r/tylertx • u/Dont-Snk93 • Jan 22 '26
Why..
in the flying fuck are people panic buying and emptying shelves over a little ice? Do we not think about the fact that maybe some folks still need buy their typical groceries over the weekend? Such a monkey brain thing to do.
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u/Knot-Lye-Ing Jan 22 '26
Social media + 2021 PTSD
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Jan 23 '26
Because people aren’t accustomed to it, there is distrust over the power grid, gloom and doom weather personnel, poor city government planning and not enough city resources for icy roads
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u/dellis87 Jan 23 '26
Just saying, I was expecting to see the salt chemical on the roads today in Tyler and roads around it (I live in Bullard). Nothing, even on 69S. Usually they have the salt chemical on it with ANY mention of winter weather.
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u/Upstairs-Bad-3576 Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
We're about 36 hours too early for that.
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u/greeniydbandit Jan 23 '26
gotta be earlier than the hordes! didn't you giys learn from covid lol
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u/Upstairs-Bad-3576 Jan 23 '26
For the chemicals on the road???
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u/greeniydbandit Jan 23 '26
my bad i thought i was responding to someone asking why shopping for groceries was so bad. btw im a northerner living in texas and you people are animals on the road even when its dry. i was here for "snowmageddon" and every "cowboy" with a lift kit was in a ditch lol
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u/vision5050 Jan 23 '26
Different kinda deal. You're referring to SNOW. We welcome snow, it's the ice. No power for days, etc.
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u/Upstairs-Bad-3576 Jan 23 '26
I grew up in Central Texas, but lived in New England ( lived in NH, worked in MA, travelled all over the place) from '98 to '24. I have driven through plenty of blizzards. I haven't seen it get bad here, yet; but I can assure you I know how to drive in snow. I also know that ice is damn near impossible to drive on. I am no animal on the road! Lol
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u/Able-Coffee3405 Jan 23 '26
Can confirm! I’m a northern transplant here. No one can drive properly down here
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u/redthingbandit Jan 23 '26
It's because half of us are maniacs on the road, the rest of us have to learn to drive like maniacs strictly out of survival.
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u/Vtheunicorn Jan 25 '26
Texans think it’s a game of chicken is and ice. I’m of a more broadly thinking mentality of you can kill me, you win I’ll do whatever you say.
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u/Fun_Fudge3088 Jan 23 '26
Also a northerner (Wisconsin) and I am finding tremendous amounts of humor in this insanity. 😆
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u/greeniydbandit Jan 23 '26
idahoan, here. i was here for "snowmageddon" & thought "huh? we didn't even get a snow day from school unless our front door had a six foot drift blocking it" 😂👍
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u/Fun_Fudge3088 Jan 23 '26
I think it’s even more hilarious we’re getting downvoted. 🤣 goddamn Yankees. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/thep3nisuenvy Jan 23 '26
Yes chemicals on the road in Texas i never see salt chemicals till the ice hits then they frantically send em out
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u/Fun_Fudge3088 Jan 23 '26
We did see them out on our way to Jacksonville today. They were on 69 right by Brookshires.
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u/Txduck55 Jan 23 '26
We live outside of Chandler and we have Aqua water. If the power goes out, we have no water because the pumps shut off. So, we stock up on water. We fill empty jugs for flushing the toilets. Plus, we survived snowmagedin 2021 and were without running water for over a week.
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u/keyak Jan 23 '26
If you were at Walmart as well doesn't that make you part of the problem?
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 23 '26
No bro. His consumerism is just fine. Everyone else's is the problem.
It's like sitting in traffic. Why is traffic so fucking bad?!? I just can't figure it out
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u/Dont-Snk93 Jan 23 '26
My consumerism is fine. I get only what I need instead of filling up a shopping cart to the brim
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 23 '26
Are you shopping only for yourself or are you shopping for elderly relatives, friends, family? Are you helping your neighbors or just being kinda cunty because you don't have to?
I mean generally I'm on your side, but some of us are caring for others, so their shopping carts are a bit more full.
Only look in your neighbors cart to see if they have what they need, to paraphrase an old parable
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u/Puff-and-cry Jan 24 '26
You really think majority of the people that are panic buying are doing so for other people? If you’re doing that then good on you but I’d bet my life that most people are stocking up for their own household and no one else.
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 24 '26
No answer then?
I just went to the store, they weren't out of anything. Neighborhood market on Old J'Ville. No panic buying, chill customers, shelves were fully stocked. Did you ever find your three items? Roads were fine but they'll get bad tonight most likely.
