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I'd like to see the terms 'hording' and 'panic buying' discouraged. They're being almost universally used to simply refer to people who simply have different ne
by nullc 7y ago
I'd like to see the terms 'hording' and 'panic buying' discouraged. They're being almost universally used to simply refer to people who simply have different needs, preferences, or concerns... and the net effect is shaming people for being cautious or prepared.
The end result is that in some places people are being denied the ability to purchase up more than a few days of supplies at once, forcing repeated trips out that increase everyone's risk.
Virtually no one simply concerned for their own safety is creating a big problem for anyone with their purchases (at least not above and beyond the background level of synchronized need)-- sure, a gouger wanna-be here or there is a problem-- but that is its own separate thing.
> better at filtering than random t-shirt cloth,
Cotton is pretty good at absorbing water, if we're in the land of pure speculation it wouldn't be unreasonable to guess that it's not bad for droplets.
- usrusr 7y agoI agree that it's both important and difficult to distinguish between hoarding and a laudable and well invented switch to a lower supermarket run frequency. But this will create temporary shortages even in the most cooperative and well-meaning environment if everybody tries to switch at the same time. Everybody needs to put on the brakes a little for a soft ramp-up of per trip volume or else you get an actual survival of the most ruthless shopper situation.
- nullc 7y agoThe characterization as "hording" and "panic buying" though is resulting in bad public policy: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/san-mateo-county-supervisor-considers-legislation-to-curb-panic-buying/2263613/ https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/san-mateo-county... A comment I've heard from someone at a grocery supplier is that stores haven't even called in to restock many out of stock items because they're simply overwhelmed. It's not clear to me what good public policy would be to address that, beyond patience. Telling people to hold off a bit would probably be prudent but with low item limits already being implemented by some stores and even ordinances being discussed, ... makes holding off sound potentially unwise. :( exactly opposite the needed effect.