Why sheltering-in-place isn’t working yet
I learned from a Costco supply run why we aren’t seeing the graph flattens.
A few days ago, after exhausting our food stocking, I had to go out to Costco nearby for a supply run. Needless to say, I was anxious, and with good reasons…
After I pulled over in the parking lot and was walking toward the building, I noticed the long line as usual. No big deal, I thought. Costco had been limiting the number of customers inside, and with the social distancing between each party queueing, the line easily wrapped half of the building’s perimeter.
Full disclosure, I’m among those who are quite mindful of the social distancing, provided I’m an introvert with a family, running my own startup with a not-so-great healthcare status. I’m not super strict as to humiliate someone for coming within the 6-foot range, but I expect others to respect it whenever possible.
What happened inside that Costco that day was a clusterfuck. A mesmerizing one. I had expected people to be careful and adhere to the distancing since it’s their and their family’s wellbeing on the line, but the reality was the opposite.
People were rushing everywhere, cutting in front of one another, reaching for what they want on the shelf in close proximity to others and parking their cart mid-aisle to add to the injury of the already difficult navigations for those who observe the distancing. Instead of collaborating for their own good, they let their fear and anxiety drive their action.
At one point, I figured I wouldn’t ever finish my grocery list at that rate, and decided to hide my cart away in a secure corner and set out on foot to retrieve stuff in the midst of that chaos (by the way, if we all leave our cart this way, it might actually be easier).
Suddenly, a woman approached me without saying a word and brushed past my back to reach for something without giving me the chance to scoot aside, and I finally lost it: “Hey, do you mind?” I said to her. She responded with some murmurs and walked away — just like anyone whom I had spoken up to for their careless action did. Why are we not expecting consequences for our own actions that we need to be scolded at like a child?
Like I said, I did not want to humiliate anyone. I understand that everyone has his/her own degree of mindfulness. But when one’s negligence put me and my family at risk, I have to do something. More so is the thought of how these negligent actions aren’t contributing to helping slow down the spread that is affecting countless lives and businesses globally.
I know we’re all anxious, but if anything, this pandemic is a test of grit. How discipline, respectful, and courteous we can be to collectively fight the virus as a species. Humans are designed to be social, but we have recently become so poor at it. All you have to do at your next Costco supply run is to slow down, make eye contacts, and use manner words we have been teaching our kids to signal each other. Being nice isn’t a luxury. It might be necessary.
If you like my writing, please consider subscribing to my newsletter BETA School so you get my writings right in your inbox.