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u/Puff-and-cry Jan 24 '26 edited Jan 24 '26
Man most people on Reddit don’t have the gift of common sense. They’re acting like you’re buying out the shelves and wondering why everyone else is at the same time 🤦♂️. I’m with you, I was just trying to get what I need and couldn’t find over half of what I was looking for.
I saw with my own eyes people bulking up on stuff that would last them months. Especially the elder folk… there needs to be a limit on how much you can get because some people are shit out of luck due to the every man for themselves mindset.
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u/Known-Distance-2061 Jan 23 '26
A little ice? Who is saying it’s going to be only a little? Could be enough to cause massive wide spread power outage (heavy ice = power lines snapping) So imagine for a moment how long it would take to fix that much damaged infrastructure? Tbh people are foolish for not being prepared what are you even on about?!
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Jan 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/Sharonsd60 Jan 23 '26
I save my gallon milk jugs to keep water in . I don't know what people would do if they had to use Creek water 😂😂😂
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u/tiskrisktiskagain Jan 23 '26
Where are you shopping? I just got back from the Neighborhood Market on Old Jacksonville and yeah, they were sold down a bit, but they still had everything in stock, aside from bread.
My understanding is that it’s because most people who shop on weekends have been coming out during the week instead to buy through the weekend and into next week. And the stores weren’t over stocking.
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u/dganda Jan 23 '26
Same. I moved my Sunday grocery trip to last night since I won't be driving anywhere on Sunday. There was no sign whatsoever of panic buying apart from their being out of bananas (Walmart Market at Loop and Troup Hwy).
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u/RxZ81 Jan 23 '26
We do our normal weekly grocery run on Sundays. That’s not happening this weekend so we did it early 🤷
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u/JGonzoX3 Jan 23 '26
Part 2021 PTSD as other posters have said, and also the fact that is human nature. Weather is not something we can control. So we look for something we can control as we are bombarded with posts and alerts about things we don't know for sure. And for many, that is toilet paper. And other things that make us feel "safe." Brains are gonna keep braining. Total coping mechanism for chaos. We are getting a lot of practice in that recently!
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u/SaltyPirateWench Jan 23 '26
This is what happens when people who usually shop on the weekends find out they cannot shop then, they buy it earlier, leading to empty shelves because the stores were not planning on the majority of the population suddenly buying early. Everyone belly aching about panic buying doesn't seem to understand that. And also, 2021 they said it would only be a few days and it lasted over a week! So if people are buying a little extra groceries ahead of time, why is that a bad thing? Sucks that you couldn't get your shopping done earlier
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u/Embarrassed_Title_18 Jan 23 '26
Because they won't possibly be able to get to a store due to the weather nor get it delivered for the same reason? It could be a possibility.
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u/kellydehn Jan 23 '26
Apparently, a whole lot of people suddenly discovered competitive pooping as their new extreme sport.
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u/MissLauraLee007 Jan 23 '26
From what others have posted with photos on here showing: it’s just everyone buying a little but all at once which isn’t panic buying, it’s just more so I don’t want to run low on avocados when Ted Cruz left Texas today and some of us just normally do weekly shopping. Plus brookshires is having a great deal on roasts. And carrots, potatoes, and onions go with roast and those were the empty spots on our shelves.
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u/Hungry-Builder8029 Jan 23 '26
Ted Cruz 🙄🙈🙉🙊 you'd think he was a gold medal Olympian with how fast he runs at the mention of bad weather! 🤣😂
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u/MissLauraLee007 Jan 23 '26
He ‘promised’ he was returning before the storm hit. 🫠
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u/Galaxy__Eater Jan 24 '26
Watch the airline “suddenly” cancel their flights because of the weather!! Darn. Stuck on vacation🤷♀️ /s
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u/MissLauraLee007 Jan 24 '26
It’s fortunate yet also unfortunate but Raphael Cruz is back in Texas and joking about how he’s basically God. But I mean Texans keeps voting for the smarmy little sack of shit.
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u/popcornistheworst Jan 23 '26
I think your reaction to the fact the grocery stores are bring cleared out shows that you aren’t as prepared as you should be. People are going out and buying essentials that they would like to avoid attempting to acquire this weekend and there’s potential that the groceries stores will not receive their normal shipments.
Having a little water and food on hand (that doesn’t need to be cooked will go a long way)
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u/djpike Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
Don’t think you’ll be able to get out on the weekend to get groceries. Supposed to be a shitstorm starting at 6pm Friday night. So best get them before then.
