What do you notice, if anything, as the biggest changes between life and society in the prepandemic era vs the postpandemic era?

I notice of course, persistent inflation but more so in the areas of meals and travel. In some parts of the US such as FLA, housing prices soared but now have been falling in many places.

People in general seem to me, to be much more tribal in their words and actions, but I am still undecided about the timing of that shift....may have started years earlier.

Your thoughts?

I only see a title, but I'll bet I get this spot on...

Pre: Normal mental health issues in society.

Post: Progressive increase in mental illness. (Key word here is progressive.) New leadership takes over sleepy dereliction of duty. Economy improvement. Stock market improvement. World conflict improvement. Border control improvement.

Summary: You just have to WANT to implement improvements and then take action. Not speak with word salads, errect impediments with no actions.

I may be narrow-minded and singular-focused, but flexibility and opportunity professionally. Work-from-home arrangements and access to top-tier companies without having to relocate.

Large-scale, whole-world sociological commentary? That is too large for me.
Mostly, there were changes for me. Venturing farther into e-world, I found abundant iffy information along with opportunities to enjoy being at home while spending less for certain things. For example, no library visis? No problem. Use the library e-resources as much as possible. This, along with other online resources, is why I have so many entries in the reading and listening threads...

Here's another pre / post observation, both personally witnessed and in print...

Needless to say, in many places across America, there are an increasing number of abandoned buildings dotting the landscape. That’s not surprising when you learn that the total amount of retail space that has been permanently shuttered in 2025 has reached a staggering 120 million square feet. We suspect the primary reason for this is not a sharp decline in economic activity. In fact, it can be explained in a single word: Amazon. For many people, allowing Amazon to become the behemoth it is today has been a rotten deal, but they’ll learn to like it.

Have you noticed this too?

Yup. Fiy, there are youtubers who use their video skills to document changes in the retail landscape. We can "see" the dead and dying malls. Sometimes, they show us details . For example, someone found the alleged mats that were used in the alleged massage parlors which probably were not the subject of certain mystery shops. Shoppers doing massage gigs would know more about that.

I would say that Amazon per se was not enough to topple the once-traditional retail operations. Rather, companies that failed to switch soon enough to e-business missed years of opportunity to learn and grow their e-business operations.

Can Amazon give me a fabulous facial and a massage that makes me purr? No. It can only sell me stuff for diy service. We still need some people working in real places.

OTOH, we need more information. What do the alphabet Gen people want now? This becomes the subject of my "today's trivia." What is the utilization rate of legitimate personal services? What services are most and least utilized?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2025 06:13AM by Shop-et-al.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

Yup. Fiy, there are youtubers who use their video skills to document changes in the retail landscape. We can "see" the dead and dying malls. Sometimes, they show us details . For example, someone found the alleged mats that were used in the alleged massage parlors which probably were not the subject of certain mystery shops. Shoppers doing massage gigs would know more about that.

I would say that Amazon per se was not enough to topple the once-traditional retail operations. Rather, companies that failed to switch soon enough to e-business missed years of opportunity to learn and grow their e-business operations.

Can Amazon give me a fabulous facial and a massage that makes me purr? No. It can only sell me stuff for diy service. We still need some people working in real places.

OTOH, we need more information. What do the alphabet Gen people want now? This becomes the subject of my "today's trivia." What is the utilization rate of legitimate personal services? What services are most and least utilized?

Speaking of social media, have you also noticed that minors are restricted to certain hours and other criteria at malls and fast food establishments?

There is also a focus in some small towns where social media flash mob disturbances took place to enact parental responsibility over said minors.

Furthermore, I've read statistics where today's teenagers have the lowest summer employment rates ever (since records have been kept).

All interesting pre / post pandemic data

I believe it can be summarized in one word; accountability. Or the lack thereof.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2025 09:14AM by maverick1.

