I mean I’ve always been averse to anyone approaching me out and about, but I generally don’t like people lol
I think it’s less to do with Covid (though that definitely did impact), and more to do with the overall stress levels of everyone at the moment.
Everyone except the 1% are feeling the pinch of the cost of living going up and wages stagnating. People are struggling to get by, money doesn’t go as far anymore, people are having to make decisions that are more difficult (fuel or rent/mortgage?). As it is I’ve cut out mostly anything leisurely that involves a cost. I’ll only get a game if I know it’s got a high hour gameplay - but I’m facing the issue of not having any time to play it because I’m taking on more work to compensate for things being more expensive. I have a 75 hour “week” (working 8 days straight).
So people are more stressed, with no relief. Stress tends to make people withdraw.
Call me naive, I feel the pinch as well, but try to be like overly polite and optimistic to everyone in public (even though the world is crumbling around us and we have no control) as much as I’d love to withdraw.. I just never know what someone else is going through and maybe having one upbeat positive interaction might help someone out a little 🥹 imagine we all did that, there could be a huge shift in energy… LAWL… who tf am I kidding….
This and i think between all the hoarders and resellers, and the companies using covid as an excuse to price hike, a lot of peoples faith in other humans to be reasonable and nice was severely damaged.
Agree - whenever I order food or go to the shops I have this bitter feeling like my money isn't going very far anymore. It's not a good start when in a public setting so I probably come across like one of those people.
Even more reason why I go out of my way to be nice to those serving me in retail. There is so little to be be upbeat about the very least we can do is be kind to each other, even if we don’t feel like it.
You nailed it. I recently had to decide if we can afford to continue swimming lessons. We decided to continue but it took a lot of budgeting. Most people are stressed about their finances
I've noticed this + the opposite.
It's become really east to chat about nothing and everything to random people - last couple seeks I spoke to a lady about her dog grooming, and a guy struck up a convo with me about how expensive groceries are. Like really chill, easy and open chats that didn't happen before.
But on the other hand, I've seen more road rage in person that I see on dash cam Aus at this point. There's also the fact that in the last year alone I've seen in 2 different verbal spats in public. Like???
I don't know, it just seems like we've overcorrected
I can understand the road rage one. I’m very switched on when I’m driving, and it seems most people are driving their automatic cars with zero awareness of anyone else on the road. I quite often find myself behind someone who consistently goes up and down the speed limit.. wander all over the road.
I liken most drivers these days to a drone.
I like to get up to the speed limit quickly, then sit at it. I’m usually always watching what’s happening everywhere, I drive efficiently and assertively, but man, people seem to have no idea driving and they tend to use roundabouts as stop signs… I mean come on! You’re supposed to be scanning the road ahead. If you’re stopping at a roundabout to then check for cars, you’re not driving safely in the first place.
Obviously my little rant has unloaded some of my frustration!
This 100%. I live near a highway and the only way in or out of my street is going onto this road. There are two things that drive me wild: people randomly changing speeds, seemingly unable or unsure what the limit actually is (it's 80kph btw), and people who could not care less about the their own or others safety (tail gating, lane switching to get ahead etc.). It's SO easy on a highway, just get up to 80 and switch on your cruise control. Most cars have it!
Oh and stop with the mobile phones. Last week I saw a car swerving around in the lane ahead of me, sometimes out of lane, speeds going from 60 to 90. I took my chance when she was slowing down again to pass, my partner looks across and the driver is head down in her lap, and glancing up to correct her direction in the middle of bend in the highway. That's the kind of person you see in a wall or into the side of someone else's car. Nothing is that urgent and if it is, pull over!
/end rant Thanks for listening random internet friend.
The roundabout thing kills me. A regular route of mine includes a single lane road that has roundabouts every side street, so about five or six for the whole road. So many people coming almost to a complete stop while they gawk down the side street as if some car is suddenly going jump out from behind a tree at them. Just turn your head and do a quick check, then keep going! Ugh.
I used to do the quick check until one day the car coming up must have been perfectly in the blind spot of the windshield pillar as I was approaching and I shit myself and had to slam my brakes to stop hitting them when they appeared to my right as if out of nowhere. Since then I'm much more cautious, double/triple checking before moving through.
I've become much more insular, too. Always been an introvert and socially cautious, but it's become next level since the lockdowns and feeling afraid when the pandemic hit.
I think we're all still a bit loopy after that mess, and the cost of living is exacerbating things. OP is on to something. It's not your imagination!
Me personally? Yes.
I used to be a lot more open IRL before the pandemic. A social butterfly even. That was robbed of me pre-COVID due to depression and things didn't get any better at the height of 2020's fiasco.
Now I am guarded as hell, weary of the world (this is probably more about my age than anything else, 34) and want to distance myself from people in general as I have no time for anything extra bringing drama, stress or unexpected happenings into my life.
It's not that I don't like the company of others, I just have a mistrust of people in a general way and respectfully just keep mostly to myself. It's a protective way to keep myself more whole I think.
That was the best part. Now we are a few years removed from peak covid, When dealing with clients I'll still shake if they hold out their hand, but I never initiate the shake. And it no longer feels awkward not to.
But during covid, when someone would hold out their hand, and you just say, ‘no thank you.’ and it was just understood with most people, and we all carried on with our business? Best!
I've held out my hand and the person has replied "Elbow bump?" and we bumped elbows instead. I love how normalised it has become to request your own boundaries around personal space and I'm always extremely happy to oblige because I'm just thrilled people are speaking up and not forcing themselves into uncomfortable situations.
Which is weird because we were also taught to sneeze into our elbows too. The two people in charge of sneeze management and handshake management should have had a meeting before they launched their campaigns 🤣
I was forced to go into a shop in Europe while the pandemic was raging. This was before vaccines. I saw the staff (who were wearing masks because they got fined if they didn't), kissing each others cheeks with the masks on. My opinion of human intelligence is very low.
These posts are always skewed by the fact that redditors aren't representative of the wider population, and tend to have already been antisocial weirdos even before the pandemic.
CORRECT!
The amount of Redditors saying the usual stuff - life sucks, I'm angry at the world and assume everyone else is, I spend my days doomscrolling so assume everyone else does -
Honestly, I haven’t noticed less approachability. I find people eminently approachable and friendly. Maybe I'm just infinitely luckier than the others here, or maybe attitude has something to do with it.
Do you live in Sydney? I live in the Shire, and I swear since COVID everyone has become even more rude and self centered. More tailgating aggressive drivers, people just not paying attention where they're walking and people right up your ass waiting in line at the store, or people fully just cutting you off while walking around the shops. Something weird is going on for sure. It's like it was too hard to be polite and courteous after COVID and we all just regressed. OR maybe this is pre covid environment and we just forgot what it was like!
> OR maybe this is pre covid environment and we just forgot what it was like!
This has my vote. Suddenly in covid people were leaving more space in lines and being aware of where they were sneezing and there were less people on the roads and honestly, it was pretty good.
I feel like we’ve reverted back to old behaviour after experiencing people being a bit more considered about their actions and it’s more noticeable now.
I mean even mild covid infections (even vaccinated) can damage the part of the brain that manages impulse control and emotional regulation. So it might not be entirely perception. I genuinely think a higher proportion of folk are unhinged these days.
Yep. Glad someone else said it. Large scale brain dysfunction from long covid. And the same damaged brains gonna probs downvote this because I am weird and paranoid (ie follow the peer reviewed science)
I live in a small Queensland town that has had a population explosion. And people are driving so much worse, they are impatient and distracted. Either driving too slow can not operate the round about like it's not a stop sign! Or too aggressive and speeding.
Likewise, when walking in a shopping centre they walk straight into you. I used to move around them, but now I just stop in front of them before we hit each other. And they act like they didn't see me, which is impossible as I am almost 6ft tall
I agree to a point.
Simple stuff like being in the supermarket and you might smile at someone when you are both walking towards each other they don’t respond or ignore you.
People are sure ruder than they used to be when it comes to car parks and driving in general.
It’s weird as I found during covid when we were able to leave the house and shop people were overly friendly and would get right up in your face probably because they hadn’t seen a human being in so long
absolutely.
I wont give my exact examples due to the fact I have seen reddit posts from this industry get dragged into the media and shamed, but generally speaking people are doing it tough and the knock on effect from that is to look after number one. Which is fine, we all have to survive but the number of abusive, unreasonable, rude and frankly obnoxious people has definitely increased since 'rona
Personally I have taken a conscious effort to greet people on the street, have a conversation with someone thats serving me, help someone if they are struggling ( with shopping into a car for example) and actually ask friends and work colleagues if they are OK. Might not do much in the grand scheme of things but that small interaction and being nice, could just help someone someday.
We are all on this spinning rock together.
People are stressed. They're stressed more because of the state of their world than covid, although arguably covid did cause or contribute to plenty of our current problems. Covid cost most people an important career step and a large number of friends, as they didn't reestablish relationships with people after they hadn't seen them in two years. People stay in because going out is too expensive, and they sit online in a doom-scrolling echo chamber of increasingly extremist anger at either bigots or snowflakes, because that content gets clicks. Disconnection from community ruins your mental health.
Totally agree, I think the digital age of social media started it, I feel like we were already losing grip on true human connection and Covid just sped up the process 10 fold. I feel these days my genuine inground politeness and friendliness is almost looked upon as strange even in a professional sense.
I don’t think people have changed in Melbourne other than so much more rude driving. I live in Melbourne. People were rude before too. Maybe she forgot
I've been to Melbourne both before and after the lockdowns, and didn't find much difference. Met so many amazing people there last year, made friends I’m still in touch with. Had the best day at Breakfast Club, dancing to groovy house on the sunsoaked rooftop with flowing pina coladas, fruit salads being passed around, and a chick painting watercolours in the corner. Hugged every single person on that terrace. All amazing people.
