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‘I Refuse To Live In Fear’ Is Just An Attempt To Excuse Selfish Behavior

Phys251

Phys251

Purge evil with Justice
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www.scarymommy.com

‘I Refuse To Live In Fear’ Is Just An Attempt To Excuse Selfish Behavior

They say that they refuse to “live in fear.” And they chastise those who, like me, are taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID.
www.scarymommy.com www.scarymommy.com

We are all tired of this virus. We all want it to be over. We want to breathe air unfiltered through a cloth or paper covering. We want to go to concerts again, eat out, go to house parties, and see our families who live far away. COVID fatigue is real and I feel it. But I feel it because I am living my life differently because of this virus, and the same cannot be said for many of the people I know.
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Here’s the thing: taking this virus seriously is not “living in fear.” Refusing to fraternize with friends and family who constantly flout recommendations made by the nation’s top medical experts is not “living in fear.” In fact, the accusation is nothing more than gaslighting, and we need to call it out as such. When you accuse someone who is taking COVID seriously of being irrationally afraid, you are invalidating a legitimate and understandable human reaction to an unprecedented global pandemic. Gaslighting is a form of manipulation. Plain and simple. It’s a way of attempting to control another person’s actions by causing them to question their emotions. It’s wrong. Always. And it is never how you should deal with someone, let alone someone you love.
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I'm not going to say too much about that article in this OP because it speaks very plainly for itself and needs nothing removed, no matter how angrily people insist otherwise. Instead, I want to talk about a word that we often use with our relatives: Love.

Many people are seeing their relatives today because they claim to love them. Ask yourself this: Does love mean doing everything you or your family wants? Does love mean giving your child as much candy as they want? No. It doesn't. Sometimes the most powerful love word is NO. No, Johnny, you cannot have any more candy. No, Granddad, I am not going to risk our physical safety this year just to see you in person. If you are completely unwilling to say No to someone, then you do not love them.

Sometimes, the word No has to be said to your own self. No, I am not going to drive 120 mph on this city freeway even though I've got a radar detector. No, I'm not going to stay up watching Netflix until 4 in the morning (unless that's my actual sleep schedule). Self-love requires self-restraint, and it shouldn't take someone else to have to tell you that if you're an adult.

Those of you seeing relatives today, you should ask yourself why you are doing so in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century that is entering the winter phase. You should ask yourself if you really love them. Because if you're seeing a lot of them under one roof today, I'm not sure that you understand what love really is.
 
Phys251 said:
www.scarymommy.com

‘I Refuse To Live In Fear’ Is Just An Attempt To Excuse Selfish Behavior

They say that they refuse to “live in fear.” And they chastise those who, like me, are taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID.
www.scarymommy.com www.scarymommy.com





I'm not going to say too much about that article in this OP because it speaks very plainly for itself and needs nothing removed, no matter how angrily people insist otherwise. Instead, I want to talk about a word that we often use with our relatives: Love.

Many people are seeing their relatives today because they claim to love them. Ask yourself this: Does love mean doing everything you or your family wants? Does love mean giving your child as much candy as they want? No. It doesn't. Sometimes the most powerful love word is NO. No, Johnny, you cannot have any more candy. No, Granddad, I am not going to risk our physical safety this year just to see you in person. If you are completely unwilling to say No to someone, then you do not love them.

Sometimes, the word No has to be said to your own self. No, I am not going to drive 120 mph on this city freeway even though I've got a radar detector. No, I'm not going to stay up watching Netflix until 4 in the morning (unless that's my actual sleep schedule). Self-love requires self-restraint, and it shouldn't take someone else to have to tell you that if you're an adult.

Those of you seeing relatives today, you should ask yourself why you are doing so in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century that is entering the winter phase. You should ask yourself if you really love them. Because if you're seeing a lot of them under one roof today, I'm not sure that you understand what love really is.
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Some people can't be counted on, It's that simple. Chips are down, time to pull together and they cross their arms and refuse to be inconvenienced. "I don't want to and you can't make me!" They use magic words, 'personal responsibility', 'refuse to live in fear', 'freedom and rights blablahblah', it's all justcovering up a childish, stubborn refusal to be inconvenienced.It's affected my relationship with two people already. I won't forget who didn't do their part when everyone else tried to be part of the solution.
 
