Why are people freaking out and stocking up but not taking social distancing seriously?

[tijlover]

We're all creatures of habit, that explains much of it. I'm 70YO and I have to keep reminding myself, all thru the day, about this 6 foot distance madness, and when I meet someone walking in my neighborhood, it all gets forgotten very easily. So give, particularly, the older people some slack, as this is very foreign behavior to many of us and it will take some time for it to sink in.

There's a trio of 3 senior women that walk thru the neighborhood, all but arm and arm, and why? Because they're hard of hearing and at 6 feet they can't hear what the others are saying.

[Coloradomom22]

I posted on a different site my frustration with people who contradict themselves with this virus. I have several friends whose husbands are police officers and firefighters and they don't take social distancing seriously at all in spite of all of their husbands having been exposed. One friend said she was not going to be afraid and hasn't changed a thing. She had a birthday party for her daughter and had grandparents and aunts and uncles (they don't live with them) the other day. Another chuckled when I mentioned that I wear an N95 mask out and said she thinks they are unnecessary. These husbands all were exposed to the virus yet haven't gotten sick, and since they are all on the frontline and are somewhat powerless I can understand their feelings. But to me it's annoying when I see fundraisers to "feed our first responders" when many of them don't care enough to practice social distancing at home. Why should I pay money to feed someone who might be spreading the virus because of their own carelessness? Why do the rest of us have to follow rules?

[Sonic_Spork]

There was brief discussion earlier upthread about the phrase "social distancing" being stupid. I did not so much interpret the "social" part to be pointing to "socializing" as I did "society." Like Social Security is not feeling safe that you can always chat with people when you want. The "social" part refers to society providing the "security" that you won't be utterly penniless in your old age. (Yes I know, you pay in, but they are not holding that money to give it back to you.) Annnyhooo...so social distancing is members of society, placing distance between themselves and other members of society, while out among society, for reasons that can't be helped (in theory.) Not necessarily chatting on Zoom. Though I guess that might also kinda qualify, if we want to be etymologically flexible.

As to why people who don't fear the virus, stock up on TP and other stuff...I think that the fear of scarcity, that they won't be able to buy what they want, is greater than fear of the virus for some. It's the "FOMO" (Fear Of Missing Out) effect at work. I think that especially early on, people weren't sure if they'd even be allowed to leave their houses, too. And some probably thought, "If I catch it, I'd better have at least enough supplies to last until I'm well." Kids aren't in school, and some adults are either not working or working from home, so more supplies may be needed at home than usual.

That in addition to everyone who thought they saw an opportunity and could resell stuff at a profit.

LOL they should have done what I did instead. Put their extra money into the stock market right when it crashed. The stock I bought was in companies that I knew weren't going to go out of business. I did not have much to spare, to play my little game, but it paid off a bit. I didn't get rich but I made some nice little gains. It was a fun experiment.