Pretty well all major bloodlettings have been followed by episodes of relaxed personal morality: the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and both world wars were followed by massive outbreaks of prolific rumpy-pumpy.

Presumably it’s an evolutionary adaptation to replace the population loss: everyone’s in like Flynn.

“Some predict, or rather salivate over, an explosion of decadence and debauchery ” a “roaring twenties” of the 21st century.”

Boris Johnson, right man, right time.

Zoe Strimpel won’t be happy with this.

I fell about laughing. Lockdown has had a dreadful effect.

Nunc est bibendum!

In the short to medium term, Mr. Leonard is surely right. When all this is over, there will be some pretty spectacular orgies (I’m waiting for my invite), and Ashley Madison will do a roaring trade. In the meantime, we seek solitary pleasures: alcohol consumption has soared (https://www.bmj.com/content…, as has cannabis consumption in those jurisdictions where it is legal.

To use a nautical metaphor, the post-pandemic orgiasts represent a large wave. But what of the state of the tide? The extreme individualism, which Michel Houellebecq described as atomisation, is still there. This describes the unwillingness of people to commit to the effort of building and sustaining long-term relationships – the ‘little platoons’ described by Burke.

So I suggest we also keep an eye on things like domestic violence, divorce and suicides. I would not be surprised if they follow the same trends as the wild partying.

In Tasmania, Australia, we have recently had dance floors and nightclubs opened up to normality. However, there are still limits of 250 people inside and there is a recommendation of keeping a social distance of 1.5m. Social distancing recommendations are not being followed by the young. They just want to party like it is the end of the world. So, Leonard’s analysis is spot on.
Obviously, not following the recommendations could be at the detriment to the most vulnerable if the virus spreads.