Grand Mal said:
Some people can't be counted on, It's that simple. Chips are down, time to pull together and they cross their arms and refuse to be inconvenienced. "I don't want to and you can't make me!" They use magic words, 'personal responsibility', 'refuse to live in fear', 'freedom and rights blablahblah', it's all justcovering up a childish, stubborn refusal to be inconvenienced.It's affected my relationship with two people already. I won't forget who didn't do their part when everyone else tried to be part of the solution.
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That is why we have to have laws. Laws exist for people like that who cannot be trusted to show the most basic respect for other people's lives.
 
Phys251 said:
That is why we have to have laws. Laws exist for people like that who cannot be trusted to show the most basic respect for other people's lives.
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Exactly. And It's why my jurisdiction has had to mandate masks in indoor public venues for the first time.
There's fines in place for noncompliance but I think it should include 4 hours in ICU handcuffed to the bedside of someone on a ventilater dying with a tube snaked down their windpipe. During visiting hours.
 
Phys251 said:
www.scarymommy.com

‘I Refuse To Live In Fear’ Is Just An Attempt To Excuse Selfish Behavior

They say that they refuse to “live in fear.” And they chastise those who, like me, are taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID.
www.scarymommy.com www.scarymommy.com





I'm not going to say too much about that article in this OP because it speaks very plainly for itself and needs nothing removed, no matter how angrily people insist otherwise. Instead, I want to talk about a word that we often use with our relatives: Love.

Many people are seeing their relatives today because they claim to love them. Ask yourself this: Does love mean doing everything you or your family wants? Does love mean giving your child as much candy as they want? No. It doesn't. Sometimes the most powerful love word is NO. No, Johnny, you cannot have any more candy. No, Granddad, I am not going to risk our physical safety this year just to see you in person. If you are completely unwilling to say No to someone, then you do not love them.

Sometimes, the word No has to be said to your own self. No, I am not going to drive 120 mph on this city freeway even though I've got a radar detector. No, I'm not going to stay up watching Netflix until 4 in the morning (unless that's my actual sleep schedule). Self-love requires self-restraint, and it shouldn't take someone else to have to tell you that if you're an adult.

Those of you seeing relatives today, you should ask yourself why you are doing so in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century that is entering the winter phase. You should ask yourself if you really love them. Because if you're seeing a lot of them under one roof today, I'm not sure that you understand what love really is.
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I am seeing my family today because they may not be there tomorrow. BTW, we have all been home for the past two weeks.
 
The truth.....

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There's a virus killing people in our community, and there's no way to tell who is infected until symptoms show a week or more after they become infections. If everyone wears a mask, then we prevent the infection from being spread so far, by the masked infected people. The uninfected people who wear a mask have an extra layer of protection from the infected ones.
 
The premise of the OP is that it is morally wrong to try to manipulate a persons behavior by using guilt as that tool. That apparently means to Progressives that they should virtue signal and shame anyone who does not agree with the mask mandates . You cant make up this kind of irony lmao
 
Phys251 said:
And there it is. You just made the OP's point.

Go back and read what it actually says, not what you feel that it says. That includes the article.
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My reading skills are just fine, and I'll respond as I please and as I choose, thank you. And what I'm responding to is the OP's own comments and in particular this:

Those of you seeing relatives today, you should ask yourself why you are doing so in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century that is entering the winter phase. You should ask yourself if you really love them. Because if you're seeing a lot of them under one roof today, I'm not sure that you understand what love really is.

Nobody needs presumptuous preaching; there is no one-size-fits-all determination.
 
Phys251 said:
Many people are seeing their relatives today because they claim to love them. Ask yourself this: Does love mean doing everything you or your family wants? Does love mean giving your child as much candy as they want? No. It doesn't. Sometimes the most powerful love word is NO. No, Johnny, you cannot have any more candy. No, Granddad, I am not going to risk our physical safety this year just to see you in person. If you are completely unwilling to say No to someone, then you do not love them.
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Love means willing the good of another. Human contact and seeing your family are good.

