Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My parents are in their 80s, and lived through WWII as young children. I asked them, during the blackouts do you remember anyone refusing to turn out their lights or block their windows, because they didn't want their freedoms infringed on? They said no, absolutely not, no one would have dreamed of it. That was the American value system of the day, not "I do what I want."
Last edited by fleetiebelle; 05-05-2020 at 03:37 PM..
I need to try another direction - I don't believe wearing shoes does anything for ANYONE'S health - in public. All those "no shoes, no service" -that's just some kind of conspiracy for weak minded folks. Shoes do nothing. NO EVIDENCE that dirty feet are dirty or that they smell too. There is NO EVIDENCE that the smell from my feet is smelly. Yours are though. SO
after this is over- let's get rid of shoes too!
(Yes, this is what the anti mask whine sounds like.)
I'm going to stick with my other analogy and state it often: It's the same as refusing to wear a condom when you KNOW you have an STD. It's just ignorant. Selfish. Backwards. Uneducated. and NOTHING "smart."
I would say it's more similar to a promiscuous person who assumes they don't have an STD, even though their sexual risk profile is high due to behavior, because they have never had symptoms. Their doctors, health pros, literature, all says that they could be asymptomatic carriers of things, but that's like...fake news, man. It isn't what they want to believe, so they don't believe it. So they never get tested, and they don't use protection, and they say they're healthy and don't have anything, but they truly don't know. And then there's the fact that others are not consenting to breathe your possibly infected snot particles, and what that says for our little analogy. It's a bit like flinging your fluids at strangers, really.
(And hey, condoms don't protect anyone 100% from STDs so why bother, yeah?)
To a lot of folks saying that it is their choice to NOT mask up, and they refuse to do so... Question for ya. Do you believe that private businesses have the right to shut you out at the door for not having a mask on?
'Cause I think that in the American world of liberty and freedom that people go on about, where you feel you've got all sorts of right to not wear a mask, that is the next logical step. Sure. Take your bad self out there into the world without one. And have every business owner get to make their own choices about whether you can come in the door. But then you don't get to throw a hissy tantrum when they turn you away. Not like that trash in the news who spit on a security guard and then her pa came back and shot the guy for turning her away at the door. She not only didn't want to wear a mask, she felt entitled to service without one. I'd say that's stepping pretty hard on the store management's rights on their private property.
'Cause believe it or not, your local grocery store is not community public property. It's privately owned. They get to make those rules, even in states where it's not law.
To the question of masks and what they are good for? Protecting me, protecting others, making others more comfortable, whatever?
I can tell you 2 effects right off the top of my head, when I go into the grocery store in not only a mask but my gloves, too. #1, I'm not comfortable (as many have pointed out) which prompts me not to dawdle around. I get in there, get what I need and gtfo. Which is good policy for the times. I also go into stores and such as little as humanly possible. Also good policy at the moment. I do what I can so that I reduce the time I feel I need to wear the thing, which incidentally is helping me do the isolating. #2, when I'm masked and gloved, I do not ever touch my face. Not even a little bit. When you're out touching stuff that other people touch, that can help reduce possible spread of the virus also. I'd hazard a guess that it could be even more effective for protecting me, than the basic fact of the mask on my face.
It might become a lot more common if masks were readily available. It's taken me weeks to find suitable masks.
It takes 10 seconds to make a mask using a scarf, or an old cut-up T-shirt, and some string. There are hundreds of YouTube videos that will help you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nevada2012
Talk about a moving target.
The virus itself is a moving target. We're learning more about it every day. So of course guidelines on how to best avoid getting sick are a moving target as well.
You non-maskers sound like people with an STD that won't wear a condom. On purpose.
For the bajillionth time -Bitey - the "cheapie" masks assume YOU have the virus. It is stopping YOU from spreading it - by limiting the range your sneeze or cough or other virus-y stuff can fly. The virus is tiny - yes - but it tends to be attached to moisture particles - which are not actually that tiny.
No one is suggesting they're comfortable - are you serious? They're hugely uncomfortable for everyone that wears one. That's a silly reason. The only thing that is "stupid" is assuming you're virus free. THAT is stupid.