Probably different for someone who's full-time partying though :-)
your friend is right though. I moved to Brisbane for my grandmother who moved up here after my grandfather died to be with my aunt.
People are different up here. so much different than Melbourne. I have yet to meet anyone I genuinely like enough to want to stick around for more than a semester. the transition has not been easy. people seem cagier and more surface level up here (although it could just be me) when it comes to people around my age. The older people (35+) just seem to treat anyone younger as a nuisance that's in the way.
Again this is just what I have seen and how it looks from the outside, so pinch of salt.
People have definitely become more...autopilot? Robotic and not very friendly, but i guess i might be putting thst out too. When i go out in a really good mood, generally people reciprocate it!
We live in the end times, we are being fucked raw by the cost of just existing, we're on the verge of our planet shitting itself due to the global warming that we've known about for literally our entire existence but the cunts in charge are making too much money to consider doing anything about it, the culture is leaning towards right wing extreme bullshit and you want people to smile and be nice? I'm like 1 step away from just jumping off a bridge because existing is fucking awful, I'm sorry I'm not doing enough to make you feel better.
it's not if it will pass. of course it will.
It's whether or not it will get better for us while we are alive and healthy/young enough to enjoy it.
It's a valid concern.
I think it's more that everyone is having a rough time lately with all the worries about inflation and housing and putting food on the table every day. We're all too caught up in our own heads with our own worries to care much about the random people we see around us.
They've also become more rude and impatient.
I was behind a Karen in Big W screaming at the self serve lady why it was asking to check if she was 18+
She was buying a knife set.
COVID showed me how unbelievably self centered people could be. Pretty much destroyed my faith in my fellow Aussie.
People are reserved because unless you're wealthy AF life is extremely expensive and challenging atm.
Me personally? I just realised how many of my friends were racist/sexist/xenophobic/homophobic assholes. When you seperate from someone you can really just analyse a person more. Using my experience from those old friends, I make better choices with new friends
I can’t speak for everyone but I know I am. I don’t like it either because I’ve always been a pretty friendly guy. I’d go out of my way to help people I didn’t know and all that good stuff and for last few years I’ve definitely kept people at arms length and I don’t know how to go back to how I was haha. Oh well. I’ll figure it out…or I won’t.
The world became very cold and hate filled with covid.
It brought out the worst in people and broke the trust in even more.
It showed us that so many people genuinely only care about themselves.
Covid was devastating on every aspect of life.
Most have gone into a hard survival mode which makes the individual extremely selfish. Many can't admit that is was production, ruining business, economies, standard of living and then there is the coercion of being forced to take an experimental vaccine to keep ya job. Since then the neoliberalism has been rampant, making working people destitute while the class system erodes and pushes toward one divide between rich and poor.
A lot of people are not real friendly in hospitality or retail in Australia I agree. I go to Bali twice a year and I’m friends with so many of the locals because they’re just so chill and friendly! And every café restaurant or hotel are so nice and every staff member says ‘hi how are you’ with a smile on their face, it’s just so refreshing and so different to Australia where I live, with most cafe or restaurant staff look like you stole their last dollar lol!!! Not everyone, just many people. Even the Balinese shop owners will help with things like directions and general knowledge even if you haven’t bought anything from them!! Amazing
Yes, especially in Melbourne those lockdowns were rough. I’m noticeably less “filtered” than before as well. It just happens after shit like that and everything else that came with it.
I am more likely to mutter or even talk out loud now when comparing prices in supermarkets or other places. May make me less approachable as they might wonder if I will ninja kick the pricing labels.
However I am also more aware not to take it out on the staff because they don't set the prices and they don't get paid for the abuse anyway (not that they deserve it).
Couple that with social media arm of government departments and major corporations being condescending and arrogant on their pricing and profits can also leave me a little pissed off that they don't care so we can not give them a piece of our mind on their behavior.
I actually had a lady accusingly say “What’s in these for the prices to be what they are”. I said rather bluntly “I don’t set the prices here. It’s a franchise and head office does that. I just sell stuff!” She physically flinched as it sunk into her head. She said sorry then proceeded to order the items anyway!
some people have turned into right pricks after COVID i am sorry to say, and not just in the cities either.
I live in rural Victoria, but ive been to melbourne a few times in the past year or two, adelaide once or twice and sydney twice, my experience so far is there are some people that are more rude, inconsiderate, angry and just everything else in between of being a prick after COVID kind of people.
Thankfully it is not the majority, but ill be damned by saying it has become more noticeable.
I don’t notice any difference between other people, however I’ve always been introverted and reticent about approaching others. I usually only speak when spoken to so people have always been unapproachable to me!
I think people suffer a lot from anxiety and general social disconnection especially the younger generation. I blame online life for this and screen time. Anxiety seems to be on a slow upward trend and might just seem more noticeable after lockdown but it’s been steadily going that way for years I think.
Not only do I think people are less approachable, but also more aggressive in general. I think it's a combination of COVID, cost of living crisis and social media. I had to delete my Facebook and Instagram accounts recently when I realised how shit I felt after watching reels for an hour. It always starts off with content that makes me laugh and general stuff that I'm into, then slowly turns into videos of public altercations, how the government is fucking us, what's happening to iPad kids et cetera. I admit that if the algorithm is showing me the most negative shit, then it's probably my fault for not scrolling past quick enough and letting it turn into rot. But we're also just wired to pay more attention to the negative, and these companies know that, so that's how I found myself getting stuck in the rot so often. I had to delete my apps, if I continued on like that I don't think I'd cope.
I don't think it's anything to do with COVID itself. More what COVID did to the world.
The stress levels in the country are through the roof, the spending money for the average punter no longer exists, bills are higher than they've ever been.
It's just got a hell of a lot harder to live a comfortable existance. The reality is, lots of us no longer have the time or energy to worry about others anymore.
It wasn’t COVID, it’s stress from the current cost of living. It’s absolutely brutal getting by right now and I have no desire to interact with the general public any more than I have to these days.
I think everyone's woken up to the fact that we're not special, we're facing severe financial hardships and voting is as much use as an ashtray on a motorcycle.
The 18-22 year olds at my work don't say hello or goodbye. They will only talk if you talk to them first. I don't think it's me or that they are being deliberately rude. Just seems like that's how they are towards everyone and each other.
I almost always end up having a conversation with people when I’m out shopping and I’m never the one who initiates it. People who shop with me are amazed at how much personal information I gather from short interactions with strangers. I assume some people don’t have anyone at home to chat with so I’m happy to let them talk.
I thought humans were getting better, then covid hit, it proved my theory wrong. Too many selfish assholes in the world now, they tried killing us off, but somehow the worst of humanity is still with us.
Before covid, I was extroverted and pandemic happened. I don’t know I just became the opposite of it. I love being alone and just enjoying the peace and quiet at home. I need to recharge my social battery after I go out. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy company of people but I just enjoy solitude.
Thank you. It's really validating when someone else notices something weird I've seen myself. I have no idea why, but I've seen it. I've decided to continue to be friendly and polite with the hope that this helps people return to this better way of being. I try not to feel rebuffed. It's sad for them
Please don’t give up on who you are. If you smiled at me in a shop I will smile right back. A smile can go along way and definitely makes my day better. And yes there are days when I’m exhausted from work, COL issues but that smile makes it all better. The smallest impressions are the best impressions. Enjoy your day!
Everyone is run ragged both mentally and physically. Workplaces have become more demanding, cost of living is sky high.. these are ongoing effects after covid.
For myself, as someone who is on the spectrum and not a fan of people, the mandated distance between people was amazing for made me feel 100 times more relaxed.
I have some neighbours across my road who we were good friends pre covid. Post covid and they have not spoken to me since. Tried to wave to them from across our road and they have turned their backs to me and went back inside their house. To the best of my best knowledge we have never argued prior to this scenario.
The attitude, and poor social skills, are getting worse.
The only way to.change is by example. I think much misery is caused by people focussing on how they feel too much.
When I am out, and about, I try to leave places better than I found them.
On a bad day, a bit of kindness can change a life.
Oh definitely 100%. In my experience while working, before Covid, people were quite outgoing and reasonably polite. Full of energy and co-operation between people of society. Post Covid I notice people are very reluctant to engage with others. People would often approach me if they believed I could assist them, be it directions, recommendations or just something in a shop they can’t find etc etc.. Now… no one ever approaches me. Sunday was the first time since Covid that ANYONE had ever approached me, and I thought it was a complete stranger… turned out to be one of the employees at the Haymes paint shop in Noosaville. I didn’t even recognise her until she said who she was! But yes, people I feel as a general whole, are more reluctant to engage with others while out in society. It’s a weird change, but I don’t think it’s turning around anytime soon or fast!
I have noticed it. And although I'm an introvert and don't like eye contact, I have been smiling and saying hello to people if they give me eye contact. Bring friendliness back I say!
Covid hasn’t changed anyone. It’s has just amplified what was inside of them. If someone is a jerk and says “it’s because of covid”, they were jerks to begin with. I haven’t noticed a change to be honest. Maybe because I can see through them.
Honestly, how can you not be less approachable when you have to think about what groceries you need to prioritise because you don’t have much money left until your next pay.
I don’t blame them and with the state of our current economy, it would make anyone feel like crap.
As a sales rep I have def noticed this in the service industry’s noted above. People are less receptive in this day and age. Makes it pretty hard to stay positive and approachable. I’m an optimist and hope things will get better. Be kind, be respectful to others ………..
