Frustrating People (A Rant)

[Inflikted]

This is more of a rant, than anything else. Since returning to work last week, I've been growing more and more frustrated with my three coworkers. I've always known that me and my boss are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but that subject has been fairly easy to ignore since I've been working there. But she, and my other two coworkers, have been ranting to each other about the current pandemic and the overall response to it, and it's so frustrating listening to them, every single day.

For one, so much of what they say is based on wrong information. They minimize the death rate, they downplay how severe the virus is. They don't think there should be any safety precautions, they think everything should be open and running as normal, no one should be wearing masks, and that we should just let the virus sweep through and do its thing. My boss has even been wishing death on our state governor for the lock downs and whatnot. They all refuse to wear masks (at work, or anywhere in their personal lives) because they think it's "stupid", and "hard to breath", and because it's "unconstitutional" and "against their rights". My boss says she doesn't care about "protecting" other people (by wearing a mask) because "you have to take care of yourself".

It's just... mind-boggling, to me, how ignorant all of them come across about this pandemic. And it'd be one thing if their opinions and actions had no bearing on my life whatsoever. But unfortunately, that's not the case, because even if I'm doing what I'm supposed to do, wearing a mask at work, etc., it practically doesn't matter, because none of them are making an effort to be safe and smart in their personal lives, and are refusing to wear masks at work to protect each other. I can do everything "right", myself, but still end up falling very ill because my coworkers can't be bothered to be conscientious.

I find it quite sad that so many people are so "Me, me, me!" focused, and don't care about the healthy and safety of those around them. "It's my constitutional right to not have to wear a mask!" Don't I have a right to a healthy and safe world to venture out into? To put it bluntly, I think a lot of "anti-maskers" are being crybabies about the whole thing. I'm short, chubby, and I used to have asthma as a kid, yet, I don't have any problems wearing a mask when going about my business. Do I like it? No. But it's a very mild inconvenience at worst, and if it means keeping people around you safe and healthy, it really shouldn't be a point of contention. People act like this is the government trying to force you to cover up your entire body because of some other agenda. But it's not. We're in the middle of a damn pandemic. None of us have ever lived through something like this before. And sometimes when bad stuff happens, yes, you have to make some changes to your life and your routine to adapt to it. To me, the idea that we shouldn't be doing anything differently or taking any kind of precautions is just utterly absurd. True, this isn't an extinction level disease by any means, but it's still something that should be taken seriously, and attempts should be made to minimize the damage.

As for the economy, and for people's overall mental health, I mean, it's not that I don't get it. And certainly, I don't have the answers for that. But damage to the economy can be undone, even if it takes many many years. You can't undo death, you can't undo permanent organ damage from the virus. And in my personal opinion, the virus killing hundreds of thousands of people, or even millions, isn't any better for the economy or people's mental health.

Perhaps some here will disagree with my opinions and beliefs, and that's whatever. I'm not here to argue. I'm just frustrated after having spent the last two weeks biting my tongue while listening to my coworkers spew misinformation and (in my opinion) ignorant views to each other. Don't get me wrong, I try my best to tune it out, but their conversations are always within earshot, and it's just their constant conversation every day. I mostly just needed to get all this off my chest.

[CaliforniaGirl]

I hear you. Just lately (as in, proably starting five or six minutes ago but humor me here) I've been thinking: it's probably time to bow out...nobody is going to change anybody's mind. Here's what I'm doing and I don't know if it will help you: just for the personal peace of mind factor (because that's what we're down to), my family will all be getting tested to see if we have antibodies to 19. If we've been infected it seems like the likelihood of being reinfected in the same season is low so at least being knowingly and pointedly panted all over as we pass no-maskers in the street (who close up ranks at the sidewalks, LOL) will not be scary in an infectious way, just in a "they procreate?" and "they vote?" way.

Now...as far as that second thing...

Browsing a local Facebook page it has hit me this afternoon, FINALLY - these things take me a while - that people believe what they want to believe and will literally just not see what they don't want to see. You can throw any studies in front of a person, you can ask for data knowing there isn't any, it doesn't matter. 

