In the annus horribilis of 2020, we have seen the best side of people. But we have also seen the worst. Let’s focus on the latter today.
We’ll look at a couple of much sought-after items soon after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed on March 18.
TOILET PAPER
Some people were on a roll in the way they wiped clean every shred of toilet paper from supermarket shelves.
It was disgusting to see such foolhardiness by grown-ups rushing for the loo paper like they were about to soil their pants. Maybe some did in all that excitement.
It was as if they had read a fake version of ‘Pandemic Survival Guide 101’ (does it even exist?) and were cocksure they had to have their bums well-covered. The cheek of them!
The amount of silliness some of them were excreting just made the rest of us feel constipated.
It didn’t matter to these selfish people that they were caught with their pants down with video clips of their stomach-churning antics regularly posted on social media. They went about making their runs in the supermarkets and neighbourhood stores to get what they wanted. Those who just needed their regular one or two rolls were left stranded.
Anyway, all that has been flushed down and is history now. And what’s the best part? The rest of the world is having the last laugh at the ones who are stuck with enough toilet paper for seven generations. This could well go down in the annals of history as the worst panic-buying spree ever.
BREAD
The bread situation was not as serious. It is even understandable to a certain extent because bread is an essential food item for many poor families.
But there’s no doubt that those who piled up their trolleys with two dozen loaves had the dough in their pockets. And they sure had one heck of an appetite for wastefulness.
Bread has a short shelf life – maybe about a week. Yet, some people with half-baked thoughts that the end was nigh just grabbed all they could.
The needy ones were again left helpless.
Fortunately though, this panic situation did not last for long as bread factories raised production and there was enough for everyone within days.
And after that, there were reports of stale bread being dumped by the loads.
All this panic-buying happened despite continued assurances from the government that there was enough for everyone.
Fights also broke out over that last pack of toilet paper. Some were elderly people who you would never think were keen on fistfights.
These incidents, however, did not occur in Malaysia. That proves another point – stupidity, selfishness and stubbornness are universal.
Hopefully, this is a lesson that we have to act rationally in whatever situation. Think of others, not just ourselves.