
French brotherhood burying the dead since 1188 - wormold
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/02/the-charitables-french-brotherhood-burying-dead-since-1188
======
Luc
The meeting circle mentioned in the article:
[https://goo.gl/maps/UPbD5geT63HdBV7m6](https://goo.gl/maps/UPbD5geT63HdBV7m6)

Institutions that manage to persist for that long are fascinating.

------
Renaud
It's a shame that for every heart-warming story of people being selfless there
are ten of people being selfish.

In times like theses, fraternity and some humility are probably some of the
most valuable traits that can help communities get through.

Contrast that with the baffling displays of people defying and protesting
lockdowns en masse because they think it's a bit too much...

~~~
p1necone
This behavior all makes perfect sense when you realize these people just lack
empathy. " _I 'm_ not sick, I should be able to do whatever I want"

~~~
drewcoo
Those people protesting don't go to protest parties every weekend. It's not a
substitute for sportsball. The fact that they don't usually protest is a clue
that they're not actually doing whatever they want.

With a little empathy, that behavior makes sense. They'd rather take what they
consider an indefinite but small risk of dying to gather in protest instead of
taking a definite looming risk of losing everything, failing their families,
and losing all self-respect.

But I understand that many people here haven't thought about that. And the
news doesn't present it that way.

~~~
rumanator
> Those people protesting don't go to protest parties every weekend.

Those who only think of themselves tend to pull this sort of stunt every time
they feel personally affected.

Thus those people might not typically go to protest parties because a pandemic
is not typical. That's about it.

> They'd rather take what they consider an indefinite but small risk of dying

That's precisely the narcissist and egotistical attitude that's being
criticised.

They feel that as the disease does not affect them personally then they should
just not be inconvenienced in any way. But that misses the whole point,
doesn't it? The point is not about you. The point is that your wreckless
behavior puts everyone around you at risk, including those who covid19
threatens their lives. You might not die of covid19, but if you catch it and
pass it to your grandma or some random old man from your neighborhood then
they might die. That's why you need to get your add back home and wait.

~~~
cameronbrown
> That's precisely the narcissist and egotistical attitude that's being
> criticised.

> They feel that as the disease does not affect them personally then they
> should just not be inconvenienced in any way. But that misses the whole
> point, doesn't it? The point is not about you. The point is that your
> wreckless behavior puts everyone around you at risk, including those who
> covid19 threatens their lives.

Wow.

Everyone is on the verge of getting the sack right now. That means families
and children going hungry. If it's a choice between certain misery or
uncertain life, I would choose the latter every time. Now I do realise that
decision wouldn't affect me because I'm young, which is why I'm self isolating
like everybody else. But do realise that is a privilege and not something
everybody can do.

Please stop pretending like these people are egotistical and narcissistic when
they simply don't have any other choice.

~~~
aibara
> Please stop pretending like these people are egotistical and narcissistic
> when they simply don't have any other choice.

I think some of the contention here is that you believe those protesting the
restrictions are the same as those who are most hurt by them. But I don't
think most people here are upset that people who have no safe place to go,
don't have money to buy necessities, etc. in the best of times, are facing
terrible difficulties and are upset.

Maybe it's different elsewhere, but at least in my own state (Michigan),
protesters seem to be people who are frustrated that they can't go about their
daily life as usual. They tend to better off than many and can do things like
drive to Lansing to protest, with the most vocal yelling about how they need
haircuts, not being able to keep their lawns in perfect condition, and how
they can't go to their cabins up north. And plenty still believe this is all
just a big conspiracy and government power grab (tons at the protests didn't
wear masks or socially distance at all).

People in my city (Detroit) are getting hit the hardest in the state,
partially due to poverty (and race, but around here the two are inextricable).
It's not those working-class people who are protesting: they're too busy just
trying to survive and stay as safe as they can.

~~~
cameronbrown
That's a fair point, I can only react on the information I'm aware of (what I
have seen is that if the economic situation in gets any worse, this lockdown
will be far worse than the disease itself).

What you describe does sound like an awful lack of responsibility and that I
do disagree with.

------
DeathArrow
This wonderful story of compassion and kindness stand in stark contrast to
what happens in Hart Island.

