Uh, oh: You might not be able to buy this at the store again

Remember that time last year when people were panic buying toilet paper?

Yeah, so do I...

I hate to tell you this, but it's happening all over again.

I recently read that Costco is placing limits on purchases of toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies.

As the Delta variant continues to protract the pandemic, consumers are hitting the panic button once more.

Covid disruptions, shortages of materials, supply chain troubles, and difficulty finding drivers and shipping containers are all contributing to the problem. Manufacturers are having trouble keeping up with resurgent demand as cases and deaths remain elevated.

But there's a problem with Costco and other retailers placing a cap on how much consumers can buy.

It sends the message that they're in short supply, which, ironically, prompts shoppers to panic purchase even more. This is known in psychology as the innuendo effect.

I'm sure many of you thought we would not find ourselves in this situation again, especially after the rollout of vaccines seemed so promising.

Thankfully, it doesn't appear as though things will be nearly as chaotic as they were in 2020. We have to remember that, when this happened the first time, there were no vaccines to speak of, so people were naturally planning for doomsday scenarios.

I recommend people stock up on toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies -- just in case. Pandemic or not, it's not like the stuff would go to waste.

It is my hope that a year from now, we will have achieved herd immunity and moved on from this unprecedented chapter of our lives.

On a final note, I actually have a sign in my bathroom that says, "You never know what you have until it's gone -- like toilet paper, for instance." It couldn't be more appropriate for the times we're living in!

Comments

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it? After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

An important note to women about men and attraction

I was raised by my mom, grandma, and two older sisters. Growing up, never did I ever take any interest in the girls at school who tended toward exposing more skin. I always treated them as I would my female family members -- with the utmost courtesy and respect. And anytime I suspected that a male friend or acquaintance of mine adopted a hump-and-dump attitude toward women, I nixed them from my life. I held men who treated women as objects in very low regard, and still do to this day. If women feel empowered to show off their bodies because they love and work hard on their physique, more power to them. In other words, if they're doing it to please THEMSELVES and no one else, good for them. However, those who do it specifically to curry men's favor are making a big mistake. It sends the wrong signals and actually makes it less likely that a man will want to stick around for a committed relationship (if that's what you want as anyway). Granted, if you're not lookin...

How To Understand People

Search This Blog