# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/81 "2020-11-16T02:11:28Z")
I’ve never understood the loathing of a handshake. If it’s about hygiene, then remember I touch all kinds of stuff all day. its my skins job to keep it out. As long as I wash my hands, I’m good. If it’s about the few people that use a handshake as an excuse to show off their grip strength and to intimidate: as a 5’3" woman, they have lots of ways to try to intimidate me. I’ve long since learned to just ignore the overly aggressive behavior. ---
**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 16, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/82 "2020-11-16T02:18:19Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > If it’s about the few people that use a handshake as an excuse to show off their grip strength > and to intimidate: as a 5’3" woman, I’m a 5’5 woman with surprising grip strength; I can intimidate right back. I don’t “use” the handshake this way, but when I meet a man who does (It’s always a man), I grip back, and give him the shock of his life. You can see it in his eyes. If he had a tail, it’d be between his legs. I don’t have to be stronger than he is-- just not afraid of him. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/83 "2020-11-16T07:26:59Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > I’ve never understood the loathing of a handshake. > … > If it’s about the few people that use a handshake as an excuse to show off their grip strength and to intimidate: as a 5’3" woman, they have lots of ways to try to intimidate me. I dread them because I have arthritis in my hand and it hurts to have my hand mangled in somebody’s lock grip of death (and not necessarily on purpose, either; my hand surgeon was the worst offender). Sometimes I think they grip hard to show they’re not treating me any differently than they’d treat a man, which is a nice gesture, but ouch. ---
**Author:** ![urbanredneck2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/5f8ce5/32.png) [@urbanredneck2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urbanredneck2)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/84 "2020-11-16T21:06:43Z")
I dont think we will see buffet restaurants return. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/85 "2020-11-16T21:21:14Z")
> [@urbanredneck2](#): > > I dont think we will see buffet restaurants return I totally disagree. Some have already returned, although they will probably have to shut down again due to the resurgence of the virus. But once the pandemic is over, buffets will be back. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/86 "2020-11-16T21:40:47Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > But once the pandemic is over, buffets will be back. I guess the question is whether people will be more “germ conscious” after the pandemic subsides than we were before. I think I agree, people will generally return to the way we acted before. The pandemic has sped up the use of technology to facilitate distanced working and avoid some business travel. That will continue, but not for fears of contagions, but simply because in some instances it’s so much more efficient. But I doubt we’ll change our behavior much to avoid the common cold, or even reduce the threat of the annual flu season. All this assumes the pandemic is “over” one day. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2020, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/87 "2020-11-16T21:50:57Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I guess the question is whether people will be more “germ conscious” after the pandemic subsides than we were before. I think I agree, people will generally return to the way we acted before. I would guess that hand sanitizer stations will be readily available at every buffet, and patrons probably will be asked to use them before grabbing a plate. > All this assumes the pandemic is “over” one day. Yes, I was going to add that to my post, but I thought it was assumed in this thread. But perhaps not. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/88 "2020-11-17T00:52:54Z")
My bet is that what you are going to see is the return of the cafeteria. We serve you, don’t touch anything not on your tray. Seems the logical extension. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/89 "2020-11-17T01:26:42Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Cruises, not the day type but longer ones, surely can’t survive this. We had an Alaska cruise booked for September 2020. In March 2020, I moved it back one year to September 2021. If we’ve been vaccinated by then, we plan to go on it. Hopefully the cruise lines can survive until they can safely sail again. For the cruise line we go on (Disney Cruise Line), they have docked all of the ships and temporarily laid off most of the crew members. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/90 "2020-11-17T04:19:32Z")
I just saw a story in my local paper a few days ago about a cruise line sending their smaller boats up the Mississippi, to do several-day river cruises. ---
**Author:** ![urbanredneck2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/5f8ce5/32.png) [@urbanredneck2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urbanredneck2)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/91 "2020-11-17T11:15:37Z")
Also about cruises. I think they will have to put so many restrictions on to ensure cleanliness and safety that they will cease to be as fun and be so expensive that fewer people will do them. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/92 "2020-11-17T11:43:42Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > > [@AskNott](#): > > > > Handshakes are probably gone forever, and I don’t know if we’ll ever get back to greeting people outside the immediate family with hugs. > > This is ridiculous. Even the black death didn’t kill handshakes. I for one will refuse handshakes from now on. I’ve been wanting an excuse for years and a devastating worldwide pandemic gives me just the opening I needed. ---
