A Simpler Life? - Society / Economy after the Virus

[Iormlund]

We will go back to being stupid and entitled.

Pretty much. Many people won't even have to go back.

[mongers]

We will go back to being stupid and entitled.

Pretty much. Many people won't even have to go back.

Yes.

[Josquius]

I think WFH will become far more widespread - a combination of bosses seeing that productivity stays roughly the same and the desire to cut fixed costs like rent. I think if people get ill they will WFH or take the time off instead of going in unless they literally can't (I'm very guilty of this).

This is a curious one.
WFH was already growing quite rapidly. This however is its big test.
I fear some companies may take the drastically lowered productivity over this period as proof that WFH is a bad idea and push back its progress some years.

In a way its my dream. A remote job.
Except in my dream it was travelling the world whilst I worked rather than holed up in my flat.

I think people will start wearing masks when they have a cold/feel ill as a matter of basic social courtesy and not doing it will be like gobbing in the street.

I have observed a lot how we are in many ways following the same path of development as Japan only a few decades behind. I get your thinking here but from what I've seen in recent days I just don't have so much faith in British people to care for others. Covid will likely help this to become more normal and accepted but I don't think it'll reach the level of expected.

[Admiral Yi]

I think he meant the bailouts?

He could mean salaries for teachers or Shovel Re-Dee(tm) infrastructure spending.

[Zanza]

One thing that is noticeable in Europe is a trend towards authoritarianism from this crisis:

Orban was authoritarian before but now wants to outright rule by decree.

Germany proposes far reaching new powers for the federal government including a possibility to track everybody via their phones in order to identify contact persons of infected. This latter measure is done in East Asia and may have its merits even when considering how drastic it violates privacy rights. But pushing this through at a time of crisis without proper public debate is not a good idea.

[Iormlund]

Germany proposes far reaching new powers for the federal government including a possibility to track everybody via their phones in order to identify contact persons of infected. This latter measure is done in East Asia and may have its merits even when considering how drastic it violates privacy rights. But pushing this through at a time of crisis without proper public debate is not a good idea.

I'm in favor of doing this, but ONLY if it's clearly tied to a State of Emergency in place. I fear our politicians will quietly slip it through with no oversight.

[Tamas]

I think by the end of it we will all be living a bit more closer to how China lives, although less drastically. On the other hand, this crisis can see the fall from grace of the raving bafoon as the ideal leadership candidate.

[Josquius]

I think by the end of it we will all be living a bit more closer to how China lives, although bit drastically. On the other hand, this crisis can see the fall from grace of the raving bafoon as the ideal leadership candidate.

You'd think. All being logical. Though I fear the worst. I fear their own failings may be shrugged off as corona.
In the UK in particular this should mask the already existing trend of economic unravelling.

[Tamas]

I think by the end of it we will all be living a bit more closer to how China lives, although bit drastically. On the other hand, this crisis can see the fall from grace of the raving bafoon as the ideal leadership candidate.

You'd think. All being logical. Though I fear the worst. I fear their own failings may be shrugged off as corona.
In the UK in particular this should mask the already existing trend of economic unravelling.

IDK. Communism in Eastern Europe collapsed because it failed to provide what the population perceived as adequate living standards.

[Sheilbh]

One other thought - a lot of short-haul flights are not coming back. I think that whole generation Easyjet thing is gone.

[Maladict]

One other thought - a lot of short-haul flights are not coming back. I think that whole generation Easyjet thing is gone.

Why do you think? Air travel is still subsidized to a ludicrous degree, that's not going to change now.

[Sheilbh]

One other thought - a lot of short-haul flights are not coming back. I think that whole generation Easyjet thing is gone.

Why do you think? Air travel is still subsidized to a ludicrous degree, that's not going to change now.

I think it'd be a very convenient time to ban, or regulate, or otherwise massively increase the price of it to better reflect environmental impact. It might survive as a very expensive business travel option, but I basically think the days of Londoners going for a weekend in Florence will probably end.

It's a business that is possibly unsustainable on the way it's been run (until we have electric planes) for the last 20 years and there are alternatives. But in normal times it would be very unpopular to make this shift - it's something we could do now. I think (and hope) the train network will develop alternatives.

Edit: And on theme I see that EasyJet is going ahead with the proposed £175 million dividend payment to shareholders which can only mean they've got loads of cash and don't need any state support at this time.

[Tamas]

One other thought - a lot of short-haul flights are not coming back. I think that whole generation Easyjet thing is gone.

Why do you think? Air travel is still subsidized to a ludicrous degree, that's not going to change now.

I think it'd be a very convenient time to ban, or regulate, or otherwise massively increase the price of it to better reflect environmental impact. It might survive as a very expensive business travel option, but I basically think the days of Londoners going for a weekend in Florence will probably end.

It's a business that is possibly unsustainable on the way it's been run (until we have electric planes) for the last 20 years and there are alternatives. But in normal times it would be very unpopular to make this shift - it's something we could do now. I think (and hope) the train network will develop alternatives.

I disagree. And I am irked by the middle class' environmental wunderwaffe of preventing poor people from flying. If we stopped planes altogether it would reduce emissions by around 4%, i.e. it would  not make any difference.

[Sheilbh]

I disagree. And I am irked by the middle class' environmental wunderwaffe of preventing poor people from flying. If we stopped planes altogether it would reduce emissions by around 4%, i.e. it would  not make any difference.

Yeah - I don't entirely disagree.

[fromtia]

I disagree. And I am irked by the middle class' environmental wunderwaffe of preventing poor people from flying. If we stopped planes altogether it would reduce emissions by around 4%, i.e. it would  not make any difference.

I share this irk. I suspect its rooted in British Middle Class loathing of their social inferiors. teh chavs are on the plane! It must be stopped!