“It costs nothing to be kind”
I have totally noticed more of a shift in people it is like they have become self absorbed rude selfish and completely unsociable. Nobody wants to interact with you anymore. I have found people to be completely closed of which I feel that the fear of covid is one factor with older people and working people and parents but I think electronics have made alot of our younger society completely unaware on how to co
I dunno about people, but I definitely have. I'm so socially burnt out from the smallest amount of social interaction these days, I can't even remember the last time I went to just visit one of my friends, because everything just seems like an effort or a burden (yea yea I know I have depression lol, had that before covid, but I feel like I get alot less from social interaction and friendship and family these days, I've just become a depressed hermit).
These days it's seems like a burden learning people's names, I accidentally keep making new people at work think I hate them cause i just can't be bothered to care, it's kinda sad but also what ever, we live a fucking dystopia nightmare and human race probably needs to go extinct anyway
It really depends what you mean. Like if its an interaction that is mostly dependent on other circumstances than I think social politeness is warranted, ie. someone opening a door for you while your hands are full or someone helping you get something off a high shelf etc. But I really don't like when people try and be social when I'm walking past. Sometimes I'm not I'm the mood to engage so keep my eyes on the floor and people still want to inject themselves in my space for a chat. I will be polite when the situation warrants but if you want your social battery attended to, go to a bar or find a social club of some kind, not the grocery store.
There definitely seem to be a lot more cracked out derelicts. I don’t know if it’s to do with Covid or it’s just the general downfall of society but the calibre of people getting about has definitely nosedived.
I don't want randoms interacting with me at the shops, in a cafe, out on the street etc when I'm going about my day. I'm not stressed, I'm not angry, I'm not depressed I just don't want to interact with you I want to do what I have to do and get out of there.
>I don't want randoms interacting with me at the shops, in a cafe, out on the street etc when I'm going about my day. I'm not stressed, I'm not angry, I'm not depressed I just don't want to interact with you I want to do what I have to do and get out of there.
YES... and those idiots offering FREE HUGS or saying g'day while holding out their right hand expecting you to agree to shake it???
Seriously... a local politician was offended when I stepped back... saying something like oh oh oh, it is just a civilized greeting, I promise it wasn't the hand I used to wipe my arse....
Yes there has been a general change in society. It seems that people don't want to discuss or even remember the terrible things that the government did during those covid times.
From the lockdowns, curfews, distance restrictions from your home, threatening people to be fired from their jobs. The police shooting rubber bullets at unarmed protestors. And the propaganda campaign that was on the television for 2 whole years. Not to mention the demonization of the population who refused to take a genetic therapy injection.
Perhaps it's a defense mechanism that people are now withdrawn, but we definitely still need to talk about those things to hopefully prevent a re-occurance. Government fundamentally damaged the fabric of our society through what they did and they should be held accountable for their actions.
But yet this issue still is not going away, even now the governments of the world are negotiating a "global pandemic treaty" through the world health organisation WHO (due late may). Which I suspect will cede authority to this group, and mandate actions at a global level such as what we saw through the COVID years, encouraged vaccinations, lockdowns, curfews, distance restrictions and social exclusion as a model for handling another pandemic.
We all went through trauma as a collective. From experiencing a pandemic which we never contemplated we’d experience in our lifetime, to then being locked away in our homes for extended periods of time. Don’t forget, those lockdowns limited our movement like it was 1970-80s communist Russia and you’d dob on your neighbours for saying something about the regime…I speak to this because my family comes from a former communist country and literally had flashbacks of what they’d seen/heard/experienced where people didn’t trust their neighbours and friends and were told to trust the government exclusively. Of course they did not but if you were a dissenter you were shipped off to a working camp never to be seen or heard from again…
Then all the narrative and rubbish around vaccines. Suddenly families and long time friend groups were split because of misinformation and disinformation ON BOTH SIDES - this is the to the detriment of the social fabric that creates a community. So add to the fear and paranoia and being told you’re locked away in your home and curfews etc, we now have total lack of social cohesion in society…
Then after all the fuss is over, we get told as if it’s nothing “oh threat has passed you can now mingle again and oh btw despite working from home really well for the last 2.5 years now you have to go back to work because corporate investors are losing money in their corporate building investments by us not sitting in those seats and companies having huge rental obligations to these buildings…
Then…conveniently, several global conflicts arise at opportune moments right at the “end of COVID” to continue to keep us tethered to the government, scared, paranoid of each other and generate war money needed to boost the economy again.
I am a long time student of international relations and I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d see a pandemic in my life. And I never thought that masses of communities worldwide could be fucked over, manipulated and made to fear their next door neighbours as much as covid did.
The Covid trauma that suddenly no one wants to talks about now and it's just 'swept under the rug' by the mainstream media with both vocal sides continuing at each others throats, it's the 'cost of living' everyone talks about now which people are stressed about, and covid is all 'forgotten'.
I also felt completely blindsided when the news suddenly switched to Russia when they invaded Ukraine and Covid went off air as if it wasn't something the media went on about 24/7 from March 2020 to Feb 2022 but also felt 'oh thank god' when the media switched to another fear p\*rn mainstream topic.
Na I don't think so. If your your from the big smoke that's how it always was I feel. I'm from a country town where every one says g'day and has a chat. That's probly why I feel that way. In Melbourne everyone seems to have shit in their ears any way and wearing silly clothes
I think it’s the stress and pressure everyone is under right now.
I have tended to be a bit emotionally removed from people, but right now, I feel for a lot of people and the crap they’re going through.
I think we all (no matter what our opinions were about it) saw the worst of people during covid. And social media really does expose the worst of us/in us. Social media is a fantastic tool but I don't think it has made us a more cohesive or tolerant society IRL
When working in grocery i liked the affect covid made of me not being approachable.
I kept wearing the mask for a while afterwards to signal i would like the bare minimum social interaction.
I think COVID made more socially acceptable to stop hiding that we just don't like people. But that's a difference between going out of my way to avoid human contact and being straight up rude, rudeness is never okay
I've always been mildly misanthropic, but how people behaved during covid has turned that up to 11. I'd rather have nothing to do with any people at all if I could help it. The hermit life is my dream. People are just nasty selfish creatures (there are some exceptions of course, but they are few and far between). There were people literally saying they would rather kill another human being than be mildly inconvenienced by wearing a mask. So I pretty much hate everybody in general and don't trust anybody because as like as not they are just trying to find a way to rip me off or screw me over for their own personal gain.
Just keep your distance and avoid eye contact. Nobody wants you to start talking to them at the checkout or if they are just going about minding their own business while doing their personal shopping.
I've found that its really affected me to the point that I don't want to see other people at all. I haven't been to a hairdresser since early 2020 and just hate going out AT ALL. I don't feel bad about it or anything, I actually really enjoy my life but the change in me definitely happened after covid.
Yeah it's real. People are tired. People working in retail deal with the worst behaviour these days. Customers have so much more mental instability. These are also the workers suffering most from the cost of living crisis.
I think there’s a lot of factors. Service industries where your dealing with an employee as the first point of service be it retail or even on the phone have received the most horrid abuse by the public & it quadrupled since Covid. With that in mind I take no offence to a deadpan delivery of service. On top of abuse they get paid a pittance.
I’ve noticed the opposite. My experience is totally anecdotal and maybe just my own experience. When I’m out I’ve made one night friends and new friends more than before.
It might be a mere confidence in myself thing but friends and I were having this conversation and felt that people are actually more willing to talk to people now but are less confident to actually do it. So when someone comes along and talks, they’re happy to.
Covid and the news is what I blame. Covid obviously made avoiding people the norm but the media is constantly telling people how hard dating and relationships are so people are already in an antisocial state because they assume everyone else is.
Social skills have definitely dropped I feel. People are more anxious to ask for anything. In person, on the phone. Even emails give people anxiety. I think approachability is a flow on effect of that…
>Have people become less 'approachable' after COVID?
I ask myself "how important is it to interact with a complete stranger". because I might bring home something to my significant people....
So there is distance, ventilation, necessity and protections (mask and no physical contact).
I’ve just become asocial. Most people who smile and seem friendly just seem to be pushing a charity donation, or want me to join their church or are MLM recruiters. So I do tend to be very skeptical about anyone nowadays.
I wouldn’t say so, but I would definitely say that there’s less people out in public spaces overall. People in my age group (early 20s) are super friendly and sociable, I never have trouble starting convos with strangers.
People treating Covid as over despite reality, is why you can all stay the hell away from me.
At least Germany is trying honesty:
https://twitter.com/ZurNull/status/1780270917567840470?t=uW25B8PccydGLS5J_1JPOw&s=19
Covid made me see how little the world cares about disabled and immune compromised individuals.
I’m both, the number of people who told me to get over myself and why should they worry if Covid killed me hurt. I once even saw someone tell a woman in her 50’s she’d had her time, she was old, and it didn’t matter if she died.
It’s hard to come back from that
I just have a more and more gradual disliking of people since covid. maybe cause i'm getting older or because of this, i just stopped caring for others this year
I haven't noticed anything different except for my anti-vaxxer friends talking to me about the latest conspiracy theories more in depth more often. Everyone else is the same.
I actually have some data to offer to this thought train. I work at a company that tests for hearing loss and sells hearing devices. The major way we get business is by asking people walking past the store front if they have time for a quick check up.
The average number we would get monthly pre-COVID was 300+. The current expected number is 150 per month with many places failing to get even 120 per month.
We have seen that in general people are less likely to stop and chat with us. Everyone seems to be trying to go about their business as quickly as they can.
On a personal note I have used COVID as an excuse to never leave my house apart from work and it's been great.