That "discomfort" may be trivial to you but to someone who already has significant respiratory issues it can be downright crippling.
You know what else limits the distance of droplets when you cough or sneeze? Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. My kids had that routine down by the time they were 4 or 5, I'm sure you can manage it too with some practice.
Of all the ways to slow the spread of the virus, wearing a germ-soaked piece of cloth on your face is the least effective. Good hygiene and social distancing are much more important and much more important. Inevitably crowded places like public transportation is where actual masks and not just makeshift strips of material across your face will actually have some effect. For everywhere else... let's be honest, the "masks in public" routine is basically feel-good theater whose primary function is to assuage the paranoiacs who believe every contact with another human being is a high-risk encounter.
I .went shopping at Lowe's and Giant Eagle this morning. There were signs on the entrance doors at each location that a mask was required to enter. There were a decent number of people in each store. I did not see anyone without a mask. People seemed to make an effort to move to the sides of the aisles to let you go by. All aisles had direction arrows. There are 6 foot spacing marks at the checkout registers. There didn't seem to be any issues.
Agree, but there's only one way to find out. So the rest of the people who refuse to go out need people like myself and others who are willing to take the risks involved. Ultimately, it wouldn't matter anyway; because if there is no immunity and we're all still going to catch it, then it's just business as usual. I am of the view that we all have to assume there won't be a vaccine, and we also have to assume that the vaccine maybe like a flu vaccine that will not cover all strains making it only somewhat effective. Getting a vaccine is a bonus, not a guarantee.
Then it boils down to personal philosophy. Personally, I'd rather die of the virus, than live the rest of my life in a permanent world of social distancing and 24/7 masks. For one, there are worse ways to go. Two, death comes for us all one way or another. Also, in my opinion, our way of life is more important than my one life. What kind of life will my kids have if we decimate the economy by hiding in our homes. What kind of a world is it where we can't see people's smiles, expressions, and emotions. A place where you view the people around you as potential masked murderers versus the warmth of another human being.
Some may disagree, but my risks pay off for others. If I continue going about my business, people can continue to employee their people and feed their families. If I fall ill, it helps support many associated businesses; supply companies, facility maintainers, doctors, nurses, insurance companies, administrators, food service, software companies, utilities, the list goes on. We all have to do our part, and as crazy as it seems, this is my contribution.
Not many worse ways to go than being unable to breath. I'm an RN and I've seen it.
That "discomfort" may be trivial to you but to someone who already has significant respiratory issues it can be downright crippling.
You know what else limits the distance of droplets when you cough or sneeze? Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze. My kids had that routine down by the time they were 4 or 5, I'm sure you can manage it too with some practice.
Of all the ways to slow the spread of the virus, wearing a germ-soaked piece of cloth on your face is the least effective. Good hygiene and social distancing are much more important and much more important. Inevitably crowded places like public transportation is where actual masks and not just makeshift strips of material across your face will actually have some effect. For everywhere else... let's be honest, the "masks in public" routine is basically feel-good theater whose primary function is to assuage the paranoiacs who believe every contact with another human being is a high-risk encounter.
It has repeatedly been recommended that people with respiratory issues stay home. But whatever.
I also haven't seen very many people wearing one. I live in rural Texas. We just had our first case in 24 days. I don't go out much - just a weekly trip to grab a few necessities. The checkers are wearing masks. I'd say 1 out of every 20 or so customers is.
I did order two cloth masks for if I am ever in a situation where it is required. I've put it on, but never worn it in public. It is not comfortable and I do feel all it does is makes me constantly touch my face and feel claustrophobic. I also think location is putting a stigma on it - we're still in the people wearing masks are the weird ones stage. It's not commonplace here.
They just decided today that salons can reopen at the end of the week. Masks are recommended or required (conflicting info and I haven't fact checked yet.) In that type of close situation, I would not be opposed to wearing one.
It has repeatedly been recommended that people with respiratory issues stay home. But whatever.
But we folks with respiratory issues want to do what we want, too. If you can't make other people stay home, we won't either, and we won't wear no stinkin' masks because we want the freedom to cough and spit and fart on whomever we want
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