So today is hymns day for me. Listening to ".... it is well, it is well with my soul...." prompted me to wonder about mental illness that maverick1associates with the pandemic. Was it the pandemic alone? Or, was the long-standing deterioration over time of faith, belief, and practice a prominent factor in mental problems for some due to isolation, loss, change, and other experiences associated with the pandemic? We know that faith did not prevent or stop the covid. Covid exists to this day. We might not know so much about the role of faith in acceptance and coping... and the absence of faith in dealing with the changes wrought by the pandemic...

[Don't worry. The seemingly obvious and scripture-supported homily will not appear here.]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2025 02:10PM by Shop-et-al.

I think its a combination of things.

With regards to the lowest rate of unemployment, is that really summed up with accountability, or is another word, (like automation), partially responsible?
I recently took my kids to the new Taco Bell that opened up in town and instead of a cashier (used to be a teen or young adult in this type of position) to take your order. Instead, they have a kiosk. I told the employee I wanted to pay cash and they told me that I could put the order in and then pay with cash at the counter.

I believe some jobs are going away and that leads to a decrease in being able to afford services like a facial and massage.

I also think some companies that are closing stores (Walgreens for example) went through a phase of buying land and building just to be able to knock out competitors moving into a location. I can't recall the book but I believe it was described as a "spiderweb" approach. Then stores were sharing the same customers, and now, they are closing stores.

I also watched a really fascinating documentary on how Dollar General moving into communities hurts other retailers (like a small local grocery store). If I dig it up, I'll post it here, but long story short, people used to go to town to grab milk and would grab a few other things while they were there. Now, instead of making the 8 mile drive to the grocery store, they make the 2 mile drive to Dollar General.

I agree, it is a combination of things. Like most big problems. If it was simple, the problem would be fixed almost immediately.

I had a college professor in an Engineering Ethics class start a discussion on healthcare issues and the conclusion was just that, there is no simple solution. And here we are many years later.

Regarding the Dollar Store...if someone is buying groceries there and consuming it, um, okay, I'll stop there. Oh, I can't...how is it different from dumpster diving? ROFL

@joanna81 wrote:

I think its a combination of things.

With regards to the lowest rate of unemployment, is that really summed up with accountability, or is another word, (like automation), partially responsible?
I recently took my kids to the new Taco Bell that opened up in town and instead of a cashier (used to be a teen or young adult in this type of position) to take your order. Instead, they have a kiosk. I told the employee I wanted to pay cash and they told me that I could put the order in and then pay with cash at the counter.

I believe some jobs are going away and that leads to a decrease in being able to afford services like a facial and massage.

I also think some companies that are closing stores (Walgreens for example) went through a phase of buying land and building just to be able to knock out competitors moving into a location. I can't recall the book but I believe it was described as a "spiderweb" approach. Then stores were sharing the same customers, and now, they are closing stores.

I also watched a really fascinating documentary on how Dollar General moving into communities hurts other retailers (like a small local grocery store). If I dig it up, I'll post it here, but long story short, people used to go to town to grab milk and would grab a few other things while they were there. Now, instead of making the 8 mile drive to the grocery store, they make the 2 mile drive to Dollar General.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2025 05:55PM by maverick1.

@maverick1 wrote:

I agree, it is a combination of things. Like most big problems. If it was simple, the problem would be fixed almost immediately.

I had a college professor in an Engineering Ethics class start a discussion on healthcare issues and the conclusion was just that, there is no simple solution. And here we are many years later.

Regarding the Dollar Store...if someone is buying groceries there and consuming it, um, okay, I'll stop there. Oh, I can't...how is it different from dumpster diving? ROFL

@joanna81 wrote:

I think its a combination of things.

With regards to the lowest rate of unemployment, is that really summed up with accountability, or is another word, (like automation), partially responsible?
I recently took my kids to the new Taco Bell that opened up in town and instead of a cashier (used to be a teen or young adult in this type of position) to take your order. Instead, they have a kiosk. I told the employee I wanted to pay cash and they told me that I could put the order in and then pay with cash at the counter.