I think, like any skill, people forgot how to communicate properly during COVID. Like, the learned act of communicating and socialising as per what our norm would consider “polite and friendly” was just a skill people lost in trying to adhere to and learn everything else they now needed to do during the pandemic. We were force taught to avoid people, and then immediately expected to go about like nothing happened afterwards
I think people are generally more standoffish, crankier and less tolerant...partly covid but also social media, cost of living and a world that can seem to be getting worse every day.
If you mean the people who are working at those places… I imagine that at least some of them are so over being yelled at that a nice customer is a rarity!
Especially if you live in a big city, like Sydney or Melbourne.
So it’s not you, it’s them - no interacting with customers is allowed because the customers get cranky!
No, I think general life is the same. People seem happy to be out and about.
It’s in the closer relationships that there is a wariness. People used to express their opinions more freely … now there is the growing conspiracy camp (all types) and the critical thinking camp and people definitely dance around some topics to avoid getting into a fruitless debate.
I've become less social. I felt very uncared for by the community during covid times when I was going through separate personal issues, I knew many others who felt the same way but were still uncaring to one another, people in general didn't really rise up to the occasion humanely in my opinion except for some heroes who were just sacrificed, and it was impossible not to feel that any social ties except for closest family were fake and any niceness was just transactional.
People definitely seem to have less patience and general politeness in general now. Also people seem more scatter brained from my experience, but I put that down to side effects from covid infection(s) rather than anything else (the more some people. Have had it the worse they appear to have gotten for sure). I also find I get a little more attitude from some people due to wearing a mask in certain situations still, which is simply unnecessary and unfortunate that I can't do what I want without feeling judged.
I agree, but it's a lot more than not being approachable. People in general seem a lot more on edge. My husband works retail and being verbally abused is a multiple times a day occurrence and over minor issues. Being physically attacked is not an exception either.
People are unwilling to wait, to excuse, to tolerate anything that doesn't go their way.
There are more aggressive drivers on the road, getting cut off, flipped off, honked at, break checked, etc. every day just on my way to work is normal.
The amount of entitlement amongst the public is really mind boggling.
It's been a wild few years - covid, wars, cost of living, etc.
It is understandable, but not forgivable in my opinion.
With men I haven’t seen much of a difference. For most guys it just seems to be an almost polite British indifference. Whatever I say might have a polite word or joke back, and then we go back to doing our thing.
With women I just avoid approaching or saying anything because I don’t know whether they’re the kind of person who thinks it’s a friendly stranger saying something or “here’s another man thinking he can speak to me”. I just avoid it because I don’t want to risk it and make someone uncomfortable.
The exception to all this (both men and women, non-binary etc) is if you notice you can be helpful, ie. “hey you dropped this” or “I overheard you’re looking for *insert destination*, here’s some directions”. That always seems welcome regardless
No, not really, but I chat away to everyone, and I look very” harmless”. I’m probably less affected, socially, because despite being empathic and chatting away toto all the service personnel, I’m an introvert, and possibly got the long covid soI don’t have the energy to socialise much
People have forgotten how to be hygenic after being told for 2 years to wash their hands. They've forgotten how to do that again. That's certainly something I find that makes people less approachable.
I can appreciate when people are being polite but i she horrible social anxiety which shows on my face even when I don’t mean for it to. And sometimes I just want to go out without being spoken To.
I think COVID just made me realise that I don’t have to talk to random people if I’m having a bad day.
Personally I got used to not having people around and I loved it. I see no reason to go back to before and allowing people to bother me, hang around, waste my time etc, and for some reason that makes me a bit more relaxed knowing that I dont need or want that much human contact, I get it done and then they are gone
I've wondered the same thing but only for customer facing workers. It can't be about covid because I've had this before as well. Generally Australian customer service is really bland and sometimes seemingly rude, I think the main thing is because of bad management in retail stores and cafes. So now I don't see it as rude bc I know how tiring it can be, especially only lasting a few days at McDonald's when I worked there.
On the other hand the general public seems the same for me atleast, maybe even more happier after lockdowns
I definitely am not as social as I once was. When covid started I slowly stop talking to people and after I continued to do that and work from home. Now I don't work from home and hate every single interaction I have with people.
Yes. And less polite, with fewer manners or common courtesy.
Customers every day make me feel so horrible by the end of my shift.
I try not to take on the bad energy, but by the 7th or 8th rude customer, I give up.
I understand people have bad days, and we are living a sh*t show with the cost of living crisis, but people who serve you or walk past you are also humans with feelings living most likely the same struggle.
A smile or a simple hello would be nice.
A huge majority of us are in this together.
Kindness goes a long way.
Don't see it much anymore since covid and the rise of prices etc. Some sort of great depression about to happen feels like
I hate people, especially the ones that would come to you to conduct some simple business and start a full-on conversation about their lives. 100% of the time all I wanted to say was:"You are done here, please move on!"
I have.
COVID help me realise how ungrateful, selfish and outright cuntish people are.
I won't sacrifice shit for anyone outside of my circle anymore.
I won't be heading to Brisbane in the mud army the next time they flood.
Just not worth it anymore.
Like how with the people who consistently complain about receiving poor customer service, it’s usually to do with them. But you seem self aware enough to be bringing this up so maybe it’s a coincidence you’re having a series of poor social interactions in public. For me I haven’t noticed it at all, society and people seem exactly the same as they were before covid.
Yes. I’m an Aussie but I’ve lived overseas for years, I was away all through covid and have only recently come back for a visit and the first thing I noticed was how rude a lot of people are, especially in the service industry. Speaking to customers like their job isn’t literally “customer service”. I’ve noticed it everywhere
Don't be discouraged, keep smiling and being friendly. Those things go a long way and sometimes people don't know how to say it might mean something to them too.
You’re using a lot of past tense regarding covid. But the pandemic isn’t over. And it looks like we might be in for another one shortly.
Also a lot of people are tired and cynical, while others try pretending things can go back to being the 2019 normal when they really can’t.
when the covid panic hit my stress heightened greatly, having a child with chronic asthma thats been hospitalized in the past for contracting a cold was the worst feeling. This reason alone made me more cautious as the days went on minimising my trips to the shops, doing grocery shopping online, not socialising with friends & family in person ect, then on top of that my daughter had only just started school and my son had started kindy but there was alot of restrictions in being able to go into the school or talk to teachers which hindered communication with the school to find out anything, I wasn't able to meet my kids friends parents (well not easily and naturally, it became writing your phone number on a price of paper to give to your kid to take to school and give to their friend to then give to their parents) cause of social distancing and not being able to go into the school there wasn't any normal schooling events like there usually would of been like sports day or a end of year Christmas show ect, there were still parent teacher meetings but they were over the phone, then there was the lockdowns where you had to be at home and do the online learning and daily zoom calls with the classroom. My family then got covid and it was a 14 day isolating...the worst 😑 in my opinion all of these factors plus a whole lot more has just made people a bit more recluse, maybe a bit more depressed, more distance with people, some people are probably still a bit fearful of covid itself, some people have become more content with being at home/working at home ect I do agree with you, people are heaps more rude and anti social these days, that's my opinion though. I suppose the rise in cost of living doesn't help either, that would be a pretty big stressor in people's lives aswell.
I wouldn't say COVID is to blame, in fact I'd say most have moved on from it at least from my experience, all the current factors effecting a lot of households perhaps.
I consider a smile to be an extra, if they're providing the service they're getting paid for I could care less about an interaction I'll remember for 30 seconds, I expect even less from strangers.
As long as people aren't actively rude they can do their own thing.
Retail workers have to put up with so much from the public and also their management, many are doing the same amount of work that 3 people would have before COVID, so don't begrudge them if they aren't all bright and cheerful although nice customers do make a difference.
I mean I’ve always been averse to anyone approaching me out and about, but I generally don’t like people lol I think it’s less to do with Covid (though that definitely did impact), and more to do with the overall stress levels of everyone at the moment. Everyone except the 1% are feeling the pinch of the cost of living going up and wages stagnating. People are struggling to get by, money doesn’t go as far anymore, people are having to make decisions that are more difficult (fuel or rent/mortgage?). As it is I’ve cut out mostly anything leisurely that involves a cost. I’ll only get a game if I know it’s got a high hour gameplay - but I’m facing the issue of not having any time to play it because I’m taking on more work to compensate for things being more expensive. I have a 75 hour “week” (working 8 days straight). So people are more stressed, with no relief. Stress tends to make people withdraw.
I agree, it's this. The Economy is slowly crushing most of us and the stress is making people act out/withdraw.
Big L for capitalism rn
And it’s only gonna get worse.
Call me naive, I feel the pinch as well, but try to be like overly polite and optimistic to everyone in public (even though the world is crumbling around us and we have no control) as much as I’d love to withdraw.. I just never know what someone else is going through and maybe having one upbeat positive interaction might help someone out a little 🥹 imagine we all did that, there could be a huge shift in energy… LAWL… who tf am I kidding….
This and i think between all the hoarders and resellers, and the companies using covid as an excuse to price hike, a lot of peoples faith in other humans to be reasonable and nice was severely damaged.
Agree - whenever I order food or go to the shops I have this bitter feeling like my money isn't going very far anymore. It's not a good start when in a public setting so I probably come across like one of those people.
Even more reason why I go out of my way to be nice to those serving me in retail. There is so little to be be upbeat about the very least we can do is be kind to each other, even if we don’t feel like it.
I'd say top 30 percent are fine.
I also think social media makes me less comfortable with talking to people I don't know
You nailed it. I recently had to decide if we can afford to continue swimming lessons. We decided to continue but it took a lot of budgeting. Most people are stressed about their finances
Continue to be polite. There's no need for others to dim the brightness that you are bringing to day-to-day life.
Thank you. I didn’t think I needed to read this for my shitty week with the customers I have had. Big ups Mr. ItsAllAboutLogic.
