I was not really interested in the virus, it was more a question to probe the nature of the community on this site. Including how the so called, on line community differs from a traditional one, where it would be unthinkable to lose a member without someone noticing.

@Fernapple I used to think of "online community" as a real thing. No, absolutely does not exist. Surprised you think it does? That's a question mark at the end of that last expression of thought. Please tell me how you believe in the word "online community" as a real thing. I am very curious about your perception and online experience. I believe it is much more accurate to say "an online non-community".

@Flowerwall I don't think that it is a community in that sense no. My post was to probe just that question, to what degree dose it exist/not exist as a community, if at all. I do think that 'something exists' yes, and you can not say that there is nothing there, since conversation alone is certainly an aspect of community, and the online 'community has been known to do things like raising money for charities and cloud funding, which could not have been done by normal methods. But that leaves three questions. Does a community have to have all the features of a community to be called a community, and if not, which ones can be left out ? Are some parts communities and not others, if so which and why ? And. If you do not use the word community, then what word do you use ?

@Fernapple Yes, something is there. But what is it? I personally, don't think it's helpful to think in terms of a "community". Online conversation group, maybe? Yes, good things can certainly come out of such things, as you mentioned. But also very negative as you mentioned in the original question and it's a horrible idea. This whole idea of people just being gone - dead and everyone just goes on. This is why I cannot understand the attitude of world leaders at the beginning of all of this, it felt to me as though they encouraged the very reality we now find ourselves in. They too have been a very destructive force in what was perceived as unity on a national level and internationally as well. Some aspect of it has been destroyed in their bumbling responses.

How do you feel good about your own nation when you know the rich and famous are given special privileges with regard to this pandemic and average people are easily dismissed as unworthy? I just read about a police officer who passed away from covid after being denied testing two times. It is a NATIONAL DISGRACE! UNACCEPTABLE! It is a very backwards reality, isn't it? Then others, the rich and famous, say "experienced mild symptoms". How is it POSSIBLE? This is off topic, but it's a bad reality. I think positive sense of community is being upended the less others care.

@Flowerwall Yes I posted this quote on this group a few days ago.

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread." Anatole France.

It works even better for the lock down, which forbids both the rich and the poor alike from visiting Wall Mart more than once a week. Though the poor must keep to their apartments and trailers, while the rich can still fly between their estates in their helicopters.

As for death I am not so sure. I have often thought that I would prefer to die alone and forgoten. In part because I have spent enough time by death beds, to know that dying is rarely easy, and that for me, knowing and seeing that my death would cause grief would just be an extra burden at a difficult time. So no, I would hope that, I had said goodbye to my last remaining friends before I got to my death bed, and/or to die alone in the forest and to have my body eaten by the wildlife, is the best option. Perhaps in an ideal world someone will find the bleached bones, so the the legal and legasy matters can be easily tidied up.

A lot. There used to be a member from Aus. who was in his late eighties I think, who suddenly went when we had been having long and interesting chats about various scientific subjects, sadly I can't remember his tag.

@Fernapple @Allamanda...it is extremely sad, and given the number of members in the older age category...unsurprising perhaps too though.

@Allamanda I think perhaps most of the deaths go unannounced and unnoticed...but certainly where it is actually known, I think Admin should be advised and they could post a notice to other members.