Coronavirus: What would people be willing to live without?

[Trailblazer]

So what would people be willing to give up, if it comes down to that? Here are some things that come to mind:

• Sporting events
• Eating out at restaurants
• Going to the movies
• Going to the gym
• Shopping at retail stores
• Religious observances
• Traveling

Hypothetically speaking, if people could no longer engage in these activities what would they do with their time? Do you think they would become more interested in God, religion, and spiritual matters, or engage in activities that are of benefit all of mankind as opposed to doing only what they enjoy doing?

I also have some other questions:

Do people really need all these activities? Couldn’t they think of ‘better ways’ to spend their time if they did not have these activities? I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place, so that proves they can live without all the activities they ‘believe’ they need.

Religious people could still continue to meet on Zoom. Why do they need to meet in person?

Sincerely, Trailblazer….. The queen of hypothetical questions.

 

[sun rise]

I assume you're asking live without forever rather than for a month or 6.

I think people could adapt to less frantic lives with more time for being calm and reflective although that kind of a change would not be easy for some.

As far as some of the specifics go: there are some things that are a problem to do remotely. Clothes for example often need to be tried on and seen in person to see true colors etc. Chairs need to be sat in to determine comfort and so forth.

Unless someone is relatively well-off, there are not the facilities for exercise that gyms have. There's also yoga, TaiChi and others where an instructor needs to see people in order to offer suggestions. Seeing someone on a phone or computer screen is not the same as in person.

As far as religious/spiritual gatherings go, remote meetings don't have the same focus and atmosphere as meeting in person. It's like watching a movie in the theater vs on the TV at home - the immersive experience does not exist at home.

 

[Salvador]

So what would people be willing to give up, if it comes down to that? Here are some things that come to mind:

• Sporting events
• Eating out at restaurants
• Going to the movies
• Going to the gym
• Shopping at retail stores
• Religious observances
• Traveling

Hypothetically speaking, if people could no longer engage in these activities what would they do with their time? Do you think they would become more interested in God, religion, and spiritual matters, or engage in activities that are of benefit all of mankind as opposed to doing only what they enjoy doing?

I also have some other questions:

Do people really need all these activities? Couldn’t they think of ‘better ways’ to spend their time if they did not have these activities? I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place, so that proves they can live without all the activities they ‘believe’ they need.

Religious people could still continue to meet on Zoom. Why do they need to meet in person?

Sincerely, Trailblazer….. The queen of hypothetical questions.

We could have televised sporting events where there'd be no in person fan attendance. Social distancing with spread out tables could be done in restaurant. Home gyms can replace public gyms. Allowing only one customer per 36 square feet of shopping space could be done in retail shopping stores. Religious observances could be done online or with drive-in church parking lots. Airplanes and mass transit could restrict travel to 50 percent of capacity by having empty seats between passengers who would also be required to wear masks. We can be very smart about the way we reopen our economy.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place, so that proves they can live without all the activities they ‘believe’ they need.

Excuse you, there's been suicides and murders all over the world due to it. Not everyone has access to the Internet, either, like homeless people and the very poor who can't afford it (libraries are closed due to the lockdown, so they can't use the computers). Your middle class Western privilege is showing.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm ready to give up....
- Church
- Baseball
- Football
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Fashion shows
- Orgies
- Live theater
- Flying
- Kale

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

No one needs to live without any of that, just inject some disinfectant, drink some aquarium cleaner, and you're good to go.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

So what would people be willing to give up, if it comes down to that? Here are some things that come to mind:

• Sporting events
• Eating out at restaurants
• Going to the movies
• Going to the gym
• Shopping at retail stores
• Religious observances
• Traveling

Hypothetically speaking, if people could no longer engage in these activities what would they do with their time? Do you think they would become more interested in God, religion, and spiritual matters, or engage in activities that are of benefit all of mankind as opposed to doing only what they enjoy doing?

I also have some other questions:

Do people really need all these activities? Couldn’t they think of ‘better ways’ to spend their time if they did not have these activities? I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place, so that proves they can live without all the activities they ‘believe’ they need.

Religious people could still continue to meet on Zoom. Why do they need to meet in person?

Sincerely, Trailblazer….. The queen of hypothetical questions.