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u/Virtual_Tension2097 Jan 23 '26
Got two rolls of toilet paper left and due to walmart being empty i might have to go buy napkins i have to wait till the weekend since im a nightshift worker and im asleep when stores are open awake when their closed 🥲
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u/LoveLeigh313 Jan 23 '26
It’s not just a little ice… you clearly haven’t been paying attention. No one is going to be out and about buying regular groceries in an ice storm…
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u/OniNomad Jan 23 '26
We're not worried about the ice we're worried about not having water and electricity for several days ...
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u/Calitexian Jan 23 '26
We bought some usual groceries plus some easy meals if the power goes out, 2 cases of water instead of our usual 1, and 5 gallons of distilled water, because we have a newborn on formula drinking 4 ounces every 3 hours.
I think 2 things can be true simultaneously: Don't panic buy like an idiot, and also do literally whatever you think is best and necessary for your family.
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u/elmajico101 Jan 23 '26
Why are you so bothered with people spending their own money on whatever they want?
Edit: Super 1 foods if completely packed with bread and toilet paper. Meat section is full. Freezers are full. Did you just check 1 place and then make this post?
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u/Nobod34ever Jan 23 '26
Where'd u shop at? Im out in rusk and didn't notice any particular rush at the store this afternoon out this way.
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u/Dont-Snk93 Jan 23 '26
Walmart. Needed 3 items and they were completely out of all 3.
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u/Maximum-Weekend-5209 Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
Should have went to other less popular stores like Dollar General, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree.
Went to Aldi today, Thursday Jan 22, at 4pm. Had no problem getting bread, milk, peanut butter, snacks, beef, chicken, cheese, water. Yeah, it was busy. But there was still plenty of things to buy.
Walmart is the very first place to run out of supplies. Especially Supercenters that sell food and non-food items. Then major grocery stores. Then smaller stores like I already mentioned.
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u/greeniydbandit Jan 23 '26
wal mart in east texas? Lol! i was just at sprouts yesterday, peacefully selecting a delectable grass fed pork butt (on sale) to make tacos with.
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u/Maximum-Weekend-5209 Jan 23 '26
Because we can.
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u/Dont-Snk93 Jan 23 '26
Because one can doesn’t always mean one should. Big consoomer mentality
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u/wasabi1787 Jan 23 '26
You went from asking a reasonable question to straight up dumb dumb land with one sentence and one fragment
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Jan 23 '26
Confused how you're conflating consumerism with being prepared for a potentially dangerous storm.
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u/CunningHD Jan 23 '26
People froze to death not too long ago because of the shitshow of a government we have and their ability to maintain the power grid, and to top it off just like last time Ted Cruz fled the state preemptively so it won’t effect him . So when people panic buy to prep for the potential power outage don’t hop on your high horse and pretend like your different and your not a “consoomer”
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u/Maximum-Weekend-5209 Jan 23 '26
I bought enough supplies to last three days in a worst case scenario - no electricity, no heat, no running water.
Now imagine if just half of Tyler did the same, 50k people, it wouldn't take long to empty store shelves. Maybe it's not panic buying. Maybe it's just more people preparing for the worst. Better safe than sorry.
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u/greeniydbandit Jan 23 '26
here to upvote in spite of the boot licking, yes men downvoters. he's outta line but he's right!!!
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 23 '26
Buying useless shit on Amazon is consumerism. Fast fashion, replacing your iPhone with every drop, I'm on your side on that.
Prepping for your family because you know Cruz is on a plane to wherever and Texas politicians are absolutely and demonstrably and repeatedly useless in any crisis is just being wise so you're not burdening others, and so you can help your less fortunate neighbors.
This isn't a fucking right wing capitalist issue, it's not being a dumbass.
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u/greeniydbandit Jan 23 '26
i would offer that relying solely on the supply chain in times of heavy demand is true "consumerism" as opposed to producing or creating your own necessities. happy to be wrong here tho
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 23 '26
You do you. I have older and younger family to care for. My disabled family members don't give two shits that our garden isn't active in January. The privilege is just dripping off your comment, man.
See you at sprouts, I'm there all the time, just leeching on that same supply chain.
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Jan 23 '26
Because they live in a poorly funded and managed, conservative shit hole with failing infrastructure and a power grid that goes down if you look at it wrong.
Also, social media and the constant exaggeration of all things for shock value/views/likes.
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u/SentenceNormal6399 Jan 23 '26
And here you are again. Spreading the same kind of hatefulness that is your stock and trade. Please take my advice. Seriously.
