# Aspects of the COVID19 pandemic unforeseen in (post)apocalyptic fiction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248 "2020-05-06T02:56:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/21 "2020-05-08T13:01:31Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > As I recall, Giuliani came on TV after the 9/11 attacks and I expected he’d start to talk about the human lives lost etc. No, he was saying, “Come to New York. Come see a play. Come shop,” or whatever, basically spend money—he was already anticipating the economics. Though to be fair, at the time that was a realistic concern, that there was a strategic intent to provoke an economic downturn as people would hunker down in panic when the likelihood of a repeat incident was no greater than before. OTOH that \*did \*prefigure the characteristic policy at high levels in the ensuing response actions, which established a sense of _“yeah, we’re at war, but the civilian public doesn’t have to make any sacrifices”_ which seems to be creating shock when the new emergency \*does \*require moderate hardship. > [@](#): > > Any unarmed persons thinking about getting a gun yet? You missed it, there was a huge run on guns and ammo back in March. And **Broomstick** , heh, that could have been me. Actually got a firearm for Xmas and had never got around to composing a planned lighthearted “how I came to…” thread before things got non-lighthearted. > [@](#): > > School shootings are way down. But child abuse concerns are way up. And incidents being reported now of people going “Well, this gun here says I don’t have to wear a mask into your store!” But yeah, no roving marauders yet. The TP thing was never predicted but in retrospect one can see how it should have been in the background all along. I suppose part of it is that writers assumed that people who could not function w/o TP would be among the first to perish. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/22 "2020-05-08T13:41:28Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Though to be fair, at the time that was a realistic concern, that there was a strategic intent to provoke an economic downturn as people would hunker down in panic when the likelihood of a repeat incident was no greater than before. OTOH that \*did \*prefigure the characteristic policy at high levels in the ensuing response actions, which established a sense of _“yeah, we’re at war, but the civilian public doesn’t have to make any sacrifices”_ which seems to be creating shock when the new emergency \*does \*require moderate hardship. There was a total shitstorm of information flying around. Maybe I missed earlier remarks about the human loss. I mention it because it was a novel situation and the economic implication was the farthest thing from my mind. History has proven that the consequence was to be expected. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > You missed it, there was a huge run on guns and ammo back in March. > > And **Broomstick** , heh, that could have been me. Actually got a firearm for Xmas and had never got around to composing a planned lighthearted “how I came to…” thread before things got non-lighthearted. > > And incidents being reported now of people going “Well, this gun here says I don’t have to wear a mask into your store!” > > But yeah, no roving marauders yet. I missed the run…I wasn’t watching for it but I can believe it. Friends have encouraged us to buy one and we keep resisting. Of those who bought guns, I wonder how many were adding to their arsenal (because we don’t know **anybody** who owns just one gun or box of ammo) and how many were like us. FWIW I persist in not getting one for several reasons. One is that you have to practice with it and that requires dedication, setting aside time. Two is that from what I’ve read you should be thorough: shoot left handed, right handed, sitting, standing… Three is that I’d have to find a way to secure the thing so it doesn’t get stolen but it’s available for use at 3 AM. Four, a friend of ours has a concealed carry permit. He was telling us about one night driving home when a swarm of guys on motorcycles decided to mess with them. I kept thinking he’d say he showed them he had a weapon and they left. But he never took it out. I guess they might claim he provoked them an by God they were going to defend themselves so… > [@JRDelirious](#): > > The TP thing was never predicted but in retrospect one can see how it should have been in the background all along. I suppose part of it is that writers assumed that people who could not function w/o TP would be among the first to perish. “Arsenal,” is a good name for TP hoarding eh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/23 "2020-05-08T13:50:58Z")
But was the run on guns due to previously unarmed people becoming armed, or was it due to people who were already armed, wanting to become more armed? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/24 "2020-05-08T13:55:47Z")
I recently reread King’s _The Stand_. There are some subtle things he got right. There is a mention of Lucy and another woman getting together to make a sourdough starter. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/25 "2020-05-08T14:44:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But was the run on guns due to previously unarmed people becoming armed, or was it due to people who were already armed, wanting to become more armed? Almost always the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/26 "2020-05-08T14:51:15Z")