I'm mostly a minimalist. The only things I have that would be hard to give away is my laptop and art. Things I need is exercise (a way to get out and move) and medicine. As for spirituality, I do have a lot of time to look at my values and things I want to get out of life mostly taking care of my health and finances. I'd like to have better mental health and clarity and relationship with other people and more social. However, I never think of god or anything abrahamic outside RF. It doesn't come to mind.

 

[Trailblazer]

I assume you're asking live without forever rather than for a month or 6.

I think people could adapt to less frantic lives with more time for being calm and reflective although that kind of a change would not be easy for some.

As far as some of the specifics go: there are some things that are a problem to do remotely. Clothes for example often need to be tried on and seen in person to see true colors etc. Chairs need to be sat in to determine comfort and so forth.

Unless someone is relatively well-off, there are not the facilities for exercise that gyms have. There's also yoga, TaiChi and others where an instructor needs to see people in order to offer suggestions. Seeing someone on a phone or computer screen is not the same as in person.

As far as religious/spiritual gatherings go, remote meetings don't have the same focus and atmosphere as meeting in person. It's like watching a movie in the theater vs on the TV at home - the immersive experience does not exist at home.

Thanks, I agree that some of these are more essential such as retail shopping for clothes because we need clothes, although it is not an absolute need since people can usually get by with the clothes they have. I have not shopped for new clothes in at least 10 years, but I am the exception. But even then, we can purchase clothes in the retail stores that remain open because they also sell food. I just bought a scarf at the store last night so I could cover my face when I go grocery shopping. People do not have to go to gyms either because they can go walking, jogging or biking for exercise. Perhaps religious observances in person are more necessary than the other activities I listed, for religious people.

Yes, my hypothetical scenario was not just for 6 months, it was forever.

What I was asking is what you think people would be willing to give up forever, if it came down to that?
Of course, if it came down to that, it would no be a choice would it?

Hypothetically speaking, what if people could no longer engage in these activities? What do you think they would they do with their time?

 

[Trailblazer]

We could have televised sporting events where there'd be no in person fan attendance. Social distancing with spread out tables could be done in restaurant. Home gyms can replace public gyms. Allowing only one customer per 36 square feet of shopping space could be done in retail shopping stores. Religious observances could be done online or with drive-in church parking lots. Airplanes and mass transit could restrict travel to 50 percent of capacity by having empty seats between passengers who would also be required to wear masks. We can be very smart about the way we reopen our economy.

I like your ideas but these are what I call 'workarounds' so people could have their cake and eat it too. I was talking about people no longer being able to eat cake they have been eating, the cake they 'believe' they need.

But I just thought of something, if all these activities ceased the entire economy in materialistic countries would be turned upside down because capitalism depends upon consumerism.

 

[Trailblazer]

Excuse you, there's been suicides and murders all over the world due to it. Not everyone has access to the Internet, either, like homeless people and the very poor who can't afford it (libraries are closed due to the lockdown, so they can't use the computers). Your middle class Western privilege is showing.

Do you think there are murders and suicides just because people cannot go out to eat a restaurants or go to the movies or go to the gym or travel? Libraries was not on my list of nonessential activities because they are in the same category as schools.

The main effect of the shutdown is loss of jobs and businesses. Having food and a place to live is essential so work is an essential activity. Recreation isn't essential to live. Even religion is not essential to live.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Do you think there are murders and suicides just because people cannot go out to eat a restaurants or go to the movies or go to the gym or travel? Libraries was not on my list of nonessential activities because they are in the same category as schools. The main effect of the shutdown is loss of jobs and businesses.. Having a job is an essential activity. Recreation isn't essential to live.

The murders I'm thinking of are due to the spike in domestic violence. Victims are forced to be shut in with their abusers. There was a whole family killed in Russia. Alcoholic sales have spiked around the world, which is also fueling some of the violence.

The suicides are due to stress over the lockdown. I know of at least two teenage girls who killed themselves over it. Who knows how many more have, let alone how many are on the edge.

 

[Trailblazer]

The murders I'm thinking of are due to the spike in domestic violence. Victims are forced to be shut in with their abusers. There was a whole family killed in Russia. Alcoholic sales have spiked around the world, which is also fueling some of the violence.

The suicides are due to stress over the lockdown. I know of at least two teenage girls who killed themselves over it. Who knows how many more have, let alone how many are on the edge.

