Today may yet be the coldest day of this pandemic. You see, new records broken daily. Just not in a good way. Two days in and Iv'e yet to be arrested for going on multiple walks during the day. It makes no sense: you can't leave your house for recreational purposes or leisure, but you can for exercise. In other words, if you enjoy going for a run you're breaking the law. If you don't enjoy it then it's perfectly law abiding.
Anyway we played this game last year; things won't be any different this time because the same arseholes are running the show. They will of course break the rules, you just won't hear about it. I have no doubt that there have been a ton of politicians that have broken the rules, thinking they are better than everyone else. It's what they do. We just don't hear about it.
Another tradition, along with a March-esque lockdown, being revived, is the NHS clapping. To be honest I'm in two minds about this. Part of it is a grassroots (or should be, I don't know who 'invented' it) response to the experience of those on the frontline. Currently they are being put through the wringer again, and then some. That doesn't provide any material benefit, but it should help a community become a little closer and demonstrate that, at teh very least, you care. Sure you can call that tokenism or sentimentality, but that has some value.
On the other hand it is very easily co-opted by the ruling class as a means to divert from actually giving them what they want and need. Of course staff want to be appreciated and respected. Clapping shows them that we, at least, do respect and appreciate them. But it isn't enough.
I think the real issue is whether clapping diverts from focussing people onto putting pressure on the government to do the right thing, where it counts. Properly resource and fund the NHS, and pay the damn staff. I take the view that the government is always going to look away from doing that, and it can be argued that clapping raises people's awareness. Keeps the focus on the scumbags in Westminster. But it can't just end at clapping, it should compel people into putting that pressure on. That, unfortunately, is all we can do, within this system. The real solution is revolutionary activity. As long as medical staff are dependent on a wage, and as long as health care is a commodity, nothing will really change, and no amount of applause will make a difference.
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