I believe some jobs are going away and that leads to a decrease in being able to afford services like a facial and massage.

I also think some companies that are closing stores (Walgreens for example) went through a phase of buying land and building just to be able to knock out competitors moving into a location. I can't recall the book but I believe it was described as a "spiderweb" approach. Then stores were sharing the same customers, and now, they are closing stores.

I also watched a really fascinating documentary on how Dollar General moving into communities hurts other retailers (like a small local grocery store). If I dig it up, I'll post it here, but long story short, people used to go to town to grab milk and would grab a few other things while they were there. Now, instead of making the 8 mile drive to the grocery store, they make the 2 mile drive to Dollar General.

LOL well I'm in a semi-rural area and now they're building DG Market which actually has some fresh food but if I look at the ingredients of most dollar store processed food...it is mostly chemicals.

This is the link to the documentary if you're curious: [youtu.be]

I'm in the suburbs, but mostly see Dollar General in the more run-down areas here. Some have closed. But near me, it's weird that they turned a CVS into a DG in a more affluent area. Between a Super Target and Walmart. It used to be a bank. Free-standing building with its own lot that's in a prime area, but looks out of place. A lot of these buildings have been turned into emergency care centers.

However, the pOpshelf locations here have been more popular and successful, carrying more home and goods and arts and crafts items.

@joanna81 wrote:

@maverick1 wrote:

I agree, it is a combination of things. Like most big problems. If it was simple, the problem would be fixed almost immediately.

I had a college professor in an Engineering Ethics class start a discussion on healthcare issues and the conclusion was just that, there is no simple solution. And here we are many years later.

Regarding the Dollar Store...if someone is buying groceries there and consuming it, um, okay, I'll stop there. Oh, I can't...how is it different from dumpster diving? ROFL

@joanna81 wrote:

I think its a combination of things.

With regards to the lowest rate of unemployment, is that really summed up with accountability, or is another word, (like automation), partially responsible?
I recently took my kids to the new Taco Bell that opened up in town and instead of a cashier (used to be a teen or young adult in this type of position) to take your order. Instead, they have a kiosk. I told the employee I wanted to pay cash and they told me that I could put the order in and then pay with cash at the counter.

I believe some jobs are going away and that leads to a decrease in being able to afford services like a facial and massage.

I also think some companies that are closing stores (Walgreens for example) went through a phase of buying land and building just to be able to knock out competitors moving into a location. I can't recall the book but I believe it was described as a "spiderweb" approach. Then stores were sharing the same customers, and now, they are closing stores.

I also watched a really fascinating documentary on how Dollar General moving into communities hurts other retailers (like a small local grocery store). If I dig it up, I'll post it here, but long story short, people used to go to town to grab milk and would grab a few other things while they were there. Now, instead of making the 8 mile drive to the grocery store, they make the 2 mile drive to Dollar General.

LOL well I'm in a semi-rural area and now they're building DG Market which actually has some fresh food but if I look at the ingredients of most dollar store processed food...it is mostly chemicals.

This is the link to the documentary if you're curious: [youtu.be]

Yeah, I get it. The name on the building denotes an attractive price point. But I've been in these stores to get a single item like a turkey baster to extract brake fluid from a vehicle.

I'd never ingest anything from a "dollar store." Do you recall there was a recall of toothpaste from dollar stores because the ingredients were contaminated from a China source?

"In 2007, the FDA issued warnings and advised consumers to avoid toothpaste made in China because it might contain diethylene glycol (DEG), a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze. DEG was found in various brands sold in discount retailers, including dollar stores. This ingredient was sometimes used as a cheaper substitute for glycerin, a thickening agent in toothpaste."

And then there was this..."There were also recalls of counterfeit Colgate toothpaste that contained DEG, sold in some discount stores in the U.S. East Coast states."

Counterfeit toothpaste!!!

No. No. ...and NO! LOL

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2025 08:47PM by maverick1.