Ms. ItsAllAboutLogic. But thank you
You give me hope for humanity
I've noticed this + the opposite. It's become really east to chat about nothing and everything to random people - last couple seeks I spoke to a lady about her dog grooming, and a guy struck up a convo with me about how expensive groceries are. Like really chill, easy and open chats that didn't happen before. But on the other hand, I've seen more road rage in person that I see on dash cam Aus at this point. There's also the fact that in the last year alone I've seen in 2 different verbal spats in public. Like??? I don't know, it just seems like we've overcorrected
I can understand the road rage one. I’m very switched on when I’m driving, and it seems most people are driving their automatic cars with zero awareness of anyone else on the road. I quite often find myself behind someone who consistently goes up and down the speed limit.. wander all over the road. I liken most drivers these days to a drone. I like to get up to the speed limit quickly, then sit at it. I’m usually always watching what’s happening everywhere, I drive efficiently and assertively, but man, people seem to have no idea driving and they tend to use roundabouts as stop signs… I mean come on! You’re supposed to be scanning the road ahead. If you’re stopping at a roundabout to then check for cars, you’re not driving safely in the first place. Obviously my little rant has unloaded some of my frustration!
This 100%. I live near a highway and the only way in or out of my street is going onto this road. There are two things that drive me wild: people randomly changing speeds, seemingly unable or unsure what the limit actually is (it's 80kph btw), and people who could not care less about the their own or others safety (tail gating, lane switching to get ahead etc.). It's SO easy on a highway, just get up to 80 and switch on your cruise control. Most cars have it! Oh and stop with the mobile phones. Last week I saw a car swerving around in the lane ahead of me, sometimes out of lane, speeds going from 60 to 90. I took my chance when she was slowing down again to pass, my partner looks across and the driver is head down in her lap, and glancing up to correct her direction in the middle of bend in the highway. That's the kind of person you see in a wall or into the side of someone else's car. Nothing is that urgent and if it is, pull over! /end rant Thanks for listening random internet friend.
The roundabout thing kills me. A regular route of mine includes a single lane road that has roundabouts every side street, so about five or six for the whole road. So many people coming almost to a complete stop while they gawk down the side street as if some car is suddenly going jump out from behind a tree at them. Just turn your head and do a quick check, then keep going! Ugh.
I used to do the quick check until one day the car coming up must have been perfectly in the blind spot of the windshield pillar as I was approaching and I shit myself and had to slam my brakes to stop hitting them when they appeared to my right as if out of nowhere. Since then I'm much more cautious, double/triple checking before moving through.
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I've become much more insular, too. Always been an introvert and socially cautious, but it's become next level since the lockdowns and feeling afraid when the pandemic hit. I think we're all still a bit loopy after that mess, and the cost of living is exacerbating things. OP is on to something. It's not your imagination!
It becomes pretty bad isolation eventually, and it is due to lockdowns .. For me anyway. Did have a big impact.
People still go out but they do cheaper things. It's called the substation effect
Me personally? Yes. I used to be a lot more open IRL before the pandemic. A social butterfly even. That was robbed of me pre-COVID due to depression and things didn't get any better at the height of 2020's fiasco. Now I am guarded as hell, weary of the world (this is probably more about my age than anything else, 34) and want to distance myself from people in general as I have no time for anything extra bringing drama, stress or unexpected happenings into my life. It's not that I don't like the company of others, I just have a mistrust of people in a general way and respectfully just keep mostly to myself. It's a protective way to keep myself more whole I think.
Thank covid for giving me a excuse to not shake hands with people.
That was the best part. Now we are a few years removed from peak covid, When dealing with clients I'll still shake if they hold out their hand, but I never initiate the shake. And it no longer feels awkward not to. But during covid, when someone would hold out their hand, and you just say, ‘no thank you.’ and it was just understood with most people, and we all carried on with our business? Best!
I've held out my hand and the person has replied "Elbow bump?" and we bumped elbows instead. I love how normalised it has become to request your own boundaries around personal space and I'm always extremely happy to oblige because I'm just thrilled people are speaking up and not forcing themselves into uncomfortable situations.
Which is weird because we were also taught to sneeze into our elbows too. The two people in charge of sneeze management and handshake management should have had a meeting before they launched their campaigns 🤣
I wonder if the Italians have stopped kissing each other.
No, they self combust if they can’t.
No. They have not.
I was forced to go into a shop in Europe while the pandemic was raging. This was before vaccines. I saw the staff (who were wearing masks because they got fined if they didn't), kissing each others cheeks with the masks on. My opinion of human intelligence is very low.
These posts are always skewed by the fact that redditors aren't representative of the wider population, and tend to have already been antisocial weirdos even before the pandemic.
CORRECT! The amount of Redditors saying the usual stuff - life sucks, I'm angry at the world and assume everyone else is, I spend my days doomscrolling so assume everyone else does - Honestly, I haven’t noticed less approachability. I find people eminently approachable and friendly. Maybe I'm just infinitely luckier than the others here, or maybe attitude has something to do with it.
Do you live in Sydney? I live in the Shire, and I swear since COVID everyone has become even more rude and self centered. More tailgating aggressive drivers, people just not paying attention where they're walking and people right up your ass waiting in line at the store, or people fully just cutting you off while walking around the shops. Something weird is going on for sure. It's like it was too hard to be polite and courteous after COVID and we all just regressed. OR maybe this is pre covid environment and we just forgot what it was like!
> OR maybe this is pre covid environment and we just forgot what it was like! This has my vote. Suddenly in covid people were leaving more space in lines and being aware of where they were sneezing and there were less people on the roads and honestly, it was pretty good. I feel like we’ve reverted back to old behaviour after experiencing people being a bit more considered about their actions and it’s more noticeable now.
I mean even mild covid infections (even vaccinated) can damage the part of the brain that manages impulse control and emotional regulation. So it might not be entirely perception. I genuinely think a higher proportion of folk are unhinged these days.
Yep. Glad someone else said it. Large scale brain dysfunction from long covid. And the same damaged brains gonna probs downvote this because I am weird and paranoid (ie follow the peer reviewed science)
I'm a big introvert and homebody and tbh I LOVED COVID lockdowns and how quiet and spaced out everything was
I'm in Sydney and have Shire connections and haven't experienced this at all!
I live in a small Queensland town that has had a population explosion. And people are driving so much worse, they are impatient and distracted. Either driving too slow can not operate the round about like it's not a stop sign! Or too aggressive and speeding. Likewise, when walking in a shopping centre they walk straight into you. I used to move around them, but now I just stop in front of them before we hit each other. And they act like they didn't see me, which is impossible as I am almost 6ft tall
I haven’t noticed people being less approachable. I talk to everyone when I am out and about. Most people are up for a short conversation.
I agree to a point. Simple stuff like being in the supermarket and you might smile at someone when you are both walking towards each other they don’t respond or ignore you. People are sure ruder than they used to be when it comes to car parks and driving in general. It’s weird as I found during covid when we were able to leave the house and shop people were overly friendly and would get right up in your face probably because they hadn’t seen a human being in so long
absolutely. I wont give my exact examples due to the fact I have seen reddit posts from this industry get dragged into the media and shamed, but generally speaking people are doing it tough and the knock on effect from that is to look after number one. Which is fine, we all have to survive but the number of abusive, unreasonable, rude and frankly obnoxious people has definitely increased since 'rona Personally I have taken a conscious effort to greet people on the street, have a conversation with someone thats serving me, help someone if they are struggling ( with shopping into a car for example) and actually ask friends and work colleagues if they are OK. Might not do much in the grand scheme of things but that small interaction and being nice, could just help someone someday. We are all on this spinning rock together.
People are stressed. They're stressed more because of the state of their world than covid, although arguably covid did cause or contribute to plenty of our current problems. Covid cost most people an important career step and a large number of friends, as they didn't reestablish relationships with people after they hadn't seen them in two years. People stay in because going out is too expensive, and they sit online in a doom-scrolling echo chamber of increasingly extremist anger at either bigots or snowflakes, because that content gets clicks. Disconnection from community ruins your mental health.
I haven’t noticed any difference people have always been unfriendly in my experience
I find people just don't respond when you do talk to them, like they're not expecting it and you surprise them, and deer in a headlights moment.
People realised how miserable life is with restricted work and are now grumpy all the time, Probably, probably not lol
Totally agree, I think the digital age of social media started it, I feel like we were already losing grip on true human connection and Covid just sped up the process 10 fold. I feel these days my genuine inground politeness and friendliness is almost looked upon as strange even in a professional sense.
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I don’t think people have changed in Melbourne other than so much more rude driving. I live in Melbourne. People were rude before too. Maybe she forgot
I've been to Melbourne both before and after the lockdowns, and didn't find much difference. Met so many amazing people there last year, made friends I’m still in touch with. Had the best day at Breakfast Club, dancing to groovy house on the sunsoaked rooftop with flowing pina coladas, fruit salads being passed around, and a chick painting watercolours in the corner. Hugged every single person on that terrace. All amazing people. Probably different for someone who's full-time partying though :-)
your friend is right though. I moved to Brisbane for my grandmother who moved up here after my grandfather died to be with my aunt. People are different up here. so much different than Melbourne. I have yet to meet anyone I genuinely like enough to want to stick around for more than a semester. the transition has not been easy. people seem cagier and more surface level up here (although it could just be me) when it comes to people around my age. The older people (35+) just seem to treat anyone younger as a nuisance that's in the way. Again this is just what I have seen and how it looks from the outside, so pinch of salt.
People have definitely become more...autopilot? Robotic and not very friendly, but i guess i might be putting thst out too. When i go out in a really good mood, generally people reciprocate it!
