# Things the pandemic might destroy forever **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 29, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237 "2020-10-29T19:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Drummond\_Bays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@Drummond\_Bays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drummond_Bays)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/61 "2020-11-04T21:02:44Z")
I kinda like it, to be honest. Pre-pandemic I would half the time anyway for protection on my bike. Plus it’s pretty fun in a silly way to roll around looking like The Lone Ranger. I used to get looked upon askance at times, now I get complimented. Works for me! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/62 "2020-11-05T15:40:55Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > cruising nearly continuously pre-COVID. They’d return from a cruise, do laundry, take care of the mail, **relax for a couple weeks** , then leave on their next cruise. They had to relax for a coupla weeks to recuperate from … relaxing on a cruise for a while. 🤨 ---
**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:** [November 5, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/63 "2020-11-05T16:08:38Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > They had to relax for a coupla weeks to recuperate from … relaxing on a cruise for a while. 🤨 - Sounds odd, but yeah. During that couple of weeks, we’d get together for dinner/drinks/conversation. Life at home is different than life on a cruise. They are cool people, trying as hard as they can to spend their life’s savings before they die. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/64 "2020-11-05T16:24:56Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I think handshakes were beginning to fade anyway. They seem like a relic of the past to me, kind of like ties. Handshakes will probably be a lot less popular with younger generations than they were pre-COVID and 20 years ago, Maybe. For the last few years I’ve been going to various college job fairs looking for interns and I shake plenty of hands those days. Back in February/March of this year, before such events were cancelled, job fairs instituted no hand shaking policies. But many times either I or the student would reflexively reach out to shake the other’s hand only to awkwardly withdraw when we remembered that was against the rules. A few times we ended up shaking hands despite our best efforts to follow the rules. In some environments, handshaking is still the norm. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/65 "2020-11-05T16:31:36Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > In some environments, handshaking is still the norm. I’m at work. Just 15 minutes ago someone stuck out their hand. We are both masked, and his out-thrust hand kinda freaked me out. I stared at his hand, making no move whatsoever to shake. He finally chuckled and took a step back. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/66 "2020-11-05T16:53:07Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > But for a newly hired person, who has zero experience, it’s going to much more difficult to fit in, to learn the job, and to produce good work. And when the company itself makes major changes, it will also be very difficult. Say, starting a new department, or a new kind of major project which will force the employees to change all their usual style of work. Companies may find that they lose money by having everybody at home, and out of touch with new developments. We currently have about 90% of our employees working from home. In the short term, it’s been good for us because we’ve been able to mitigate the risks of our workforce becoming incapacitated due to illness and it’s a good indication of the company’s commitment to keeping their employees safe which is good for engagement. Since working from home, we’ve had problems with managers who are uncertain how they should communicate with their employees now that nobody’s in the office. (These are managers who didn’t have a problem with communication in the Before Times.) And I don’t think our new hires have had the best onboarding experience since we started all working from home. I don’t expect that we’ll all work from home 100% of the time once Covid is no longer a serious threat. But I wouldn’t be surprised if more than 1/2 our staff is working from home either full or part time after things get back to normal. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/67 "2020-11-05T18:22:19Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > “Can’t” in this context is shorthand for “absolutely shouldn’t”. It’s like saying you can’t mix white and dark laundry in a single load: it’s definitely possible, but you won’t like the results. With modern dyes and detergents, most people that I know do all of their laundry unsorted and don’t have any problem with it. I do it myself and don’t have any problem. Also, I know a lot of people who have very few actual ‘whites’ in their regular clothing rotation - maybe a shirt or two and some athletic socks, but most or all of their underwear will be black or colored rather than old-school white. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/68 "2020-11-05T18:42:24Z")
You are correct, we stopped separating years ago. It just doesn’t matter any more. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/69 "2020-11-07T06:11:28Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I was leery of cruise ships before the present pandemic. There’s no petri dish quite like several hundred over-drinking, overeating, over-friendly people stuffed into a floating hotel. Several hundred? That’s practically a canoe. The new 6,000+ passenger ships give me the creeps. Add another 2,000+ crew and that’s just too much norovirus for my taste. > [@pullin](#): > > I’m beginning to wonder about hair salons. My wife bought a few stylist’s tools and has been cutting my hair since the pandemic began. I see no difference in the look or results. With zero training, she’s doing exactly as well as the $35 stylist I used to patronize. I don’t know the pricing in your area, but here, $35 is suspiciously cheap. My partner gets $50 for a quick clipper cut. Barber cuts and styling are more. That said, an unfortunately large percentage of his clientele is apparently OK with pandemic hair, or they found a home haircutting kit. Don’t really know the answer there. > [@Jophiel](#): > > As of last week (when I was last at Costco), the free samples were already back. Same at my Costco. Gotta ask for them - no more open trays, so no more dirty fingers grubbing around to find the perfect sample. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/70 "2020-11-07T13:51:30Z")