My grandparents have been around longer than I have. They're perfectly capable of judging risks for themselves.
 
AmNat said:
Love means willing the good of another. Human contact and seeing your family are good.

My grandparents have been around longer than I have. They're perfectly capable of judging risks for themselves.
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Well, we should all make responsible decisions...but there is no one-size-fits-all choice.
 
nota bene said:
My reading skills are just fine, and I'll respond as I please and as I choose, thank you. And what I'm responding to is the OP's own comments and in particular this:

Those of you seeing relatives today, you should ask yourself why you are doing so in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century that is entering the winter phase. You should ask yourself if you really love them. Because if you're seeing a lot of them under one roof today, I'm not sure that you understand what love really is.

Nobody needs presumptuous preaching; there is no one-size-fits-all determination.
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I agree those last few sentences are way out of line. I agree with the premise that we should all forego this holiday due to what's happening, but damn! There are many people who don't believe this Covid thing is anywhere near as dangerous as people say. Of course they love their family! To say someone doesn't love their family because of their opinion on Covid? That's manipulation and guilt tripping extraordinaire!
 
MaryP said:
I agree those last few sentences are way out of line. I agree with the premise that we should all forego this holiday due to what's happening, but damn! There are many people who don't believe this Covid thing is anywhere near as dangerous as people say. Of course they love their family! To say someone doesn't love their family because of their opinion on Covid? That's manipulation and guilt tripping extraordinaire!
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I think it is too.

COVID can be lethal. Is lethal to those who are vulnerable. I live in a college town, and the 18-24-year old demographic is doing just fine, as they would with the flu. But now on any given day, they're only 55% of the active cases, and there were three new deaths today, someone in his/her 70's and two people in their early 60's and had not been hospitalized. The virus is changing too.

So we just don't know, and it would seem obvious to me that if you've loved someone who is vulnerable, you would at least be tested before spending time with him or her. But that would depend too on whether you yourself have been self-isolating and know that you're safe. Or whether you've been recently tested and know that you're negative. And what if your parent is dying? Do you travel to spend last moments? What if there is a death in your immediate family? Do you weigh the odds on traveling?

As I say, there is no one-size-fits-all.
 
I wonder how many people felt pressure from friends or family to attend one of these gatherings. I wonder how many people will regret their decision to go. How many of these gatherings started out safe with people wearing masks and social distancing but eventually ended with masks off and people having a false sense of security around each other.
 
Family members will die because of Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers

Let that sink in.
 
Phys251 said:
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Thank you!!!!

I actually got a mall Santa to tell my son that he had so many stops that he might be a day late. My son gave him a hug a told him "don't worry Santa, can I help?" The real sweet part was when my son sat me down to tell me the bad news about Santa coming late.

Yeahhhh.....I conned my kid a few times. Of course as the years went by, no con jobs needed. My family knew working some holidays was part of the job.
 
Manc Skipper said:
There's a virus killing people in our community, and there's no way to tell who is infected until symptoms show a week or more after they become infections. If everyone wears a mask, then we prevent the infection from being spread so far, by the masked infected people. The uninfected people who wear a mask have an extra layer of protection from the infected ones.
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Well said.
 
nota bene said:
My reading skills are just fine, and I'll respond as I please and as I choose, thank you. And what I'm responding to is the OP's own comments and in particular this:

Those of you seeing relatives today, you should ask yourself why you are doing so in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century that is entering the winter phase. You should ask yourself if you really love them. Because if you're seeing a lot of them under one roof today, I'm not sure that you understand what love really is.

Nobody needs presumptuous preaching; there is no one-size-fits-all determination.
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Can your responses possibly be more Karen-y? You are advocating for the right to endanger other people's lives, and it WILL be called out. :)

No amount of syrup is going to turn your feces into pancakes, so stop pretending that it will.
 
AmNat said:
Love means willing the good of another. Human contact and seeing your family are good.
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What a profoundly arrogant and dismissive statement. A quarter of a million Americans are dead because of your "right" to hug someone. (n)

Your hugs can wait. And if you people won't even mask up and socially distance, they're going to have to wait even longer. 🤷‍♂️
 
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