coronavirus

Two recent studies looked at the relationship between personality traits and reactions to restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. Researchers found that people possessing so-called "Dark Triad" traits—narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism—were less likely to comply with restrictions or engage in preventative measures against the pandemic. However, researchers also emphasized the small role personality traits have in the overall response to pandemic restrictions, like face-mask mandates and social-distancing requirements.

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Rick said:I know enough to know that I can't meaningfully judge those studies, especially on a skim read. This is why people study full time for years, to be in a position where they can actually engage with the field. Experts are not always right, of course, but that is always the way to bet.

I don't know why anybody would object to wearing a mask to protect others.

I don't know why anybody would conspire to get people to wear masks if there were no benefit.

Ham said:
Interesting, you offered those studies in defence of your position but can't meaningfully judge them. If you can't, with your experience, then that strengthens the case for Law changes based around these type of studies being bonkers.

Rick said: this government's handling of the situation has been shambolic, incoherent, and generally appalling, and still is.

Rick said:That's very true. There are even people who believe Sweden have handled things well.

WILLSAN said:
http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2020/ma...
doesnt seem like the argument is settled to me.
certainly not until we see how the 2nd wave/no 2nd wave argument pans out.
and anyway arguing percentage points on number of deaths might seem silly in coming years if sweden successfully rides the economic storm and the rest of europe gets bummed.

When a Manchester restaurant advertised for a receptionist on Monday, the owners were shocked to received almost 1,000 applicants in a day.

They had only expected about 30 people to be interested.

I said:
and anyway arguing percentage points on number of deaths might seem silly in coming years if sweden successfully rides the economic storm and the rest of europe gets bummed.

It was supposed to be a terrible start to the summer. As a debate rages in Sweden over whether its lighter-touch approach to managing coronavirus has been the correct course, most European analysts were braced for dreadful quarterly earnings from the Scandinavian country during the height of the pandemic.

But every day for the past two weeks, Swedish company after Swedish company has beaten expectations.

From telecoms equipment maker Ericsson to consumer appliances manufacturer Electrolux via lender Handelsbanken and lockmaker Assa Abloy, Swedish companies have delivered profits well above what the market was expecting, even if in some cases that merely meant a less precipitous decline than analysts had feared.

“I have never seen such a high proportion of companies coming in with better profits than expected. It’s almost every company,” said Esbjorn Lundevall, chief equity strategist at lender SEB.

The bumper crop begs the question of how many of the positive surprises are due to Sweden’s more controversial approach to managing coronavirus. Unlike the rest of Europe and North America, the country did not have a lockdown and kept schools and many shops and businesses open — a public health experiment that has attracted global scrutiny and drawn both praise and censure.

“Keeping society open, schools open, doesn’t mean that we haven’t been hit. But it does mean that we haven’t suddenly not been able to leave our homes. That has undoubtedly helped companies,” Alrik Danielson, chief executive of Swedish bearings manufacturer SKF, told the FT.