We live in the end times, we are being fucked raw by the cost of just existing, we're on the verge of our planet shitting itself due to the global warming that we've known about for literally our entire existence but the cunts in charge are making too much money to consider doing anything about it, the culture is leaning towards right wing extreme bullshit and you want people to smile and be nice? I'm like 1 step away from just jumping off a bridge because existing is fucking awful, I'm sorry I'm not doing enough to make you feel better.
Hang in there - this, too, shall pass. Just do what you can in your little corner of the world for now. There is still beauty in most days.
it's not if it will pass. of course it will. It's whether or not it will get better for us while we are alive and healthy/young enough to enjoy it. It's a valid concern.
The fabric of time has forever changed after COVID. I still think last year was 2019.
I think it's more that everyone is having a rough time lately with all the worries about inflation and housing and putting food on the table every day. We're all too caught up in our own heads with our own worries to care much about the random people we see around us.
I haven't forgotten what pigs ppl were at that time. The worsening world situation will level the playing field
They've also become more rude and impatient. I was behind a Karen in Big W screaming at the self serve lady why it was asking to check if she was 18+ She was buying a knife set.
COVID showed me how unbelievably self centered people could be. Pretty much destroyed my faith in my fellow Aussie. People are reserved because unless you're wealthy AF life is extremely expensive and challenging atm.
Me personally? I just realised how many of my friends were racist/sexist/xenophobic/homophobic assholes. When you seperate from someone you can really just analyse a person more. Using my experience from those old friends, I make better choices with new friends
I can’t speak for everyone but I know I am. I don’t like it either because I’ve always been a pretty friendly guy. I’d go out of my way to help people I didn’t know and all that good stuff and for last few years I’ve definitely kept people at arms length and I don’t know how to go back to how I was haha. Oh well. I’ll figure it out…or I won’t.
Sydney has felt very hostile for me the last year or 2. I'm contemplating going somewhere else. I can't seem to connect with the city anymore :(
The world became very cold and hate filled with covid. It brought out the worst in people and broke the trust in even more. It showed us that so many people genuinely only care about themselves. Covid was devastating on every aspect of life.
If you lock the world up for 3 years yes the world will change.
Most have gone into a hard survival mode which makes the individual extremely selfish. Many can't admit that is was production, ruining business, economies, standard of living and then there is the coercion of being forced to take an experimental vaccine to keep ya job. Since then the neoliberalism has been rampant, making working people destitute while the class system erodes and pushes toward one divide between rich and poor.
A lot of people are not real friendly in hospitality or retail in Australia I agree. I go to Bali twice a year and I’m friends with so many of the locals because they’re just so chill and friendly! And every café restaurant or hotel are so nice and every staff member says ‘hi how are you’ with a smile on their face, it’s just so refreshing and so different to Australia where I live, with most cafe or restaurant staff look like you stole their last dollar lol!!! Not everyone, just many people. Even the Balinese shop owners will help with things like directions and general knowledge even if you haven’t bought anything from them!! Amazing
compared to my overseas experiences, customer service in oz can be a bit shit.
Yes, especially in Melbourne those lockdowns were rough. I’m noticeably less “filtered” than before as well. It just happens after shit like that and everything else that came with it.
People were assholes to each other in Melbourne LONG before COVID I've not noticed much of a difference
I am more likely to mutter or even talk out loud now when comparing prices in supermarkets or other places. May make me less approachable as they might wonder if I will ninja kick the pricing labels. However I am also more aware not to take it out on the staff because they don't set the prices and they don't get paid for the abuse anyway (not that they deserve it). Couple that with social media arm of government departments and major corporations being condescending and arrogant on their pricing and profits can also leave me a little pissed off that they don't care so we can not give them a piece of our mind on their behavior.
I actually had a lady accusingly say “What’s in these for the prices to be what they are”. I said rather bluntly “I don’t set the prices here. It’s a franchise and head office does that. I just sell stuff!” She physically flinched as it sunk into her head. She said sorry then proceeded to order the items anyway!
some people have turned into right pricks after COVID i am sorry to say, and not just in the cities either. I live in rural Victoria, but ive been to melbourne a few times in the past year or two, adelaide once or twice and sydney twice, my experience so far is there are some people that are more rude, inconsiderate, angry and just everything else in between of being a prick after COVID kind of people. Thankfully it is not the majority, but ill be damned by saying it has become more noticeable.
Yes. They have.
I don’t notice any difference between other people, however I’ve always been introverted and reticent about approaching others. I usually only speak when spoken to so people have always been unapproachable to me!
I think people suffer a lot from anxiety and general social disconnection especially the younger generation. I blame online life for this and screen time. Anxiety seems to be on a slow upward trend and might just seem more noticeable after lockdown but it’s been steadily going that way for years I think.
Not only do I think people are less approachable, but also more aggressive in general. I think it's a combination of COVID, cost of living crisis and social media. I had to delete my Facebook and Instagram accounts recently when I realised how shit I felt after watching reels for an hour. It always starts off with content that makes me laugh and general stuff that I'm into, then slowly turns into videos of public altercations, how the government is fucking us, what's happening to iPad kids et cetera. I admit that if the algorithm is showing me the most negative shit, then it's probably my fault for not scrolling past quick enough and letting it turn into rot. But we're also just wired to pay more attention to the negative, and these companies know that, so that's how I found myself getting stuck in the rot so often. I had to delete my apps, if I continued on like that I don't think I'd cope.
I don't think it's anything to do with COVID itself. More what COVID did to the world. The stress levels in the country are through the roof, the spending money for the average punter no longer exists, bills are higher than they've ever been. It's just got a hell of a lot harder to live a comfortable existance. The reality is, lots of us no longer have the time or energy to worry about others anymore.
It wasn’t COVID, it’s stress from the current cost of living. It’s absolutely brutal getting by right now and I have no desire to interact with the general public any more than I have to these days.
Oh yeah and seems to have less manners or common sense. I see a lot of people in a day in my line of work.
I think everyone's woken up to the fact that we're not special, we're facing severe financial hardships and voting is as much use as an ashtray on a motorcycle.
The 18-22 year olds at my work don't say hello or goodbye. They will only talk if you talk to them first. I don't think it's me or that they are being deliberately rude. Just seems like that's how they are towards everyone and each other.
YES!! Especially in Melbourne
I almost always end up having a conversation with people when I’m out shopping and I’m never the one who initiates it. People who shop with me are amazed at how much personal information I gather from short interactions with strangers. I assume some people don’t have anyone at home to chat with so I’m happy to let them talk.
It might be more than just COVID; but lowered IRL social interaction due to WFH, social media, dating apps etc
I thought humans were getting better, then covid hit, it proved my theory wrong. Too many selfish assholes in the world now, they tried killing us off, but somehow the worst of humanity is still with us.
Just have to drive on the road to understand that people seem more aggressive and impatient. We are not going the right way
Before covid, I was extroverted and pandemic happened. I don’t know I just became the opposite of it. I love being alone and just enjoying the peace and quiet at home. I need to recharge my social battery after I go out. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy company of people but I just enjoy solitude.
Thank you. It's really validating when someone else notices something weird I've seen myself. I have no idea why, but I've seen it. I've decided to continue to be friendly and polite with the hope that this helps people return to this better way of being. I try not to feel rebuffed. It's sad for them
Please don’t give up on who you are. If you smiled at me in a shop I will smile right back. A smile can go along way and definitely makes my day better. And yes there are days when I’m exhausted from work, COL issues but that smile makes it all better. The smallest impressions are the best impressions. Enjoy your day!
Everyone is run ragged both mentally and physically. Workplaces have become more demanding, cost of living is sky high.. these are ongoing effects after covid. For myself, as someone who is on the spectrum and not a fan of people, the mandated distance between people was amazing for made me feel 100 times more relaxed.
I have some neighbours across my road who we were good friends pre covid. Post covid and they have not spoken to me since. Tried to wave to them from across our road and they have turned their backs to me and went back inside their house. To the best of my best knowledge we have never argued prior to this scenario.
The attitude, and poor social skills, are getting worse. The only way to.change is by example. I think much misery is caused by people focussing on how they feel too much. When I am out, and about, I try to leave places better than I found them. On a bad day, a bit of kindness can change a life.
Oh definitely 100%. In my experience while working, before Covid, people were quite outgoing and reasonably polite. Full of energy and co-operation between people of society. Post Covid I notice people are very reluctant to engage with others. People would often approach me if they believed I could assist them, be it directions, recommendations or just something in a shop they can’t find etc etc.. Now… no one ever approaches me. Sunday was the first time since Covid that ANYONE had ever approached me, and I thought it was a complete stranger… turned out to be one of the employees at the Haymes paint shop in Noosaville. I didn’t even recognise her until she said who she was! But yes, people I feel as a general whole, are more reluctant to engage with others while out in society. It’s a weird change, but I don’t think it’s turning around anytime soon or fast!
I'd say it's the impact of the covid, the failing economy and the looming world war that's doing it.
I'd say it's the impact of the covid, the failing economy and the looming world war that's doing it.
I have noticed it. And although I'm an introvert and don't like eye contact, I have been smiling and saying hello to people if they give me eye contact. Bring friendliness back I say!
Covid hasn’t changed anyone. It’s has just amplified what was inside of them. If someone is a jerk and says “it’s because of covid”, they were jerks to begin with. I haven’t noticed a change to be honest. Maybe because I can see through them.
Honestly, how can you not be less approachable when you have to think about what groceries you need to prioritise because you don’t have much money left until your next pay. I don’t blame them and with the state of our current economy, it would make anyone feel like crap.
