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Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

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Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#41
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Going to the gym is a ritual for many people, and rituals can be an essential part of maintaining one’s mental health. I’m not justifying the speakeasy gyms, but I completely understand why someone would feel compelled to use one.

> Going to the gym is a ritual for many people A thing that is very important about rituals is that there are almost always triggers of when the ritual should be performed. Often that trigger involves being in a specific place. For exercise, that trigger is going to the gym. For work, that trigger is going to the office For religion, that trigger is going to the church / temple / etc. When you deprive people of the a…

I’ve been thinking about this problem, and I wonder how important smell is to rituals and it what extent we can use olfactory sensations to trigger different mind spaces.

Ive had a certain degree of success mimicking this by adding smells via essential oil defusers are key points like “starting work” or “preparing for bed”, but I can’t say I’ve found a silver bullet. Still, I think there’s something here.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#43
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Going to the gym is a ritual for many people, and rituals can be an essential part of maintaining one’s mental health. I’m not justifying the speakeasy gyms, but I completely understand why someone would feel compelled to use one.

> Going to the gym is a ritual for many people A thing that is very important about rituals is that there are almost always triggers of when the ritual should be performed. Often that trigger involves being in a specific place. For exercise, that trigger is going to the gym. For work, that trigger is going to the office For religion, that trigger is going to the church / temple / etc. When you deprive people of the a…

I can seriously relate to this. I have been going to the gym 5-6 days a week for years and absolutely loved it. As soon as the gyms closed down, my motivation to stay in shape plummeted. It was like a light switched off. I did absolutely nothing fitness related for a few months, just waiting for the gyms to open back up.

I finally started biking recently, but I struggle to get motivated and get out of the apartment to do it. That was never a problem when going to the gym.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#44

This seems incredibly dangerous. Are the speakeasy gyms requiring negative COVID tests? Are they doing temperature screenings upon entry? How diligently are they sanitizing equipment? How well ventilated are these various areas? Why are people ignoring all of these risks, what kind of threat model do they have?

It is very easy for people to casually ignore risk when mitigating it is inconvenient if they have no direct experience with the negative results.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#45
post #14

Unlike actual prohibition, the social agreement behind "lockdowns" is subject to time contingencies. The activities considered "essential" grow as time passes. While there are nominal categories of "essential" defined by community/political leaders, that contract depends on agreement. Since each person's conception of "essential" is different, as time passes "essential" grows exponentially instead of linearly.

> the social agreement behind "lockdowns" is subject to time contingencies.

like "15 days to slow the spread"?

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#46
post #3

While trying to buy workout equipment off craig's list I was solicited twice to join "speakeasy" gyms. They had ads for a bunch of gear and when I inquired they sent me a detailed response on working out in their private gym. One was a large neighborhood garage that offered solo time by the hour, one was a shutdown normal gym. Pretty expensive too!

I wonder how Anytime fitness is doing now? There is a market for a by the session small gyms. How about outdoor gyms, seem some in LA which are on rooftops.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#47

This seems incredibly dangerous. Are the speakeasy gyms requiring negative COVID tests? Are they doing temperature screenings upon entry? How diligently are they sanitizing equipment? How well ventilated are these various areas? Why are people ignoring all of these risks, what kind of threat model do they have?

>> what kind of threat model do they have?

The exact same one - "it won't happen to me". I mean, is it really that surprising? I see this all the time everywhere.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#48

This seems incredibly dangerous. Are the speakeasy gyms requiring negative COVID tests? Are they doing temperature screenings upon entry? How diligently are they sanitizing equipment? How well ventilated are these various areas? Why are people ignoring all of these risks, what kind of threat model do they have?

You don't have to go if you don't want to. Surely your indignation would be better directed at employers, schools and others who are requiring in-person attendance.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#50
post #14

Unlike actual prohibition, the social agreement behind "lockdowns" is subject to time contingencies. The activities considered "essential" grow as time passes. While there are nominal categories of "essential" defined by community/political leaders, that contract depends on agreement. Since each person's conception of "essential" is different, as time passes "essential" grows exponentially instead of linearly.

Since each person's conception of "essential" is different

There was someone on WGN-TV a few weeks ago lamenting that it was insulting for all of the hairdressers and manicurists and yoga instructors to be called "non-essential."

I thought it was more insulting for that person to value the work of hairdressers and manicurists and yoga instructors on an equal basis with firefighters, doctors, paramedics, and actual real "essential" workers.

Nobody calls a holistic lifestyle consultant to run into a burning building to save a baby.

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