What has been learned through the pandemic and lockdowns?

[Someone here]

I do wonder how much human beings have learned through the pandemic and various lockdowns, individually and as groups. That is because life was turned upside down and the pandemic is not over, with it being hard to know to what extent it will go on.

It is has lead to so much suffering and misery for so many people. Personally, as far as I know, I have not had the virus and don't know that many people who have been really ill with it. I struggled with lockdowns, especially the long one which came in England after Christmas. I have not worked for over a year and had to move twice but I am sure that so many people had to endure so much more. In England, there are so many more people living on the streets than ever.

But, my question is what has been learned? I feel that I had so much time for reflection and do think that I am a bit different from before, because I used to take a lot for granted previously. Some people may be experiencing devastating effects of the last year still psychologically.
Do you feel that it has made a big impact on your life and those you know, negatively or as a learning curve?

I also wonder what humanity has learned. In terms of the virus it affected rich and poor equally. However, the effects of the whole situation is likely to have impacted on different groups and populations differently. I wonder whether it has been a wake up call and whether there will be any real differences in the world. It may be too early to know for sure. Will it make leaders and others more able to see social problems like poverty and homelessness, as well as Mr Climate Change(but he has his own threads)? What do you think? Or, do think it will not make much difference in the larger scheme?

[Yarco]

I don't think the average person has learned a lot. All the normie friends I have are still talking about Marvel movies and dumb stuff. They might mention supply chain shortages in passing accidentally, sometimes without even realizing it, but do nothing to prepare for the more uncertain world that we're living in. As long as they can still buy toilet paper, order pizza, and watch Netflix they could care less.

Politicians and governments have learned a lot, about mass human psychology, about how far you can push the population, how compliant or uncompliant people are, what % of the population makes up each camp.

Personally I'm more distrusting and paranoid, just preparing and doing what I can to look out for myself and my family. I don't believe the news from either side any more and I don't think my government has my best interest at heart.

[captainamerica]

1 hour ago, Yarco said:

I don't think the average person has learned a lot. All the normie friends I have are still talking about Marvel movies and dumb stuff. They might mention supply chain shortages in passing accidentally, sometimes without even realizing it, but do nothing to prepare for the more uncertain world that we're living in. As long as they can still buy toilet paper, order pizza, and watch Netflix they could care less.

Politicians and governments have learned a lot, about mass human psychology, about how far you can push the population, how compliant or uncompliant people are, what % of the population makes up each camp.

Well said.

[supremeyingyang]

@Someone here

When it comes to self-directed learning there are roughly 3 groups of people after the pandamic: Winners (do learn), Loser (can't learn) and People who don't care (they don't want to learn).

1. The Winners are often relatively well off economically and experienced the shut downs as a slow down. They enjoyed the time more than others and used it for self study.
2. The Loser struggle to survive or at least it feels for them like that. There is little to learning happening. Maybe, and you can debate me on that, conspiracy theorist fall into that category.
3. The People who don't care won't learn a thing by themselves, why change that comfy habit? Did ya see the new marvel movie? @Yarco

What is the distribution for a given country? I don't know. For Gemany maybe:

 

2 hours ago, Yarco said:

Politicians and governments have learned a lot, about mass human psychology, about how far you can push the population, how compliant or uncompliant people are, what % of the population makes up each camp.

For me it feels like politicians don't learned a thing. Aside from corruption that is.

 

2 hours ago, Yarco said:

Personally I'm more distrusting and paranoid, just preparing and doing what I can to look out for myself and my family. I don't believe the news from either side any more and I don't think my government has my best interest at heart.

I feel that. There is a 'devide and conquer' going on, right? I don't like it.

[DocWatts]

6 hours ago, supremeyingyang said:

@Someone here

When it comes to self-directed learning there are roughly 3 groups of people after the pandamic: Winners (do learn), Loser (can't learn) and People who don't care (they don't want to learn).

1. The Winners are often relatively well off economically and experienced the shut downs as a slow down. They enjoyed the time more than others and used it for self study.
2. The Loser struggle to survive or at least it feels for them like that. There is little to learning happening. Maybe, and you can debate me on that, conspiracy theorist fall into that category.
3. The People who don't care won't learn a thing by themselves, why change that comfy habit? Did ya see the new marvel movie? @Yarco

Well said. It's important to keep in mind that development is a matter of privilege and opportunity, rather than a moral defect in people at earlier stages of development.

Framing it in this way is crucial for keeping whatever worldview we happen to hold ethical by grounding it in compassion.

Edited November 14, 2021 by DocWatts

[supremeyingyang]

42 minutes ago, DocWatts said:

Well said. It's important to keep in mind that development is a matter of privilege and opportunity, rather than a moral defect in people at earlier stages of development.

Framing it in this way is crucial for keeping whatever worldview we happen to hold ethical by grounding it in compassion.

True. I'd, say priviledge, opportunity AND willingness. Certainly not a moral defect. Many don't care people have the priviledge and the opportunity, but are not willing to learn.

[PurpleTree]

with the protests we learned that people don't just accept anything and might fight back

you can hate and ridicule that

but i think there's beauty in that

[soos_mite_ah]

I honestly think that peer group (especially privilege) matters a lot when it comes to this type of thing.

There is a group of people (usually wealthy white people) who I have encountered who basically treated this pandemic as a minor inconvenience and didn't do any reflecting or any learning during this time period. 