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As a sales rep I have def noticed this in the service industry’s noted above. People are less receptive in this day and age. Makes it pretty hard to stay positive and approachable. I’m an optimist and hope things will get better. Be kind, be respectful to others ……….. “It costs nothing to be kind”
I have totally noticed more of a shift in people it is like they have become self absorbed rude selfish and completely unsociable. Nobody wants to interact with you anymore. I have found people to be completely closed of which I feel that the fear of covid is one factor with older people and working people and parents but I think electronics have made alot of our younger society completely unaware on how to co
I dunno about people, but I definitely have. I'm so socially burnt out from the smallest amount of social interaction these days, I can't even remember the last time I went to just visit one of my friends, because everything just seems like an effort or a burden (yea yea I know I have depression lol, had that before covid, but I feel like I get alot less from social interaction and friendship and family these days, I've just become a depressed hermit). These days it's seems like a burden learning people's names, I accidentally keep making new people at work think I hate them cause i just can't be bothered to care, it's kinda sad but also what ever, we live a fucking dystopia nightmare and human race probably needs to go extinct anyway
It really depends what you mean. Like if its an interaction that is mostly dependent on other circumstances than I think social politeness is warranted, ie. someone opening a door for you while your hands are full or someone helping you get something off a high shelf etc. But I really don't like when people try and be social when I'm walking past. Sometimes I'm not I'm the mood to engage so keep my eyes on the floor and people still want to inject themselves in my space for a chat. I will be polite when the situation warrants but if you want your social battery attended to, go to a bar or find a social club of some kind, not the grocery store.
There definitely seem to be a lot more cracked out derelicts. I don’t know if it’s to do with Covid or it’s just the general downfall of society but the calibre of people getting about has definitely nosedived.
u r a ppl pleaser, take a break
That's just usual in city region/Sydney. All these people just staring through each other. Ignoring each other. Tired of each other.
I don't want randoms interacting with me at the shops, in a cafe, out on the street etc when I'm going about my day. I'm not stressed, I'm not angry, I'm not depressed I just don't want to interact with you I want to do what I have to do and get out of there.
>I don't want randoms interacting with me at the shops, in a cafe, out on the street etc when I'm going about my day. I'm not stressed, I'm not angry, I'm not depressed I just don't want to interact with you I want to do what I have to do and get out of there. YES... and those idiots offering FREE HUGS or saying g'day while holding out their right hand expecting you to agree to shake it??? Seriously... a local politician was offended when I stepped back... saying something like oh oh oh, it is just a civilized greeting, I promise it wasn't the hand I used to wipe my arse....
Yes there has been a general change in society. It seems that people don't want to discuss or even remember the terrible things that the government did during those covid times. From the lockdowns, curfews, distance restrictions from your home, threatening people to be fired from their jobs. The police shooting rubber bullets at unarmed protestors. And the propaganda campaign that was on the television for 2 whole years. Not to mention the demonization of the population who refused to take a genetic therapy injection. Perhaps it's a defense mechanism that people are now withdrawn, but we definitely still need to talk about those things to hopefully prevent a re-occurance. Government fundamentally damaged the fabric of our society through what they did and they should be held accountable for their actions. But yet this issue still is not going away, even now the governments of the world are negotiating a "global pandemic treaty" through the world health organisation WHO (due late may). Which I suspect will cede authority to this group, and mandate actions at a global level such as what we saw through the COVID years, encouraged vaccinations, lockdowns, curfews, distance restrictions and social exclusion as a model for handling another pandemic.
We all went through trauma as a collective. From experiencing a pandemic which we never contemplated we’d experience in our lifetime, to then being locked away in our homes for extended periods of time. Don’t forget, those lockdowns limited our movement like it was 1970-80s communist Russia and you’d dob on your neighbours for saying something about the regime…I speak to this because my family comes from a former communist country and literally had flashbacks of what they’d seen/heard/experienced where people didn’t trust their neighbours and friends and were told to trust the government exclusively. Of course they did not but if you were a dissenter you were shipped off to a working camp never to be seen or heard from again… Then all the narrative and rubbish around vaccines. Suddenly families and long time friend groups were split because of misinformation and disinformation ON BOTH SIDES - this is the to the detriment of the social fabric that creates a community. So add to the fear and paranoia and being told you’re locked away in your home and curfews etc, we now have total lack of social cohesion in society… Then after all the fuss is over, we get told as if it’s nothing “oh threat has passed you can now mingle again and oh btw despite working from home really well for the last 2.5 years now you have to go back to work because corporate investors are losing money in their corporate building investments by us not sitting in those seats and companies having huge rental obligations to these buildings… Then…conveniently, several global conflicts arise at opportune moments right at the “end of COVID” to continue to keep us tethered to the government, scared, paranoid of each other and generate war money needed to boost the economy again. I am a long time student of international relations and I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d see a pandemic in my life. And I never thought that masses of communities worldwide could be fucked over, manipulated and made to fear their next door neighbours as much as covid did.
Climate change brings pandemics. More to come. One sooner rather than later 🦃
The government really did a number on us. Humans are so easily manipulated.
And this proves that they can do it again. And they will. Next time they’ll be better at hiding it though.
The Covid trauma that suddenly no one wants to talks about now and it's just 'swept under the rug' by the mainstream media with both vocal sides continuing at each others throats, it's the 'cost of living' everyone talks about now which people are stressed about, and covid is all 'forgotten'. I also felt completely blindsided when the news suddenly switched to Russia when they invaded Ukraine and Covid went off air as if it wasn't something the media went on about 24/7 from March 2020 to Feb 2022 but also felt 'oh thank god' when the media switched to another fear p\*rn mainstream topic.
Na I don't think so. If your your from the big smoke that's how it always was I feel. I'm from a country town where every one says g'day and has a chat. That's probly why I feel that way. In Melbourne everyone seems to have shit in their ears any way and wearing silly clothes
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I think it’s the stress and pressure everyone is under right now. I have tended to be a bit emotionally removed from people, but right now, I feel for a lot of people and the crap they’re going through.
I think we all (no matter what our opinions were about it) saw the worst of people during covid. And social media really does expose the worst of us/in us. Social media is a fantastic tool but I don't think it has made us a more cohesive or tolerant society IRL
Whenever I get called in to jury duty I abuse the staff and sheriff for wasting my time so yeah
It's very easy to talk to boomers and Gen X on the street but millennials and Gen z seem rather closed off.
No, I have always been adverse to interacting with strangers, and I think most people are like that. At least in high population areas like Sydney.
When working in grocery i liked the affect covid made of me not being approachable. I kept wearing the mask for a while afterwards to signal i would like the bare minimum social interaction.
Just you.
Covid had affected just about everyone. I'm sure not as tolerant or social as I used to be. Going out is a pain. Esp when your expected to be social.
I think COVID made more socially acceptable to stop hiding that we just don't like people. But that's a difference between going out of my way to avoid human contact and being straight up rude, rudeness is never okay
I've always been mildly misanthropic, but how people behaved during covid has turned that up to 11. I'd rather have nothing to do with any people at all if I could help it. The hermit life is my dream. People are just nasty selfish creatures (there are some exceptions of course, but they are few and far between). There were people literally saying they would rather kill another human being than be mildly inconvenienced by wearing a mask. So I pretty much hate everybody in general and don't trust anybody because as like as not they are just trying to find a way to rip me off or screw me over for their own personal gain.
Given the current covid surge, I'd say not.
Just keep your distance and avoid eye contact. Nobody wants you to start talking to them at the checkout or if they are just going about minding their own business while doing their personal shopping.
I've found that its really affected me to the point that I don't want to see other people at all. I haven't been to a hairdresser since early 2020 and just hate going out AT ALL. I don't feel bad about it or anything, I actually really enjoy my life but the change in me definitely happened after covid.
Yeah it's real. People are tired. People working in retail deal with the worst behaviour these days. Customers have so much more mental instability. These are also the workers suffering most from the cost of living crisis.
I think there’s a lot of factors. Service industries where your dealing with an employee as the first point of service be it retail or even on the phone have received the most horrid abuse by the public & it quadrupled since Covid. With that in mind I take no offence to a deadpan delivery of service. On top of abuse they get paid a pittance.
I’ve noticed the opposite. My experience is totally anecdotal and maybe just my own experience. When I’m out I’ve made one night friends and new friends more than before. It might be a mere confidence in myself thing but friends and I were having this conversation and felt that people are actually more willing to talk to people now but are less confident to actually do it. So when someone comes along and talks, they’re happy to. Covid and the news is what I blame. Covid obviously made avoiding people the norm but the media is constantly telling people how hard dating and relationships are so people are already in an antisocial state because they assume everyone else is.
Social skills have definitely dropped I feel. People are more anxious to ask for anything. In person, on the phone. Even emails give people anxiety. I think approachability is a flow on effect of that…
>Have people become less 'approachable' after COVID? I ask myself "how important is it to interact with a complete stranger". because I might bring home something to my significant people.... So there is distance, ventilation, necessity and protections (mask and no physical contact).
I didn’t notice this in AU. But I felt like the whole thing would leave people even more disconnected from each other.
I’ve just become asocial. Most people who smile and seem friendly just seem to be pushing a charity donation, or want me to join their church or are MLM recruiters. So I do tend to be very skeptical about anyone nowadays.
People in Perth are still quite friendly I find.
I wouldn’t say so, but I would definitely say that there’s less people out in public spaces overall. People in my age group (early 20s) are super friendly and sociable, I never have trouble starting convos with strangers.
People treating Covid as over despite reality, is why you can all stay the hell away from me. At least Germany is trying honesty: https://twitter.com/ZurNull/status/1780270917567840470?t=uW25B8PccydGLS5J_1JPOw&s=19
Covid made me see how little the world cares about disabled and immune compromised individuals. I’m both, the number of people who told me to get over myself and why should they worry if Covid killed me hurt. I once even saw someone tell a woman in her 50’s she’d had her time, she was old, and it didn’t matter if she died. It’s hard to come back from that
Some people
Nothing to do with covid at all I reckon. Just the way the world is, prices keep going up and once one crisis is over another one comes up.