Growing up, I read a lot of end-of-the-world books. It’s probably my favorite genre. I honestly didn’t think a global pandemic would be so damned _boring_. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/27 "2020-05-08T17:29:06Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > The places and forms that rebellion is coming from-- for example, loyal voters of the current president being the ones to shun masks and social distancing, but not being especially aggressive about it; dead security guards notwithstanding, Are you really claiming the people who shot the security guard in Flint were doing it because of Trump? Were they also the guys who beat up Jussie Smolett by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/28 "2020-05-08T22:48:37Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Growing up, I read a lot of end-of-the-world books. It’s probably my favorite genre. > > I honestly didn’t think a global pandemic would be so damned _boring_. If you think about it, during an emergency/natural disaster/global catastrophe “boring” is actually a good place to be, because of all the different ways the world could be “interesting” in all the wrong ways. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/29 "2020-05-08T23:00:32Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Growing up, I read a lot of end-of-the-world books. It’s probably my favorite genre. > > I honestly didn’t think a global pandemic would be so damned _boring_. Yeah, I got sent a meme already five weeks ago or so, saying “I was promised zombies and pump guns for the apocalypse. And what did I get? Washing my hands and staying at home.” ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/30 "2020-05-09T00:01:10Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > The TP thing was never predicted but in retrospect one can see how it should have been in the background all along. I suppose part of it is that writers assumed that people who could not function w/o TP would be among the first to perish. Curse you for stealing my line! 😉 No fiction author or futurist I know of ever predicted a TP shortage during a zombie apocalypse! Also, the alleged shortage of flour, though I’m seeing lots of it (the flour, not the shortage). Presumably the ingenious public figured out a way to use flour as a substitute for TP in some way that I can’t quite fathom and which escaped the imagination of the writers. Also, during zombie apocalypses, the government is generally either nowhere to be found, or else is doing incredibly stupid things, or has collapsed entirely, leaving society in chaos. No one envisioned that governments would continue to run liquor stores efficiently (possibly exploiting the cheap labor of brain-eating zombies for shipping and restocking) and even have sales on some of my favorite items! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/31 "2020-05-09T00:44:55Z")
Back in late 2007 I wrote a story about a catastrophic flu pandemic and I reread it a couple of weeks ago. When compared to the current pandemic I got a lot right - how it spread to the US from Asia via Europe, the fatality rate, a unusually long incubation period complicating things, quarantining the sick, and even protests. But the thing I completely missed the boat on was well people being mandated to stay home. And honestly, that’s actually what I find the most surreal about this situation now. ---
**Author:** ![Gestalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/90ced4/32.png) [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/32 "2020-05-09T01:26:25Z")
I think one of the differences is that this pandemic isn’t really apocalyptic in the same way that the triggers in popular culture are. This is a condition that spreads very rapidly but spares 95%+ of its victims, at least in the short term, and the ones who do pass away tend to be older, people whom assume are less likely involved in the workforce, supply chains, law enforcement, utility supply, etc. So we’ve definitely seen shortages of some things, but a good deal of that may be due to panic buying and hoarding, rather than, say, everyone at the Purell factory dropping dead. Which isn’t to say that this is a very serious, devastating illness. Also it spread from country to country in a matter of weeks, not days, so there was some lead-time and information present before it got to the U.S. If this virus was (God forbid) Captain Tripps, I think we’d see fewer stores advertising the opportunity for curbside pickup and more abandoned storefronts with a dead body or two in front. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2020, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248/33 "2020-05-09T15:11:33Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > But the thing I completely missed the boat on was well people being mandated to stay home. And honestly, that’s actually what I find the most surreal about this situation now. People in the US wearing masks as they go about their day is what I’m most shocked by. Pictures in the past of Asian people walking around with masks always seemed so strange… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspects-of-the-covid19-pandemic-unforeseen-in-post-apocalyptic-fiction/853248.md?page=1)