People will vote how they want to because they want to for their personal reasons, NOT for the reasons they're telling you (and themselves) that they want to.

Because it's not couth to say "well, I want this guy because I can personally benefit in ways X, Y and Z even if somebody else gets scr*wed or the entire nation goes belly-up beforehand for all I care."

I mean literally...it's down to that...

We can drive ourselves crazy trying to convince people of what we have learned, have seen, have read...

it will never, ever fly in the face of something that the other person feels he personally has to gain, full stop.

Logic v. human nature.

Guess who will always win.

I mean we are what we are, meat suits that can feel pain, but with just enough brains to realize we might be able to inflence how often and to what extent we feel it, and the rest ends up being dangerous, and after that...well, we can fight eachother nail and claw or we can bow out and say: I can only do X amount. Right now, I consider X amount to be: VOTE THI NOVEMBER.

And: PROTECT YOURSELF TO A REASONABLE EXTENT and get tested to see if you've already been exposed to 19.

After that, people really will do what they want. And we really do have to realize that about one another.

Hang in there and good health to you.

[thefooloftheyear]

On my way to work, there were several aszholes I had to avoid, that drove like crap....Then the first client I meet in the morning was so stoned and stunk like he'd been living up a skunk's ass that I couldn't wait to get him the hell out of my office...Then I got about 25 calls from morons that think I was born yesterday trying to scam me...I stopped at a supplier and the fat little troll couldn't even bother to tell me that the place was closed for the day, but instead tells me to read the sign(that I would need binoculars to see)...

And none of this had anything to do with the virus...and I forgot about all of it the minute after it happened...I'm only mentioning it now to make this point...

It's life, pal.....either participate and ,march to your own band, or lock yourself up in a room and never leave....You wont find anywhere that all people are in lock step, so just get used to it...

TFY

 

[Ellener]

I used to work in churches a lot @Inflikted where you'd think people were more thoughtful and committed to the ideals espoused in their religion; I came to the conclusion that people are people...

When I was younger I remember a mnister looking around and stating, this church would be great if it weren't for all the people!  At the time I thought, 'that's negative' but once I'd been working as long as he had I felt somewhat the same, the only difference being I try not to stay in a job once I'm jaded by the environment or the work.

 

 

[Gaeta]

Don't waste your energy trying to knock a bit of sensitivity into them. I would ignore their conversations, if they speak to me I'd change the subject or pretend I need to get back to my desk. I don't know what type of work you're doing but if it's possible tell these people to stay 6 feet away from you. Don't be scared to put your foot down and express in a diplomatic way what you find acceptable around your personal space. 

[sothereiwas]

Frustrating people can describe an activity. It's a sport that's not widely appreciated. 

[SincereOnlineGuy]

On 5/22/2020 at 3:49 PM, Inflikted said:

 

I find it quite sad that so many people are so "Me, me, me!" focused, and don't care about the healthy and safety of those around them.

 

I don't understand your rant from a logic standpoint.

 

You have condemned the whole environment into which you thrust yourself every work day...  and then you bring that home to anyone who is in your own personal life.

 

 

Now if you are working remotely...    or if you live completely alone, and drive your own private vehicle into work alone...  and if you never get together with friends or neighbors... then OK... 

 

Otherwise, the implication that your coworkers may be spreading the virus, and you can't possibly be spreading the same virus, is (entirely  "Me, me, me!" focused).

 

You state that you "can do everything right, (your)self"...     yet you cannot claim to be doing everything  right.

[carhill]

OP, before this Covid-19 deal, pretty much any of us could and likely did, if having any social contact at all, place ourselves routinely in positions of potential health hazard, we just didn't know it. I've been watching a channel called MicrobeTV, based on lectures and other content in virology at Columbia University, and found the science, if verbose, to be quite enlightening and a real testament to the durability and adaptability of the human body. Any of us who've been around a fair amount have likely experienced it personally, how robust we are in dealing with the world out there, not just at the microbe level. And yes, people will be frustrating. They have free will and will make choices and believe in things one often may find personally repugnant, misguided, whatever. In some areas, people change throughout life, in others their personality and belief systems are immutable.

