During the recent "end of the clap" thread I mentioned that my wife hated it (despite it being on her behalf (well, maybe not just on her behalf - she has a few colleagues too)) and someone asked why. I said I'd ask her and return with her reply.
Well, I did ask her but couldn't return with the reply as the UKC profanity checker wouldn't allow anything but a very sanitized version to be entered. I could have asked for a version with fewer four letter words, but didn't like the look in her eyes so didn't. I did, however, show her the attached article and she agreed the guy expressed reasonably well her own feelings on the matter (except for the "well paid" bit ,- which she definitely isn't).
Here you go. https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/21/nhs-doctor-enough-people-cl...
As far as I can see it's just become an excuse to be outside talking to your neighbours.
There are 6 houses on our row and up until last night there’d only be one out clapping/pan bashing. Last night there were at least 3 (I only dared poke my head out of the window so far for fear of being seen). It’s far from over...
It’s gone viral. R=3.
Probably people like me who didn't go out at first but now make a point of doing so in response to the naysayers.
Is not clapping the new clapping?
> During the recent "end of the clap" thread I mentioned that my wife hated it (despite it being on her behalf (well, maybe not just on her behalf - she has a few colleagues too)) and someone asked why. I said I'd ask her and return with her reply.
> Well, I did ask her but couldn't return with the reply as the UKC profanity checker wouldn't allow anything but a very sanitized version to be entered. I could have asked for a version with fewer four letter words, but didn't like the look in her eyes so didn't. I did, however, show her the attached article and she agreed the guy expressed reasonably well her own feelings on the matter (except for the "well paid" bit ,- which she definitely isn't).
I understand the sentiment, and fully agree with the statement in the article that "When this ends, people need to show their value of key-working staff in practical ways; pay them enough to be able to live in our cities, and recognise, support and welcome immigrant staff."
But the article also says: "I know many of my colleagues appreciate the clapping, saying that they feel moved and grateful, that the coming together of the community to support the NHS warms the heart."
Incidentally, I reckon transmission of 'The Clap' will have dropped quite a lot with a lack of casual sex.
Punning aside, this period does present an opportunity, as has already been noted. See e.g. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-52488892
That article scared me off clapping this past Thursday. Which maybe suggests I'm just doing it to fit in, rather than any deep-seated appreciation for the NHS, Key Workers etc. A little bit of a shame, as I thought the first few weeks were quite touching, a semi-spontaneous display of niceness .
I gather next week's is suggested to be the last. Maybe for the best
This article might be of interest, the person who first proposed it thinks it could now stop.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/22/lets-stop-clapping-for-the-nh...
In the previous thread, I talked about our daily clapping at 8 pm here in Spain.
I can now inform you that we have stopped clapping when the bars opened. Now everyone is having a beer in some open-air seating arrangement 2 meters away from the next table. I have not heard any complaints about the lack of clapping.
So the answer on the original question about when the clap will end is probably when the pubs open
I keep happening to be out at the shops, 'Oh it's 8pm on Thursday'.
> During the recent "end of the clap" thread I mentioned that my wife hated it (despite it being on her behalf (well, maybe not just on her behalf - she has a few colleagues too)) and someone asked why. I said I'd ask her and return with her reply.
> Well, I did ask her but couldn't return with the reply as the UKC profanity checker wouldn't allow anything but a very sanitized version to be entered. I could have asked for a version with fewer four letter words, but didn't like the look in her eyes so didn't. I did, however, show her the attached article and she agreed the guy expressed reasonably well her own feelings on the matter (except for the "well paid" bit ,- which she definitely isn't).
Not got time to read the article but, to state the obvious, get her to the clinic!
As for the profession, I'd strongly suggest getting her out any way you can. I don't think how well she is paid should be a factor in that, especially considering that in the medium to long term the risk of violence and injury is very high.
I generally aim to be finishing a run about then - really helps the motivation for the sprint finish....
I generally aim to be finishing a wank about then. Same reason...
I stopped clapping after two or three weeks I think. It very quickly started to feel like poppy-wearing to me: a well-meaning gesture appropriated for cynical political means, being used to cast judgement.
On Thursday a BBC reporter covering the clapping said, in reference to a family out on the street to clap,
"They are prepared to keep coming out to clap for as long as it takes",
which seemed an utterly ridiculous thing to say about clapping. No disrespect at all intended to the family of course, and I'm sure it was just a poorly thought-out phrase, but to insinuate it's some kind of sacrifice producing tangible results is daft.
> "They are prepared to keep coming out to clap for as long as it takes",
Apparently, there is a village in Hampshire where everyone has been clapping continuously for the last two weeks because no one wants to be seen as the first one to stop.
Certainly round here it's mainly an opportunity to talk to someone face to face, make a bit of noise, and generally celebrate getting through another week. I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that though - many of the things we celebrate have largely lost their original meaning (Christmas, Easter, May Day, Bonfire night etc).
>pay them enough to be able to live in our cities,..
You won't get out of that hole by hiking pay alone. You need to do something about the ludicrous set-up by which no ordinary person can afford to live in many areas in which their very useful services are provided.
>..and recognise, support and welcome immigrant staff."
Amen to that.
> Apparently, there is a village in Hampshire where everyone has been clapping continuously for the last two weeks because no one wants to be seen as the first one to stop.
One person keeled over and died of exhaustion and everybody else just glared at them judgementally without saying a word.
> You won't get out of that hole by hiking pay alone. You need to do something about the ludicrous set-up by which no ordinary person can afford to live in many areas in which their very useful services are provided.
No argument with any of that: the UK economy and housing market is largely f*cked in that respect, and it is difficult to see that changing structurally any time soon.
