married in 1946 rationing was stricter than ever and continued until 1954. But we managed and were healthy and not overweight. Some things like eggs and bananas were only obtainable on children’s ration books. One a week. I used to give the children the butter ration and have margarine. My daughter called it “mummy’s drine”. We called food shopping going to get the rations.
This was after six years of war.
I wonder how people would cope these days.
The news now focussing on Covid. What about those people in places like Syria who have to cope with bombing as well as the virus?

Applegran Wed 11-Nov-20 12:01:30

It is really sad to see unkindness anywhere - but I think there are millions and millions of acts of kindness and love to friends, family and strangers every day all over the world. Small acts mostly, and some great ones. But they are there and its easys to forget that they must outnumber the unkindnesses. Our socities hold together in the end beccause of kindness and trust and generosity at some level. Small acts of kindness do not get into the news, so we are reminded of them less often. But you would step forard to help someone, for instance, who you saw trip and fall, or a lost child in the days when we were able to be in crowds. Maybe it would be good on Gransnet to share stories of acts of unselfish kindness and love - and counteract the news and some of the unhappy things which happen on line.

jenpax Wed 11-Nov-20 12:24:56

Applegran What a good idea!