**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 17, 2020, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/93 "2020-11-17T14:21:01Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > All this assumes the pandemic is “over” one day. This is key in two ways. We went from zero to full blast awareness with this COVID thing in just a few weeks. If it does “end” at all, it’ll end by dropping to a background level risk of life akin to flu or car crashes or ???. If that drop-off is very quick & steep, there will be lots of “Free at last!” celebrations and obvious reasons to change = discard our recent precautionary habits. If, as IMO is far more likely, COVID remains a risk that just slowly subsides over a year or three and even then remains risky in pockets of people such as world travelers, obese diabetics, etc., there won’t be any obvious “event” that triggers a re-evaluation of each of our personal precautions. In the latter case lots of personal decisions to take extra precautions will stay around a lot longer. And as a consequence societal-level changes will persist a lot longer too. e.g. If by some remote chance the USA can retire the “no-mask=freedom” meme, many of us may well be masking for flu season years from now and whenever working through a cold instead of staying home as would be smarter. Much as e.g. Japan does now. > [@silenus](#): > > My bet is that what you are going to see is the return of the cafeteria. We serve you, don’t touch anything not on your tray. Seems the logical extension. From the restaurant owner’s POV the main value prop for a buffet is the lack of serving labor needed. IMO the cafeteria model isn’t that much labor-saving versus sit-down service. And still encourages the “all you can eat gluttony\*” that triggers adverse selection for big-eating customers and greatly increased food wastage. So IMO maybe, but maybe well not. * * * \* I originally typed that as “glottony”. Which made me think of cramming so much food in your face that your glottis & epiglottis get jammed up. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/94 "2020-11-17T14:47:46Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I saw an article that suggested that schools would no longer have snow days, that because they’ve learned how to do distance learning that they’d do that in the future instead of having kids have the day off. In nearly all of the school districts I work with in Indiana (~15), there are no snow days - it’s been distance learning for the last several years. Teachers were required to have several lesson plans at the ready in the system to go, in case there was a reason to not have kids in class. Back in March before everything hit, teachers were rushing to get 2 weeks of plans in - which was the max for the system they were using. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/95 "2020-11-17T16:52:06Z")
Funny - in almost all contexts, I am FAR FROM a touchy feely person, but I do appreciate handshakes. Just seems a non-intimate way to make contact w/ another human. Not sure why I find it satisfying. I DETEST the “strongman” approach. Of course, I’ve had no difficulty refraining from handshakes during COVID - to respect other peoples’ concerns. Like someone said upthread - I’m confident I can protect myself by not picking my nose until after I’ve washed my hands! The other day I was chatting to a martial artist I had just met (I used to do a bunch of MA). He slipped off his glove and extended his hand, before w/drawing it in a “hands up” manner". I’ve had that happen a couple of times in recent months. I’m always uncertain whether it is someone trying to express disagreement w/ COVID precautions, or just someone who slips into old habits. I try to give folk the benefit of the doubt and assume the latter. ---
**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 18, 2020, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/96 "2020-11-18T13:58:28Z")
> [@urbanredneck2](#): > > I dont think we will see buffet restaurants return. There’s one that I know of here in Little Rock that’s opened. They require you to wear your mask when you leave your table and you’ve got to don a new set of plastic gloves, which they provide, each time you go to the buffet. I haven’t been yet on account of me not feeling good about spending a lot of time indoors with other people during a pandemic. ---
**Author:** ![urbanredneck2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/5f8ce5/32.png) [@urbanredneck2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urbanredneck2)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/97 "2020-11-18T14:38:57Z")
I wonder if schools offering classes online might become permanent? I mean many schools are already overcrowded so this might be an option? Also might be good for kids who dont do well in the classroom. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/98 "2020-11-18T14:49:07Z")
There were schools offering classes online before this, particularly for home-schooled kids or kids in isolated regions or perhaps whose families were nomadic. So it’s not a new option. It’s just far more widespread now. ---
**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 18, 2020, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/99 "2020-11-18T15:10:24Z")
> [@urbanredneck2](#): > > I wonder if schools offering classes online might become permanent? I mean many schools are already overcrowded so this might be an option? Could well be. To teach in person requires a teacher and a classroom. Online you dispense with the need to build more classrooms. OTOH, the teachers I talk to say that to be even close to as effective as in-person, you need much smaller classes, like maybe half as many students. Said another way, you’d need to double the teacher headcount just to stay with the effectiveness we had in 2019. Which in many districts / schools was not real good to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237/100 "2020-11-18T18:35:45Z")
> [@urbanredneck2](#): > > I wonder if schools offering classes online might become permanent? I mean many schools are already overcrowded so this might be an option? Also might be good for kids who dont do well in the classroom. Other than a few _very_ specific situations, like severe bullying, “kids who do well with online schooling but don’t do well in the classroom” … aren’t usually a thing. Online learning is very, very challenging even for traditionally-aged college students – it requires a ton of maturity and self-discipline that many of them simply haven’t acquired yet, and it cuts off or limits instructors’ abilities to use many of the techniques that students usually find most engaging, like hands-on or collaborative activities. I can’t even imagine how much more difficult it must be for younger students. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-the-pandemic-might-destroy-forever/924237.md?page=6)