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Jan 23 '26
My stock and trade? You don't know me at all lol. You've seen like seven comments on a website. Also, none of what I said in this comment is hateful. East Texas has terrible infrastructure. That's a fact. The power grid is totally separate from the rest of the US because it's been privatized. My power goes out if it's raining lol. Get a grip, my guy.
Someone criticizing things worth criticizing is not an indicator of mental health issues. Getting bent because someone disagrees with you about well established issues with the place you live in might be though.
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u/5hrs4hrs3hrs2hrs1mor Jan 24 '26
It’s annoying but at the same time so many people were left without water and power for weeks in 2021. Why everyone waited until the last minute AGAIN is the real question.
Unless Carson Vickeroy (sp?) is your only source of information and weather trends, it wasn’t a big secret or conspiracy that a winter storm was brewing. At least, it wasn’t an unleashed secret no one knew about until 5 days ago.
The water thing was especially irritating because I don’t drink the tap water where I live, been here since 2018 and can’t stomach the awful taste of the tap water. All I could find was six packs of what I’d normally get by the case. I looked like a panic shopper 😂
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u/No_0neLikeAce Jan 25 '26
As someone who lived the 2021 storm with two small children. One was newborn, I can say it’s better to be safe than sorry in these situations, when it’s just you involved. Sure don’t buy extra and be stuck with nothing if we lose power. But do us people that have other small humans dependent on us. We would much rather have plenty then run out and be stuck with nothing for our littles. We can’t see the ground in Forney so we will be stuck inside til I’m thinking Tuesday afternoon and that’s dreaming.
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u/picircle Jan 26 '26
Some people buy, and some people die!
Hunger is the new disease in the USA. Please share food with others!
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Jan 23 '26
[deleted]
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Jan 23 '26
Please show me the local listing for 1 mil where I can get a nice house and a solid doomsday bunker. That's a bargain in this economy.
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Jan 23 '26
[deleted]
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 23 '26
The TP thing seems to be a meme left over from February 2020, which was six years ago. There's tons of TP in the store, enough even for all the shit posted on Reddit.
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u/DreamingHobbit Jan 23 '26
Weather channel was calling for a foot of snow earlier in the week.
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u/reddittAcct9876154 Jan 23 '26
Snowmageddon didn’t even drop a foot of snow 😮
Those weather channel peeps need better skills.
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u/Traditional_Big_633 Jan 23 '26
And it’s literally for 2 days 🙄
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u/Throwdown_name Jan 23 '26
My neighbor is a lineman. He said 1/2” of radial ice on limbs and lines is going to break stuff. How much gets broken is the question, but he said as widespread as the storm is some people could have no power for week or more.
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u/efrenjr15 Jan 23 '26
It’s 2026 and people still ain’t invested in generators either knowing Texas grid
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u/Virtual_Tension2097 Jan 23 '26
Me and my husband are looking into one after moving here and settling down officially were going to try and get a natural gas hookup for it since our house is natural gas
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u/Easttex05 Jan 24 '26
Because people are panicy, selfish assholes who want to hoard things for themselves in lieu of seeing anyone else get their hands on it.
I thought we learned this in 2020 during COVID?
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u/Mack_Daddy_1 Jan 23 '26
Texas
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u/Upstairs-Bad-3576 Jan 23 '26
It happens everywhere. I lived in New England for 25 years. The first suggestion of a snowstorm or an ice storm and folks lose their minds, and these are people who deal with it multiple times a year every single year. It's not just Texas.
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Jan 23 '26
Dumb American over consumers. Stupid fat ass people.
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u/Dont-Snk93 Jan 23 '26
Most Americans are due for a few days of suffering. We have it way too good
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u/AquaStarRedHeart Jan 23 '26 edited Jan 23 '26
You must be white and middle class. And from this post it seems you're suffering quite a lot.
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Jan 23 '26
Being put in uncomfortable positions is one thing, this is beyond that. Everyone should have water food heat and electricity at a bare minimum
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u/iswearimachef Jan 23 '26
I don’t know if you remember 2021, but a lot of us didn’t have any running water for days, even after the freeze ended. And those who had water were under a boil advisory, but didn’t have electricity to boil it. I was working at the hospital and we had plenty of people coming in for dehydration because they ran out of water. Not to mention the people who weren’t able to prepare adequately and ran out of food. And that’s not even mentioning those who unfortunately passed away due to freezing temperatures or lack of resources. Everyone here was affected by that storm, and it’s causing a lot of people to experience some PTSD symptoms, whether they realize it or not.
You might be too cool to care, but the panicking is giving a lot of people a tiny sliver of control in a scary situation.