> But the article also says: "I know many of my colleagues appreciate the clapping, saying that they feel moved and grateful, that the coming together of the community to support the NHS warms the heart."
Exactly, so if there are people getting "something" from this, then what harm does it do?
I've done all I can to support the NHS all my life, mainly by never voting Tory, there's not much else I can do, especially during this time of the virus.
What we need to do is continue to fight for the NHS and for a pay rise for all of them, bring back bursaries and get rid of fees foreign workers need to pay.
You can still do ALL of this and still show support for, not just NHS workers, but everyone that worked during the lockdown, binmen, shop-workers, postmen, etc.
If people don't like it, well it's two minutes once a week, time to get you priorities in order, I'd say.
Another thing to consider is the mental health of people who are doing the clapping, it give them a bit of a lift too, a way to say thank you. Reading some other threads people are just about going mad, so why not just appreciate the appreciation, and accept people are trying their best?
No, because clapping is taking the piss, especially in areas where people clap who just months earlier voted for the bastards who clapped after voting down pay increases for NHS staff in parliament.
CB
I won't be clapping on Thursday but I will be shouting for the Tories to piss off.
> I won't be clapping on Thursday but I will be shouting for the Tories to piss off.
Reckon any will be able to hear you from Bristol?
Good way to get acquainted with your local 136 suite I suppose😂
Surely most people have seen on Twitter that there's going to be a huge Clap/Boo Johnson/Tories out tomorrow night at 8.00pm and every Monday. Many have also suggested NOT clapping any longer on Thursdays, or if we do, booing 'Johnson out'. I'll be doing both.
A friend (Anon) who lives in Bath/Bolton/Basingstoke/Bideford etc, a keyworker who works for a local authority but has been seconded to crematorium duties due to covid had this happen to him last night. [Thursday last.]
"I'm a Keyworker who does not clap for many of the reasons stated here and more, yet some sanctimonious tw*t in my neighbourhood appears to have noticed and written "Hello? NHS?" on my car in pen. Apparently, it seems I am being clapshamed.. I don't know of a single Doctor, NHS or keyworker (and I know a lot) who appreciates this weekly flapping of flippers and cymbal monkey clashing. All of the ones I know just wish people would stop voting for a Tory government, who not only exacerbated this crisis to apocalyptic proportions through their own lies, arrogance and incompetence, but whose primary aim is the wholesale underfunding and complete and methodical dismantling of the NHS and other social services for their own corporate interests. I will fight for the NHS till the day I die, but this weekly circus charade is not how to do it, and I for one am sick to death of Bozo's moronic, applauding seals. Please do something useful instead and fight to get rid of this inept, incompetent and malevolent government, and banish them and their evil, Dickensien, clown-party to the dustbin of history, while I quietly continue to clean up the the results of the appalling shitshow they have created. Cheers x"
(with permission)
> No, because clapping is taking the piss, especially in areas where people clap who just months earlier voted for the bastards who clapped after voting down pay increases for NHS staff in parliament.
> CB
And what about where they didn't vote Tory, or even in a Tory constituency, where people didn't vote Tory.
Besides that, isn't it nice to say thank you anyway, Tory or not? The only people who can change things at this moment in time is the government, so what the point in NOT clapping? Who does it upset?
Anyhow, I've never voted Tory, so I can clap with a clear conscience, are you suggesting I should STOP because some wanky Tories are clapping TOO. Sounds like letting them win to me.
I agree with you on that one. But I'll make it ambiguous by not clapping but simply banging a saucepan.
No, I still find it condescending and hypocritical to offer applause while adequate pay and PPE are still nowhere in sight.
CB
I'm usually cycling home from my 12 hour care home shift which finishes at 8! Thankfully, by the time I actually get changed, pack my back and unlock my bike, I have usually missed the ridiculous shenanigans. Saldy my dog is still cowering under the table every week though ☹️
> No, I still find it condescending and hypocritical to offer applause while adequate pay and PPE are still nowhere in sight.
> CB
I don't know which bit of my post the "no" relates to, but.....
Well don't clap then, but the issue of PPE I can't fix either, so even more reason for me to say "thank you" for continuing to go to work when this is an issue.
Aren't you taking your anger out on the wrong people?
> I'm usually cycling home from my 12 hour care home shift which finishes at 8! Thankfully, by the time I actually get changed, pack my back and unlock my bike, I have usually missed the ridiculous shenanigans. Saldy my dog is still cowering under the table every week though ☹️
It's once a week for two minutes, is it really that much of a hardship to put up with?
Just finished a 12 hour shift, the highlight of which was being booted in the head by the person I was trying to treat while 20 odd people stood by and watched. Maybe next Thursday night you just want to stand by and watch too, that's fine, your prerogative and it doesn't bother me at all, but don't pretend you're offering me and my colleagues any more support than those 20 odd people that just looked on this evening.
It's 2 minutes which leave my dog stressed for a long time after! We are working on his stress issues, but being pushed to panic every week is too much for him. The clap is irrelevant nonsense, so not worth the stress to our poor dog (and doubtless many others). Why is that fair? At least normally in the run up to fireworks night etc, we can go elsewhere to give him peace and quiet!
How loud is it from inside your house?
We have a fairly good turnout and it still represents a small fraction of the noise generated by my neighbour's motorbike or the scrote who rides up and down on his quad now and then. Or actually, my other neighbour trimming the hedges or jetwashing his patio.
We are in the corner of a normally quiet cul-de-sac with a park at the back, so it is pretty noticeable. But actually it's more the pots being banged, the fireworks, the bagpipes etc. The clapping would still upset him, but not as much as the other stuff.
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