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> Freedom to go to bars (closed), clubs (closed), trips (not happening), concerts (canceled), conventions (postponed indefinitely), festivals (closed), etc...

> Freedom to go to bars (closed), clubs (closed), trips (not happening), concerts (canceled), conventions (postponed indefinitely), festivals (closed), etc... I also love all of these things. I'm sorry you're bored. > Most things childfree people get meaning out of are canceled until further notice. Not really. Consider the following: - Athletics: running, hiking, boating, bicycling - Social Activity: responsible, socially-distant, get-togethers with your best friends - Engineering: personal electronics projects, programming projects, automotive projects - Entertainment: read a book, watch a movie, catch up on some TV edit: To be clear, I think a major problem with this discussion is how it's being framed as a zero-sum game: either parents work more or non-parents work more. I believe smarter companies and better bosses will try to keep pressure off their employees.

idrios 6y ago
I think "bored" is a really unfair trivialization when the parent comment's choice of words was closer to "devoid of meaning". The examples you gave are the day to day things that childfree (& single) people are doing. None of those things involve meeting new people, which is exactly what is causing that emptiness. Trips, concerts, bars, etc are the kinds of special occasion that motivate the single person to make it through the week. I can continue running, continue having Zoom parties, continue programming for fun (when I'm not mentally burnt out from work), continue watching TV. But there's no discovery or excitement in this routine. It becomes meaningless
- wrkronmiller 6y ago
  I don't have children (never want children) and wasn't trying to trivialize being bored. In fact, I found GP's situation to be quite relatable, and was relaying what I've been doing (or am planning to do) in lieu of going out. Perhaps I should have added something to this effect: there is meaning in personal enrichment. Now is a terrible time for meeting new people, but it's also an opportunity for self-improvement and for exploring new hobbies.
  - idrios 6y ago
    That's a good way to look at it, and sorry for interpreting your response poorly. Definitely agree, this is a good opportunity for self improvement.
- quyokixi 6y ago
  Any manager that’s laying out timelines assuming that everyone will work at 100% capacity permanently is being unbelievably naive. People will take vacations, get sick, or need mental breaks. We’re humans, not robots. https://bigasspics.me/ https://bigasspics.me/ If a team can’t handle someone losing velocity due to the challenges of parenting during a once in a century pandemic, then it needs new leadership, period.
alextheparrot 6y ago
As someone who does a large number of these things, I am still far less happy than I would otherwise be. The rationale "We didn't plan for this" is equally valid for parents as it is for the childless. Trivializing that some people need to adjust their lifestyle in a thread about people feeling resentment about lifestyle challenges seems misguided to me. The pandemic has actually been great for my physical health. I picked up cycling and have gone (solo) hiking and backpacking more than ever, looking forward to my gym opening with reservations. On the other hand, my apartment's walls are littered with relics of past concerts, trips, friends nights - rich social moments. I crave those moments again. Many of these cancellations and closures disproportionally affect childless people, because, as many of the other commentators have noted, children fill a lot of the time that would otherwise be spent doing those canceled or closed activities. As an aside, it doesn't help that a lot of the aforementioned activities are predicated on the entire state of California not being a large smoke cloud right now (With many of the National Forests, for example, closed).
- wrkronmiller 6y ago
  > it doesn't help that a lot of the aforementioned activities are predicated on the entire state of California not being a large smoke cloud right now Quite fair. I live on the East Coast and that never crossed my mind. As for the rest, I'll copy my above reply: I don't have children (never want children) and wasn't trying to trivialize being bored. In fact, I found GP's situation to be quite relatable, and was relaying what I've been doing (or am planning to do) in lieu of going out. Perhaps I should have added something to this effect: there is meaning in personal enrichment. Now is a terrible time for meeting new people, but it's also an opportunity for self-improvement and for exploring new hobbies.

idrios 6y ago

I think "bored" is a really unfair trivialization when the parent comment's choice of words was closer to "devoid of meaning". The examples you gave are the day to day things that childfree (& single) people are doing. None of those things involve meeting new people, which is exactly what is causing that emptiness. Trips, concerts, bars, etc are the kinds of special occasion that motivate the single person to make it through the week. I can continue running, continue having Zoom parties, continue programming for fun (when I'm not mentally burnt out from work), continue watching TV. But there's no discovery or excitement in this routine. It becomes meaningless

wrkronmiller 6y ago
I don't have children (never want children) and wasn't trying to trivialize being bored. In fact, I found GP's situation to be quite relatable, and was relaying what I've been doing (or am planning to do) in lieu of going out. Perhaps I should have added something to this effect: there is meaning in personal enrichment. Now is a terrible time for meeting new people, but it's also an opportunity for self-improvement and for exploring new hobbies.
- idrios 6y ago
  That's a good way to look at it, and sorry for interpreting your response poorly. Definitely agree, this is a good opportunity for self improvement.
quyokixi 6y ago
Any manager that’s laying out timelines assuming that everyone will work at 100% capacity permanently is being unbelievably naive. People will take vacations, get sick, or need mental breaks. We’re humans, not robots. https://bigasspics.me/ https://bigasspics.me/ If a team can’t handle someone losing velocity due to the challenges of parenting during a once in a century pandemic, then it needs new leadership, period.

alextheparrot 6y ago

As someone who does a large number of these things, I am still far less happy than I would otherwise be. The rationale "We didn't plan for this" is equally valid for parents as it is for the childless. Trivializing that some people need to adjust their lifestyle in a thread about people feeling resentment about lifestyle challenges seems misguided to me. The pandemic has actually been great for my physical health. I picked up cycling and have gone (solo) hiking and backpacking more than ever, looking forward to my gym opening with reservations. On the other hand, my apartment's walls are littered with relics of past concerts, trips, friends nights - rich social moments. I crave those moments again. Many of these cancellations and closures disproportionally affect childless people, because, as many of the other commentators have noted, children fill a lot of the time that would otherwise be spent doing those canceled or closed activities. As an aside, it doesn't help that a lot of the aforementioned activities are predicated on the entire state of California not being a large smoke cloud right now (With many of the National Forests, for example, closed).

wrkronmiller 6y ago
> it doesn't help that a lot of the aforementioned activities are predicated on the entire state of California not being a large smoke cloud right now Quite fair. I live on the East Coast and that never crossed my mind. As for the rest, I'll copy my above reply: I don't have children (never want children) and wasn't trying to trivialize being bored. In fact, I found GP's situation to be quite relatable, and was relaying what I've been doing (or am planning to do) in lieu of going out. Perhaps I should have added something to this effect: there is meaning in personal enrichment. Now is a terrible time for meeting new people, but it's also an opportunity for self-improvement and for exploring new hobbies.