You complained about work. Yup, co-workers can be frustrating. No doubt some have frustrations with you. Perfectly normal. All part of making the choice to live or work in groups. You don't have to. It's a choice. And, yup, people are selfish. Maybe not all of them all the time but we all have our moments, or more. It's natural to prioritize oneself over others. People learn this early lest they get beat on, piled on, use, abused, left to rot. Why? Because no one else cares as much about your life as you do. Many could care less if you lived or died. It doesn't matter whether you're Mother Theresa or Charles Manson. It doesn't matter. Once you accept fellow humans for who they are, it gets easier. Acceptance is a choice too. One doesn't have to. It's not required.

IDK how old you are but at my age I've noted a marked cynicism developed as a balance to early programing in thinking the best of others. Some days are worse than others. Today the balance is remembering those who gave the ultimate measure of sacrifice to provide the freedom we have to make such choices. If not for one man's 'getting along' at a particular point in history, in war, I might not be here. He worked with others and survived and thrived. You can too. Good luck!

[QuietRiot]

1 hour ago, carhill said:

OP, before this Covid-19 deal, pretty much any of us could and likely did, if having any social contact at all, place ourselves routinely in positions of potential health hazard, we just didn't know it. I've been watching a channel called MicrobeTV, based on lectures and other content in virology at Columbia University, and found the science, if verbose, to be quite enlightening and a real testament to the durability and adaptability of the human body. Any of us who've been around a fair amount have likely experienced it personally, how robust we are in dealing with the world out there, not just at the microbe level. And yes, people will be frustrating. They have free will and will make choices and believe in things one often may find personally repugnant, misguided, whatever. In some areas, people change throughout life, in others their personality and belief systems are immutable.

You complained about work. Yup, co-workers can be frustrating. No doubt some have frustrations with you. Perfectly normal. All part of making the choice to live or work in groups. You don't have to. It's a choice. And, yup, people are selfish. Maybe not all of them all the time but we all have our moments, or more. It's natural to prioritize oneself over others. People learn this early lest they get beat on, piled on, use, abused, left to rot. Why? Because no one else cares as much about your life as you do. Many could care less if you lived or died. It doesn't matter whether you're Mother Theresa or Charles Manson. It doesn't matter. Once you accept fellow humans for who they are, it gets easier. Acceptance is a choice too. One doesn't have to. It's not required.

IDK how old you are but at my age I've noted a marked cynicism developed as a balance to early programing in thinking the best of others. Some days are worse than others. Today the balance is remembering those who gave the ultimate measure of sacrifice to provide the freedom we have to make such choices. If not for one man's 'getting along' at a particular point in history, in war, I might not be here. He worked with others and survived and thrived. You can too. Good luck!

It all boils down to this...YOU do what you can to protect YOURSELF...because no one will give a rats ass about you. My dad was probably the most mistrusting person out there.

He gave me advice like "Don't trust anyone!" and "There will be people out there that will slit your throat for a nickle" and since he was retired law enforcement, "people will lie to save their own ass!"

With this event, a lot of what he said had come to surface!

Edited May 24, 2020 by QuietRiot

[Inflikted]

5 hours ago, SincereOnlineGuy said:

You state that you "can do everything right, (your)self"...     yet you cannot claim to be doing everything  right.

I'm not sure what you're saying. I'm doing my best to follow the recommendations and guidelines, both at work and in my personal life.

Are you suggesting that me going to work at all is "irresponsible"? I mean, what choice do I have? The way this pandemic is affecting things, I'm probably lucky to have a job at all. If I quit, what then? There's not exactly much out there right now, and who can afford to just not have a job right now?

All I'm saying is, the guidelines and recommendations we have are not that ridiculous. I get that people are who they are and will do what they want. I just don't think it's that hard to look out for your fellow man in this situation. But to actively defy them and demand not to be "told what to do" when we're in extenuating circumstances... It's frustrating.