I remember when AIDS made unprotected sex gone forever. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/71 "2020-11-07T16:20:22Z")
And to think that just a couple years before we were all scared of Herpes! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/72 "2020-11-08T01:37:50Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve always been a little creeped out having a stranger touching me like that. Totally disagree! A barber does a better job than I ever could on my own hair. At the shop I used to go to in L.A. they used to shave the back of my neck with a straight razor as a final touch. For a modest additional amount of money, they would shave my the sides of my face (I wore a goatee and mustache at the time), again all with the straight razor, lather, hot towels, etc. All men owe it to themselves to experience a barber shave. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/73 "2020-11-08T09:11:29Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > At the shop I used to go to in L.A. they used to shave the back of my neck with a straight razor as a final touch. When I had my hair shorter, the woman who cut my hair did this. Now my hair is longer, so I don’t get this any more. I miss it. FWIW, I’m a woman, so I don’t normally have a straight razor anywhere near my head. I have Spanish and French coworkers, who normally great each other with a kiss on each cheek. In Switzerland it is three kisses. So if there’s a mix, there’s always the question “2 or 3?”. That’s ended. A) no one is traveling and B) probably going to be a long time before there’s any kiss greetings among coworkers. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/74 "2020-11-08T09:34:36Z")
Replying to AskNott, a work colleague a few years ago took his post-transplant wife (kidney, in her late 60s) on a South Pacific cruise. She was only 8 months post-op. The inevitable happened, she got some vague virus onboard, had to be airlifted back to Aus and then she passed away. (Yes, I have many questions re insurance, how her renal specialist gave her clearance yada yada) but I would never go on a cruise even if in the best of health…being immunocompromised? Fuck no! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2020, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/75 "2020-11-08T20:16:03Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Nora virus Nitpick: [norovirus](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/norovirus/symptoms-causes/syc-20355296). Nora is pissed that you’ve taken her name in vain. Having had a dose of what was likely norovirus a few years back… I do NOT think I would like to deal with that on the Appalachian Trail!! : ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/76 "2020-11-09T21:42:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@Odesio](#): > > > > In some environments, handshaking is still the norm. > > I’m at work. Just 15 minutes ago someone stuck out their hand. We are both masked, and his out-thrust hand kinda freaked me out. I stared at his hand, making no move whatsoever to shake. He finally chuckled and took a step back. I went golfing the other day and played with a couple of guys I’d never met before. We all just raised our right hands in a “hello” wave gesture. Considering that this is rural Oklahoma, I saw it as a huge step towards the extinction of the handshake. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/77 "2020-11-09T22:30:17Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > the $35 stylist I used to patronize > [@gotpasswords](#): > > here, $35 is suspiciously cheap. Damn. I get mine done at the base barber shop – don’t remember for certain, but I think the last time I went (not quite a year ago) it was $16-18 for haircut + beard and moustache trim, and to me that’s expensive. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/78 "2020-11-09T22:37:07Z")
Yean, and you can usually get free swatches -because they know no one wants to buy wallpaper based on what they see on a computer screen. ---
**Author:** ![All\_About\_Venice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/all_about_venice/32/5453_2.png) [@All\_About\_Venice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/All_About_Venice)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/79 "2020-11-10T14:56:13Z")
I think one thing that hopefully will be gained is a more knowledgeable understanding of the ways in which diseases are transmitted. Maybe once and for all, we can all agree that the common cold, the flu, and all the other infections in the upper respiratory tract, all depend on viruses and bacterias… And that you can’t catch a cold from being cold. Let’s open those windows and let the fresh winter-breeze in. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/80 "2020-11-12T09:29:38Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > people like touching each other. I think this is a good point. The traditional handshake might not come back as it exactly was, but something involving physical contact will replace it. The fist-bump might become more stylized, so there is a less juvenile version that happens between adults. I know lately when I meet someone for the first time, or come to an agreement with someone on something, the urge to shake hands is REALLY strong, and it feels very much like something is missing. The feeling lingers. I realize I’m 53, and on the downside of middle age, so there are lots of people who are adults, but significantly younger than me; their preferences are going to set the new rules, and they may not have the “itch” to shake hands that I do, not being as acculturated to it as I am, but every culture does something upon greeting or agreeing. Yes, I know there are cultures that have bowing, or something not involving physical contact, but I still think that “people like touching each other” is going to influence what eventually emerges. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237.md?page=5)