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The solution is neither fines nor radio hosts pleading. It is solidarity. Unfortunately it is in shorter supply than toilet paper and takes generations to bui

The solution is neither fines nor radio hosts pleading. It is solidarity. Unfortunately it is in shorter supply than toilet paper and takes generations to build up but only decades to destroy. People need to set an example to their neighbours and friends, make it socially unacceptable to panic buy. It's not hoarding that is the problem it is is the unnecessary high rate of purchase. You could hoard all you wanted if you did it slowly in times when there is not a crisis. Here in Norway we have a little more solidarity than most countries I believe but even here there was a one or two day period at the beginning when people went out to buy large quantities of toilet paper.

YeGoblynQueenne 7y ago
It's like you say. Noam Chomsky has published a book a while ago, called "Requiem for the American Dream: The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth & Power". Chapters are given titles implying "laws" for the concentration of wealth and power. One chapter is titled "Attack Solidarity" and it describes how social solidarity in the US was eroded in the previous decades, resulting in a poor social state with almost no public health insurance, with no public higher education and so on. But it's not just the US. This is happening in some other developed countries also (though hopefully not all, like you say). What is happening now in the UK, with the stockpiling situation, is absolutely the result of broken societal bonds that has led people to mistrust authorities and each other and adopt an attitude of "every man and every woman for themselves". I should probably not blame people to be honest. They are acting like little shits, but they are right to believe that, if anything happens to them, nobody will take care of them and that they have to fend for themselves, in this selfish, greedy society that is governed by incompetent idiots.
ryandrake 7y ago
You're asking society to solve two problems: 1. Convince people that a certain action is morally wrong 2. Once 1 is accomplished, convince those same people not to do the action We typically use law and consistent enforcement to solve these problems, because it's basically impossible otherwise. What do you expect this would look like in reality, without laws and fines? Someone is seen buying 50 cases of toilet paper and loading into their truck. His friends or family, or a bunch of strangers at the supermarket, then shame him, telling him what he's doing is wrong. Then, he sees the error in his ways and decides to return the items? There's no way that this is a workable, scalable solution given the culture in the USA. Generalization time: 1. People here are timid and avoid confrontation, and tend to not call others out on bad behavior, particularly family members. 2. Even if you do confront them, it is extremely difficult to convince people that what they feel justified in doing is actually wrong. 3. Even if you've convinced them that they're wrong, people don't respond to shame (either public shaming or private). What people do respond to is consistent incentives and consequences. If there's a good chance you'll lose money or go to jail for doing something, then people will think twice before trying it.

YeGoblynQueenne 7y ago

It's like you say. Noam Chomsky has published a book a while ago, called "Requiem for the American Dream: The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth & Power". Chapters are given titles implying "laws" for the concentration of wealth and power. One chapter is titled "Attack Solidarity" and it describes how social solidarity in the US was eroded in the previous decades, resulting in a poor social state with almost no public health insurance, with no public higher education and so on. But it's not just the US. This is happening in some other developed countries also (though hopefully not all, like you say). What is happening now in the UK, with the stockpiling situation, is absolutely the result of broken societal bonds that has led people to mistrust authorities and each other and adopt an attitude of "every man and every woman for themselves". I should probably not blame people to be honest. They are acting like little shits, but they are right to believe that, if anything happens to them, nobody will take care of them and that they have to fend for themselves, in this selfish, greedy society that is governed by incompetent idiots.

ryandrake 7y ago

You're asking society to solve two problems: 1. Convince people that a certain action is morally wrong 2. Once 1 is accomplished, convince those same people not to do the action We typically use law and consistent enforcement to solve these problems, because it's basically impossible otherwise. What do you expect this would look like in reality, without laws and fines? Someone is seen buying 50 cases of toilet paper and loading into their truck. His friends or family, or a bunch of strangers at the supermarket, then shame him, telling him what he's doing is wrong. Then, he sees the error in his ways and decides to return the items? There's no way that this is a workable, scalable solution given the culture in the USA. Generalization time: 1. People here are timid and avoid confrontation, and tend to not call others out on bad behavior, particularly family members. 2. Even if you do confront them, it is extremely difficult to convince people that what they feel justified in doing is actually wrong. 3. Even if you've convinced them that they're wrong, people don't respond to shame (either public shaming or private). What people do respond to is consistent incentives and consequences. If there's a good chance you'll lose money or go to jail for doing something, then people will think twice before trying it.