COVID-19 and why people like the lockdowns

As most, if not all people reading will know, coronavirus, or the more scientific term COVID-19 has swept the world, taking thousands of victims and forcing people to remain indoors for several months. Shops closed initially, and now they are slowly reopening, some with restrictions and all with constant reminders to socially distance from the other shoppers. This has certainly deterred many from shopping in these places at all, with many choosing instead to shop only for essentials, with masks and even gloves, which seems over the top, but understandable for those who are at higher risk of contracting the virus.

Many seem oblivious to other's concerns of contracting this virus, with some not only ignoring the common sense idea of keeping distance from others, but actively walking close to people intentionally or unintentionally because it doesn't affect them.

What a lovely bunch.

I'm sure you've heard this phrase over the last several months, but pretending like it's not a huge deal is just kind of dumb. Actually, you've probably never heard it phrased in that way, but you should understand the general point I'm attempting to get across.

It's a lot more serious than "it's just a cold bro."

The US currently has ~142,000 people dead so far as I'm writing this. Not something to be downplayed and thrown to the side.

This has also had effects on the world in general. Markets tanking, economies doing badly, businesses shutting down because of a lack of customers and money, and the many in need of hospitals who are now lowered in priority in certain parts of the world.

The one silver lining to all of this, is that toilet paper companies probably had a huge surge in sales from the coronavirus hoarders who plague our communities.

I'm talking about those individuals (read: Karens) who decide to buy out essential items like toilet paper or hand sanitiser, completely oblivious or unwilling to care for the wellbeing of others and their needs. And while shops over in Australia have set restrictions on the buying of items, it's irrelevant because of the sheer number of people buying items, which ensures every non perishable essential will be sold out.

But the most interesting part of the pandemic currently occurring are the lockdowns that have been mandated or strongly recommended by the governments of countries. What is most interesting is that there's a surprising number of people who enjoy the lockdowns and want them to continue.

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And this confused me at first, because while I recognise that having lockdowns slows COVID-19 and flattens the curve, it's not exactly great to have your only communication with friends through Discord or other communication services.

In fact, it's not just "not great", it's annoying and inconvenient for people.

Surprisingly, it can be boring being inside your house with no human contact but the family you're stuck with.

So... I have a bit of a theory about the subsection of the population who enjoy the lockdowns, and it's structured in a list for your convenience.

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The first reason, and most obvious one, is that people have a lot more time to do the things that they want to do.

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Let's be real for a moment, it's really nice to wake up in the morning (or afternoon) and do the things that you enjoy rather than working your regular job. There's something freeing about being at the helm of your own ship, and being able to steer it in any way you choose.

Personally, I've enjoyed making songs (link here), and procrastinating writing on this blog, it's been great.

So I can get into this mindset, but the main issue with this is that it makes people complacent with bad habits and takes away people's drive to do or achieve anything significant. When you are unable to move through the world as you normally would without a pandemic, your routine is disrupted and the goals you may have set for yourself are placed on the backburner for reasons entirely out of your control.

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The second reason, a lot of people hate working, and enjoy sitting around doing things they love while being paid for it by the government.

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Similar to point one, but I'd like to add on to that point and say that it's not only nice to do nothing, but an additional bonus to that is being paid by the government during this time. A lot of people hate their jobs, and that's understandable, so getting a break from that environment is a nice change.

For those in that position, take advantage of it because it won't last forever.

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The third, and final reason, is people feel unsatisfied with their lives, and seeing others being just as unsatisfied as them makes them feel less bad about themselves.

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Stay with me here.

I'm of the opinion that a lot of people who want the lockdowns increased aren't really primarily doing it because they care about the virus. It's probably part of the motivation for caring, but I think there's a bigger reason at play.

I think it's because in the age of social media, more and more people feel unsatisfied with their lives, and they see their friends and public figures on their social media feeds enjoying life and having fun, while they are alone. It causes envy of others, and I think a lot of people can relate with this sentiment.

But during lockdowns, it's caused everyone to be stuck indoors, or severely impeded in their ability to go out and have fun, meaning that everyone is in the same boat. This means that there aren't as many posts on social media of people socialising, which allows the people who are unsatisfied with their lives have some solace that they aren't lonely, because everyone else is just as lonely as them.

The equal sharing of misery, or something like that.

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Conclusion

I want to end this off by giving a message to those currently unable to work and with large sums of time.

Spend that time learning a new hobby, exercising, or learning new things. The current time we're in is a perfect opportunity to change, to become better, to learn more. Take that opportunity with open arms and come out of this pandemic with new eyes.