Then there is the majority of my social circle who were emotionally impacted by the pandemic and related events greatly and they had to process through that and take the lessons from the processing. While we don't talk about this stuff constantly and we still talk about basic stuff that's going on in the media, we still do give each other the space to vent and process with one another. I'm making wide sweeping generalizations because I don't think it's appropriate for me to go into personal details of the people I talk to: 

• How much of our lives is centered around consumption (I had a lot of friends reevaluate their consumption habits and resort to doing things like going on picnics or hikes as a way to socialize). 
• Capitalism being a scam. This goes along with the consumption and how we use consumption to cope our busy, and sometimes unfulfilling. work lives and how then we need to be even busier to maintain this lifestyle therefore turning this into a feedback loop. 
• Had a lot of friends educate themselves on police brutality and how private prisons work. 
• Questioning the validity of online activism 
• Learning how to be more independent by being on their own. 
• Learning how to actively keep in touch with people and value relationships more. 
• Dealing with difficult parents and living circumstances (finding ways to cope, realizing they need to leave these relationships etc.)
• Working through inner turmoil since there isn't much you can distract yourself with (processing trauma and narcissistic abuse, dealing with eating disorders, taking care of depression and anxiety, etc.) 
• Changing majors or work circumstances because of lack of fulfillment (there is also a great resignation happening where people are quitting their jobs because the work place isn't treating them right and because of things like burn out). 
• The importance of taking care of yourself and how that is also something that is productive. 

[DocWatts]

3 hours ago, supremeyingyang said:

True. I'd, say priviledge, opportunity AND willingness. Certainly not a moral defect. Many don't care people have the priviledge and the opportunity, but are not willing to learn.

For sure, and I wasn't trying to imply that development is deterministic, as individual volition does have an important role to play.

Yet at the same time, drawing from my own experiences, the fragility or robustness of one's ego has everything to do with one's willingness to introspect and learn.

Not surprising that this is a far more challenging task for people who had to construct a highly defensive ego in order to meet their survival needs.

[supremeyingyang]

@PurpleTree

which protests specifically?

@soos_mite_ah

I'm asking myself how many make that experience. If it is a critical mass. By the way great list. I'd like to add:

• seeing devision of people as contraproductive as it is
• sometimes you have to submit to the knowledge of an expert
• contemplating if society could be else than now..

 

10 hours ago, DocWatts said:

For sure, and I wasn't trying to imply that development is deterministic, as individual volition does have an important role to play.

Yet at the same time, drawing from my own experiences, the fragility or robustness of one's ego has everything to do with one's willingness to introspect and learn.

Not surprising that this is a far more challenging task for people who had to construct a highly defensive ego in order to meet their survival needs.

Right. The Question remains where that willingness to learn is coming from / not coming from when priviledge and opportunity meet. Mentality? Luck? Circumstances? A mix? Something else?

 

[cookiemonster]

What I have learned from the pandemic.

• Stupid people are in the majority.
• Powerful people are in the minority.
• Sensible people have no agency at all.

 

[supremeyingyang]

3 hours ago, cookiemonster said:

• Sensible people have no agency at all.

 

This. Is that the antidote? Develop more sensibility or let the sensibilities be? I see so much 'we have to soldier up' or 'hustle' while it's long TOO MUCH. Leading sensible people to powerless positions.

Its easy to say: You are too sensible, soldier up! Tomorrow WE might be in an identical position. Still feels like 'if we let people to be good to themselves, then nothing gets done'.. i call it the old paradigma of work..

Edited November 15, 2021 by supremeyingyang

[DocWatts]

The Good Place said it best.

This is true not just for people damaged by growing up in rough circumstances.

But also for privileged folks who never develop curiosity about what life is like for people less fortunate than themselves; because they were likely not surrounded by empathetic people, and thus were never encouraged to explore the possiblity of having social responsibilities for the well being of other people.

Edited November 15, 2021 by DocWatts

[supremeyingyang]

@DocWatts

Damn, gonna tell the truth here that's on point.

Jokes & memes aside, you can reverse engineer a recipe with that to make things better in one generation... I mean everyone knows it, but if you see it like that..

[DocWatts]

18 minutes ago, supremeyingyang said:

@DocWatts

Jokes & memes aside, you can reverse engineer a recipe with that to make things better in one generation... I mean everyone knows it, but if you see it like that..

@supremeyingyang Not sure if you've had the chance to read The Listening Society and Nordic Ideology, but they're a two book treatise on Metamodernism and Integral politics which emphasize exactly this; building a more compassionate society which makes it easier for people to self actualize.

Edited November 15, 2021 by DocWatts

[PurpleTree]

8 hours ago, supremeyingyang said:

@PurpleTree

which protests specifically?

protests like on this channel for example https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2jUUNoi3vNuTOaiNDLOsA/videos

now obviously there are also a lot of idiots and i haven't been to a protest but if they try to go the Austria/Australia route here then i'd probably go too

[supremeyingyang]

@DocWatts

Part 1 is already on my 2022 reading list;)

@PurpleTree  

thanks, we have a lot protests in germany. Many I know are super against the protests. I'm still rather neutral.

[LfcCharlie4]

People will literally do whatever you tell them, as long as you say its for their safety or the most famous phrase throughout history- 'for the greater good.' 

But, they still won't take personal responsibility for their own health, unless of course the Government told them too 

[captainamerica]

17 hours ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

But, they still won't take personal responsibility for their own health, unless of course the Government told them too 

Edited November 17, 2021 by captainamerica

[LfcCharlie4]

@captainamerica