Post Pandemic - People learned that their lives and their loved ones were truly most important and come first, before any place of employment. Not the other way around.

I think many people arrive at the conclusion - soon or later - and timing is key - that hustle culture is hollow, often scammy.

RE: DG - last month, I headed up to the mountains for a vacation....I noticed several of these DG markets along the way. They seem new.
I was thinking of the irony of shipping and trucking packaged food stuff for miles into these towns that are primarily agricultural to begin with.
I prefer to get food, whenever possible, from the farmers that live near me. I am not sure what the future holds
for the independent farmers.

And then, there's this:

"AI itself is going to be gone by the time you finish a PhD. Even things like applying AI to robotics will be solved by then,” Jad Tarifi, the founder of Google’s first generative-AI team, told Business Insider.

Tarifi himself graduated with a PhD in AI in 2012, when the subject was far less mainstream. But today, the 42-year-old says, time would be better spent studying a more niche topic intertwined with AI, like AI for biology—or maybe not a degree at all.

“Higher education as we know it is on the verge of becoming obsolete,” Tarifi said to Fortune. “Thriving in the future will come not from collecting credentials but from cultivating unique perspectives, agency, emotional awareness, and strong human bonds.

“I encourage young people to focus on two things: the art of connecting deeply with others, and the inner work of connecting with themselves.”

I saw that, too. My first thought was: is AI dumbing us down in a new way?

Careers like data science and AI/ML can be good, but I think your skills and knowledge will only be valued at companies where that's embedded in the fabric and culture of the company. At some companies, some of the project management-type positions are always the first to go.

The companies I worked for recently haven't had great results with interns. We're finding that even at some of these more prestigious schools, the breadth of practical curriculum is not there. Having to sit on some of these interviews to conduct a part of the technical part and test the applicant's problem-solving skills and communication, a lot of these applicants aren't ready to advance.

Been shifting efforts on hiring individuals who have a portfolio of projects and providing references of colleagues who have worked with them. When we've done that, we're getting better and suited applicants, and finding that the school attended and the education are much less of a factor.

@BarefootBliss wrote:

RE: DG - last month, I headed up to the mountains for a vacation....I noticed several of these DG markets along the way. They seem new.
I was thinking of the irony of shipping and trucking packaged food stuff for miles into these towns that are primarily agricultural to begin with.
I prefer to get food, whenever possible, from the farmers that live near me. I am not sure what the future holds
for the independent farmers.

Right! Drive a few miles in most directions and you'll find farm stands you can get fresh produce for much cheaper than the store.

@joanna81 wrote:

@BarefootBliss wrote:

RE: DG - last month, I headed up to the mountains for a vacation....I noticed several of these DG markets along the way. They seem new.
I was thinking of the irony of shipping and trucking packaged food stuff for miles into these towns that are primarily agricultural to begin with.
I prefer to get food, whenever possible, from the farmers that live near me. I am not sure what the future holds
for the independent farmers.

Right! Drive a few miles in most directions and you'll find farm stands you can get fresh produce for much cheaper than the store.

In my area, farmers sell to the large grocery stores with their farm name posted in the produce department. The prices at farm stands are rarely lower than the grocery stores that make huge buys.

However, there are specialty items like fresh apple cider, specialty honey, or end of season specials at the farm stands not found in large grocery stores.

There is really nothing to stop us from growing our own fruit and vegetables. Even folks with really small spaces and living in apartments can build tower farms or turn a pallet and some rain gutters into a vertical garden. I honestly don't understand why more folks don't grow their own veggies.

I guess being raised by depression era folks left me a little cynical. We lived well on not very much money because my mother and my grandparents grew food, fished and hunted. We didn't buy a lot of meat at the grocery store, and we bought almost zero vegetables. My grandmother would smack me if she saw me buy a packaged salad at Kroger..

I was raised by farmers as well. Shame on me for allowing all those skills to slip. Nevertheless, thanks for the reminder that it's not too late.