Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition • Hacker News Board

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#291

Post by lkbm » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:53 PM UTC

markrages wrote: post #232

ativzzz wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can maintain a very healthy body using only body weight exercises, with practically no weights at all from the comfort of your home. With youtube and the like, you have access to near infinite workouts as well. Not having access to a gym is not a sufficient reason to be out of shape.

Yet gyms exist.

Gyms have benefits, sure, but he's responding to someone treating it as either go to the gym or get no exercise. He's pointing out alternatives. They don't need to be as good to be relevant.

The fact that push-ups exist refutes the false dilemma. The fact that gyms exist does not refute the idea that you can stay fit without a gym.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#292

Post by Ascetik » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:54 PM UTC

polote wrote: post #278

readingnews wrote: post #211

There is a crossfit gym that I pass by every morning on the way to work. It is full, and never stopped during this pandemic. Even at 7AM, it is full of patrons. I would call the "proper authorities", but since there is a State Police car parked outside every morning, and he is in there working out, just like before the pandemic, I doubt calling anyone would do anything. Adding to the post, I read it earlier... it is…

> I find it amazing we can not see short term sacrifice for long term gain. Maybe because nobody successfully proved to these people (me included) that this sacrifice is useful. You can't tell to people, you have no risk of dying (0.5% death rate for population, much much lower for healthy and young people), people who are at risk of dying can protect themselves even around sick people (wearing a mask, staying at hom…

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Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#293

Post by esalman » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:54 PM UTC

polote wrote: post #278

readingnews wrote: post #211

There is a crossfit gym that I pass by every morning on the way to work. It is full, and never stopped during this pandemic. Even at 7AM, it is full of patrons. I would call the "proper authorities", but since there is a State Police car parked outside every morning, and he is in there working out, just like before the pandemic, I doubt calling anyone would do anything. Adding to the post, I read it earlier... it is…

> I find it amazing we can not see short term sacrifice for long term gain. Maybe because nobody successfully proved to these people (me included) that this sacrifice is useful. You can't tell to people, you have no risk of dying (0.5% death rate for population, much much lower for healthy and young people), people who are at risk of dying can protect themselves even around sick people (wearing a mask, staying at hom…

US didn't have a federal strategy to deal with the pandemic. They shot at their own foot and didn't give themselves a chance to be successful.

The rest of the (developed, and many underdeveloped) world dealt with it and are moving on. I'm watching Champions league finals on TV and Wuhan pool party clips on twitter, thinking wtf went wrong here.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#294

Post by Jommi » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:56 PM UTC

Swizec wrote: post #241

Jommi wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like an acceptable level of risk to me as well. But is it an acceptable level to all the people you counteract with say within a week? Is the cashier at your supermarket, that lives with their 6+ family members, ok with you doing this? Is your elderly neighbour that also uses your elevator OK with this? This is the moral and societal conundrum we are in.

Well I’m not out there licking their face. Isn’t distancing, the plexiglass screens, and mask wearing supposed to fix my risk to others? If memory serves, the probability of transmission is under 1% with those measures.

Its supposed to reduce it, but we don't know how much. We also don't know how well those standards are adhered to.

Could you link the study that backs the 1%? How is that statement better than just coming up with a number?

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#295

Post by travisoneill1 » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:56 PM UTC

juliansimioni wrote: post #130

ReptileMan wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It matters of course how many of how many are reporting that? 1/2 not worth it. 1/1000 - will take my chances. Covid seems to have flipped a switch in people's brains that make every probability 1.

I wouldn't take the 1/1000 chance, but even then. It's not an all or nothing choice. It's more like: - X/1000 chance for people who go to the gym, get sick, lose health permanently, probably infect others - 0/1000 chance of the same if you stay away from the gym and try to do some sort of similar workout at home, even if it's not ideal. Body weight exercises are great by the way Who cares if X is 1 or 999? Why would…

Because I am already taking a 1/500 chance of death in the next year and I can't do anything about that, so when probabilities get small enough I stop caring. https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#296

Post by BryanBigs » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:58 PM UTC

seppin wrote: post #197

lebedsalavat wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

totally agree. Stop living life because there's a chance of dying.

How did "do three things to prevent mass death" (distance, mask, wash hands) become "we're all going to die anyways so i'll keep doing whatever I want thank you." Is America really that filled with narcissists?