Your points are certainly well taken, as after all psychology is one of my fields.

I was not referring to being shut in the house, I was talking about what people think they need by way of recreational activities. Certainly, I do not think it is psychologically healthy for people to be shut up in their houses indefinitely. The question is what they will do when they get out, besides going to work? What do people really need vs. want?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Your points are certainly well taken, as after all psychology is one of my fields.

I was not referring to being shut in the house, I was talking about what people think they need by way of recreational activities. Certainly, I do not think it is psychologically healthy for people to be shut up in their houses indefinitely. The question is what they will do when they get out, besides going to work? What do people really need vs. want?

I understand, but I was replying to a specific sentence in your OP that was incorrect.

 

[Nimos]

So what would people be willing to give up, if it comes down to that? Here are some things that come to mind:

• Sporting events
• Eating out at restaurants
• Going to the movies
• Going to the gym
• Shopping at retail stores
• Religious observances
• Traveling

I could give up all to be honest.

Don't care about sports, at all!!

Hate waiting for food and it doesn't interest me, so fancy restaurants I can live without.

Besides a couple of movies that I would prefer to see in the cinema. I in general like to watch them at home where you can pause them etc.

Gym.... What is that?

Hate shopping, I only buy exactly what I need. And before I go anywhere to buy something, I already know exactly what I need, so its more of a hit and run, if I have to.

Religious stuff... is obvious

Don't like traveling all that much, to much time spend just sitting and waiting... I even get bored of driving in cars if its for more than a hour.

Honestly, I would have little issues with giving up all of these .

 

[Trailblazer]

I understand, but I was replying to a specific sentence in your OP that was incorrect.

I did not make any statements in my OP, I only asked questions.
How can a question be incorrect?

 

[Twilight Hue]

With the exception of gaming I could live without the media.

When you think about it, the world was a lot larger before mass communication and mass transit. We see it as a simple arguably easier time, but was it?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I did not make any statements in my OP, I only asked questions.
How can a question be incorrect?

I was referring to this:
"I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place,"

 

[SalixIncendium]

So what would people be willing to give up, if it comes down to that? Here are some things that come to mind:

• Sporting events
• Eating out at restaurants
• Going to the movies
• Going to the gym
• Shopping at retail stores
• Religious observances
• Traveling

Hypothetically speaking, if people could no longer engage in these activities what would they do with their time?

Do you think they would become more interested in God, religion, and spiritual matters, or engage in activities that are of benefit all of mankind as opposed to doing only what they enjoy doing?

I also have some other questions:

Do people really need all these activities? Couldn’t they think of ‘better ways’ to spend their time if they did not have these activities? I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place, so that proves they can live without all the activities they ‘believe’ they need.

Religious people could still continue to meet on Zoom. Why do they need to meet in person?

Sincerely, Trailblazer….. The queen of hypothetical questions.

Are you seriously asking members here to speak for others? How would anyone be able to speak intelligently about how others would spend their time?

 

[Trailblazer]

I could give up all to be honest.

Don't care about sports, at all!!

Hate waiting for food and it doesn't interest me, so fancy restaurants I can live without.

Besides a couple of movies that I would prefer to see in the cinema. I in general like to watch them at home where you can pause them etc.

Gym.... What is that?

Hate shopping, I only buy exactly what I need. And before I go anywhere to buy something, I already know exactly what I need, so its more of a hit and run, if I have to.

Religious stuff... is obvious

Don't like traveling all that much, to much time spend just sitting and waiting... I even get bored of driving in cars if its for more than a hour.

Honestly, I would have little issues with giving up all of these .

Honestly, I would have no issues with giving up all of these
I have no interest in any of these activities and I have no time for them anyway.
I am already behind the eight ball trying to keep up on posts on forums, and other than work, eating, sleeping and cats, answering posts is my highest priority.

And no, I have not forgotten that I still have two of your posts to answer, but you are in line behind another atheist whose posts I am working on answering. You won't see any of those posts till they are posted because I write all my longer posts in Word documents before I post them.

 

[Trailblazer]

I was referring to this:
"I mean people have not died from being sheltered in place,"

Fair enough.
I am afraid I did it again, I made another mistake.
When I checked to see what I had written in my OP, I was looking at the Word document I had saved which I did not update after I added that 'statement' to the OP. My bad.