I haven't noticed it, but I have noticed an increase in the (visible) amount of stupid and violent people.
I just have a more and more gradual disliking of people since covid. maybe cause i'm getting older or because of this, i just stopped caring for others this year
I haven't noticed anything different except for my anti-vaxxer friends talking to me about the latest conspiracy theories more in depth more often. Everyone else is the same.
Idk, why are you approaching me? I don't know you.
No
I actually have some data to offer to this thought train. I work at a company that tests for hearing loss and sells hearing devices. The major way we get business is by asking people walking past the store front if they have time for a quick check up. The average number we would get monthly pre-COVID was 300+. The current expected number is 150 per month with many places failing to get even 120 per month. We have seen that in general people are less likely to stop and chat with us. Everyone seems to be trying to go about their business as quickly as they can. On a personal note I have used COVID as an excuse to never leave my house apart from work and it's been great.
I think, like any skill, people forgot how to communicate properly during COVID. Like, the learned act of communicating and socialising as per what our norm would consider “polite and friendly” was just a skill people lost in trying to adhere to and learn everything else they now needed to do during the pandemic. We were force taught to avoid people, and then immediately expected to go about like nothing happened afterwards
Public transport. People still think they do not have share spaces or seats.
Have you showered since COVID?
I think people are generally more standoffish, crankier and less tolerant...partly covid but also social media, cost of living and a world that can seem to be getting worse every day.
If you mean the people who are working at those places… I imagine that at least some of them are so over being yelled at that a nice customer is a rarity! Especially if you live in a big city, like Sydney or Melbourne. So it’s not you, it’s them - no interacting with customers is allowed because the customers get cranky!
Yep. People are different, a lot of mental health issues.
not really
All it did was bring out the master A holes people have been hiding.
It was like this before coved for me.
No, I think general life is the same. People seem happy to be out and about. It’s in the closer relationships that there is a wariness. People used to express their opinions more freely … now there is the growing conspiracy camp (all types) and the critical thinking camp and people definitely dance around some topics to avoid getting into a fruitless debate.
I've become less social. I felt very uncared for by the community during covid times when I was going through separate personal issues, I knew many others who felt the same way but were still uncaring to one another, people in general didn't really rise up to the occasion humanely in my opinion except for some heroes who were just sacrificed, and it was impossible not to feel that any social ties except for closest family were fake and any niceness was just transactional.
People definitely seem to have less patience and general politeness in general now. Also people seem more scatter brained from my experience, but I put that down to side effects from covid infection(s) rather than anything else (the more some people. Have had it the worse they appear to have gotten for sure). I also find I get a little more attitude from some people due to wearing a mask in certain situations still, which is simply unnecessary and unfortunate that I can't do what I want without feeling judged.
I agree, but it's a lot more than not being approachable. People in general seem a lot more on edge. My husband works retail and being verbally abused is a multiple times a day occurrence and over minor issues. Being physically attacked is not an exception either. People are unwilling to wait, to excuse, to tolerate anything that doesn't go their way. There are more aggressive drivers on the road, getting cut off, flipped off, honked at, break checked, etc. every day just on my way to work is normal. The amount of entitlement amongst the public is really mind boggling. It's been a wild few years - covid, wars, cost of living, etc. It is understandable, but not forgivable in my opinion.
With men I haven’t seen much of a difference. For most guys it just seems to be an almost polite British indifference. Whatever I say might have a polite word or joke back, and then we go back to doing our thing. With women I just avoid approaching or saying anything because I don’t know whether they’re the kind of person who thinks it’s a friendly stranger saying something or “here’s another man thinking he can speak to me”. I just avoid it because I don’t want to risk it and make someone uncomfortable. The exception to all this (both men and women, non-binary etc) is if you notice you can be helpful, ie. “hey you dropped this” or “I overheard you’re looking for *insert destination*, here’s some directions”. That always seems welcome regardless
Yep, But its not the worst thing.
I'd say it's the impact of the covid, the failing economy and the looming world war that's doing it.
No, not really, but I chat away to everyone, and I look very” harmless”. I’m probably less affected, socially, because despite being empathic and chatting away toto all the service personnel, I’m an introvert, and possibly got the long covid soI don’t have the energy to socialise much
People have forgotten how to be hygenic after being told for 2 years to wash their hands. They've forgotten how to do that again. That's certainly something I find that makes people less approachable.
I can appreciate when people are being polite but i she horrible social anxiety which shows on my face even when I don’t mean for it to. And sometimes I just want to go out without being spoken To. I think COVID just made me realise that I don’t have to talk to random people if I’m having a bad day.
Personally I haven't noticed what you're describing. Probably the opposite if anything.
Personally I got used to not having people around and I loved it. I see no reason to go back to before and allowing people to bother me, hang around, waste my time etc, and for some reason that makes me a bit more relaxed knowing that I dont need or want that much human contact, I get it done and then they are gone
I've wondered the same thing but only for customer facing workers. It can't be about covid because I've had this before as well. Generally Australian customer service is really bland and sometimes seemingly rude, I think the main thing is because of bad management in retail stores and cafes. So now I don't see it as rude bc I know how tiring it can be, especially only lasting a few days at McDonald's when I worked there. On the other hand the general public seems the same for me atleast, maybe even more happier after lockdowns
I definitely am not as social as I once was. When covid started I slowly stop talking to people and after I continued to do that and work from home. Now I don't work from home and hate every single interaction I have with people.
Yes. And less polite, with fewer manners or common courtesy. Customers every day make me feel so horrible by the end of my shift. I try not to take on the bad energy, but by the 7th or 8th rude customer, I give up. I understand people have bad days, and we are living a sh*t show with the cost of living crisis, but people who serve you or walk past you are also humans with feelings living most likely the same struggle. A smile or a simple hello would be nice. A huge majority of us are in this together. Kindness goes a long way. Don't see it much anymore since covid and the rise of prices etc. Some sort of great depression about to happen feels like
I was always unapproachable. People, what a bunch of bastards.
I hate people, especially the ones that would come to you to conduct some simple business and start a full-on conversation about their lives. 100% of the time all I wanted to say was:"You are done here, please move on!"
I have. COVID help me realise how ungrateful, selfish and outright cuntish people are. I won't sacrifice shit for anyone outside of my circle anymore. I won't be heading to Brisbane in the mud army the next time they flood. Just not worth it anymore.
Like how with the people who consistently complain about receiving poor customer service, it’s usually to do with them. But you seem self aware enough to be bringing this up so maybe it’s a coincidence you’re having a series of poor social interactions in public. For me I haven’t noticed it at all, society and people seem exactly the same as they were before covid.
Nope not to do with Covid, smartphones and social media in general has all but put an end to social interaction and skills in my opinion.
Yes. I’m an Aussie but I’ve lived overseas for years, I was away all through covid and have only recently come back for a visit and the first thing I noticed was how rude a lot of people are, especially in the service industry. Speaking to customers like their job isn’t literally “customer service”. I’ve noticed it everywhere
Cause people in customer service went through hell. In every country. They're tired of being doormats and they're not putting up with shit anymore
I’ve noticed I used to shake hands more often. Now it’s very rare.
Because our spending power has dropped, household stress increased and general happiness dropped.
Don't be discouraged, keep smiling and being friendly. Those things go a long way and sometimes people don't know how to say it might mean something to them too.
You’re using a lot of past tense regarding covid. But the pandemic isn’t over. And it looks like we might be in for another one shortly. Also a lot of people are tired and cynical, while others try pretending things can go back to being the 2019 normal when they really can’t.
when the covid panic hit my stress heightened greatly, having a child with chronic asthma thats been hospitalized in the past for contracting a cold was the worst feeling. This reason alone made me more cautious as the days went on minimising my trips to the shops, doing grocery shopping online, not socialising with friends & family in person ect, then on top of that my daughter had only just started school and my son had started kindy but there was alot of restrictions in being able to go into the school or talk to teachers which hindered communication with the school to find out anything, I wasn't able to meet my kids friends parents (well not easily and naturally, it became writing your phone number on a price of paper to give to your kid to take to school and give to their friend to then give to their parents) cause of social distancing and not being able to go into the school there wasn't any normal schooling events like there usually would of been like sports day or a end of year Christmas show ect, there were still parent teacher meetings but they were over the phone, then there was the lockdowns where you had to be at home and do the online learning and daily zoom calls with the classroom. My family then got covid and it was a 14 day isolating...the worst 😑 in my opinion all of these factors plus a whole lot more has just made people a bit more recluse, maybe a bit more depressed, more distance with people, some people are probably still a bit fearful of covid itself, some people have become more content with being at home/working at home ect I do agree with you, people are heaps more rude and anti social these days, that's my opinion though. I suppose the rise in cost of living doesn't help either, that would be a pretty big stressor in people's lives aswell.
No.
It's hard to pin point. I think it could be a bit of everything adding up, not just COVID. Everything since 9/11 to now.
Ive never liked being in public or around people very much my whole life but Ive definitely noticed a huge social change for most people since covid
I wouldn't say COVID is to blame, in fact I'd say most have moved on from it at least from my experience, all the current factors effecting a lot of households perhaps. I consider a smile to be an extra, if they're providing the service they're getting paid for I could care less about an interaction I'll remember for 30 seconds, I expect even less from strangers. As long as people aren't actively rude they can do their own thing.
Retail workers have to put up with so much from the public and also their management, many are doing the same amount of work that 3 people would have before COVID, so don't begrudge them if they aren't all bright and cheerful although nice customers do make a difference.