Well, when did "flatten the curve to avoid overwhelming the health system" become "lets close gyms, churches, salons, non-chain stores indefinately but keep open Home Depot, Walmart, liquor stores, pot shops?" Or allowing gatherings for one political viewpoint as ok, but gathering for another as 'selfish and dangerous'? There's plenty of inconsistency to go around. Add in different perceived risks and different risk tolerances, and what u see as necessary can be seen as narcacism by others.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#297

Post by cik2e » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:58 PM UTC

honkycat wrote: post #233

readingnews wrote: post #211

There is a crossfit gym that I pass by every morning on the way to work. It is full, and never stopped during this pandemic. Even at 7AM, it is full of patrons. I would call the "proper authorities", but since there is a State Police car parked outside every morning, and he is in there working out, just like before the pandemic, I doubt calling anyone would do anything. Adding to the post, I read it earlier... it is…

Introverts vs extroverts. Humans are social animals. Socialization is a basic human need. It is much harder for some people to stay inside and not socialize than others. We are now on month 7 of being told to not socialize or see or do anything. I continue to obey the orders, but I totally get why some people are starting to crack.

I find the topic of introverts vs extraverts to be extremely fascinating. My wife and I are pretty big introverts, but she is somewhat shy whereas I am not. She loved group exercise due to the external motivation factor but has actively avoided getting into conversations in that setting. I am also not one for striking up conversations with strangers but have been known to get quite chatty with people who initiate.

On the whole, both of us loved the lockdown for the 2-3 months but after that, not being able to see our close friends really started wearing on us. We were some of the first in our group to start expanding our quarantine units. Sometimes I need to remind myself of this, but the right amount of social interaction is a very rewarding and enriching part of the human experience.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#298

Post by jackfoxy » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:59 PM UTC

polote wrote: post #278

readingnews wrote: post #211

There is a crossfit gym that I pass by every morning on the way to work. It is full, and never stopped during this pandemic. Even at 7AM, it is full of patrons. I would call the "proper authorities", but since there is a State Police car parked outside every morning, and he is in there working out, just like before the pandemic, I doubt calling anyone would do anything. Adding to the post, I read it earlier... it is…

> I find it amazing we can not see short term sacrifice for long term gain. Maybe because nobody successfully proved to these people (me included) that this sacrifice is useful. You can't tell to people, you have no risk of dying (0.5% death rate for population, much much lower for healthy and young people), people who are at risk of dying can protect themselves even around sick people (wearing a mask, staying at hom…

I was warned very early, end of January, and locked down my family about a week before required. I track someone who reviews the literature and news and give bi-weekly updates on the state of knowledge and politics surrounding the pandemic.

Originally he erred way on the side of caution, because we did not know enough. We learn more every week, and his current outlook is a lot like what you just wrote.

The big remaining problem is this is not going away anytime soon. There's more politics than science going on, and there have been institutional failures world-wide from top to bottom.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#299

Post by goldenchrome » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 5:59 PM UTC

grugagag wrote: post #85

I see a lot of outdoor gyms in parks and what not. Outdoors is not only safer but also more pleasant. And if it rains a bit running through the rain will give an extra feat you don’t find in regular gyms. Ok, kidding about the rain but I prefer doing my workouts outside the gym when the weather permits. Calistenics aka exercises with the weight of your body are quite efficient and don’t make one look like an ogre

I CHALLENGE you to make yourself look like an ogre. Based on your comment I can almost guarantee that you have no idea what it takes to get anything close to “ogre”. More likely than not, if you tried your hardest you would only end up looking sexier than you are now.

Re: Secret gyms and the economics of prohibition

#300

Post by at-fates-hands » Wed, Aug 19, 2020, 6:00 PM UTC

ceejayoz wrote: post #277

honkycat wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Introverts vs extroverts. Humans are social animals. Socialization is a basic human need. It is much harder for some people to stay inside and not socialize than others. We are now on month 7 of being told to not socialize or see or do anything. I continue to obey the orders, but I totally get why some people are starting to crack.

> We are now on month 7 of being told to not socialize... "Keep your distance, wear a mask, and stick to small groups" is not the same as "do not socialize".

Considering most states have been in full on shelter in place lock down mode, there aren't many places people can socialize anyways.

All of the normal places where you see people socialize have bee closed or went out business. Restaurants, bars, night clubs, sporting events, live music (festivals and stadiums) and many, many others.

It would be one thing to conform to what your saying, but its become hard if not impossible to find safe places where people CAN socialize, so they take what they get regardless of the risks to them or others.