Coronavirus in Massachusetts (house, college, living)

[jayrandom]

The “why does it bother YOU if I’m wearing a mask crowd” has a reasonable point in a complete vacuum, but seem to be forgetting three years of polarization and not-so-silent judgement. There was a time when there were two camps that hated each other and wearing a mask or not wearing a mask was a surefire way to identify who was in which camp.

Even in this thread, we still have people equating NOT wearing a mask with utter contempt for other people. The reaction generally isn’t against the people wearing the masks, but rather that sort of holier than thou attitude. Unfortunately it’s easy to equate the two sets of people. I say this as someone who still does wear a mask on the commuter rail. I at least understand why people might think that is weird or that I am someone angrier about people not wearing masks than I actually am.

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

The “why does it bother YOU if I’m wearing a mask crowd” has a reasonable point in a complete vacuum, but seem to be forgetting three years of polarization and not-so-silent judgement. There was a time when there were two camps that hated each other and wearing a mask or not wearing a mask was a surefire way to identify who was in which camp.

Even in this thread, we still have people equating NOT wearing a mask with utter contempt for other people. The reaction generally isn’t against the people wearing the masks, but rather that sort of holier than thou attitude. Unfortunately it’s easy to equate the two sets of people. I say this as someone who still does wear a mask on the commuter rail. I at least understand why people might think that is weird or that I am someone angrier about people not wearing masks than I actually am.

You said it better than I could have. That is exactly my thought.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Even in this thread, we still have people equating NOT wearing a mask with utter contempt for other people. The reaction generally isn’t against the people wearing the masks, but rather that sort of holier than thou attitude.

In a hospital or a nursing home? Absolutely. Those places are stuffed full of people with compromised or degraded immune systems. Anywhere else? Do whatever you want.


Now that I've broken 65, I got a pneumonia vaccination last week from my physician and a Moderna jab yesterday at a Walgreens near my house. I'll continue to pop on an N95 mask in high density indoor places. Generally for me, that's travel at TSA screening, at the gate, and on the plane when wheels are on the ground.

,

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Global pandemics are inevitable but infrequent. Same as bolide impacts.

I think it is beneficial for understanding current events and planning for future ones is to abandon the self-righteousness and stop trying to frame people who come to different conclusions as having “disdain for fellow humans”. There are a handful of people who have a genuine disdain for humanity, but most people were simply applying different risk tolerance to different assessments of what was (and still is) an incomplete picture of the actual best practices.

Exactly. And if you lock down for every perceived threat you would never open.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Even in this thread, we still have people equating NOT wearing a mask with utter contempt for other people.

You're kidding me, right? Going back many pages, I don't see a single post here disparaging people for not wearing a mask. 100% of the judgement is against people for WEARING masks.

Originally Posted by brk330

Pointing out a mask just seems like a humble brag that you are healthier than thou.
Why not post about seeing a man in a wheelchair or with an oxygen tank.
Do you all question every handicap placard you see?
Count your blessings and move on.

Exactly.



Honestly, most of the people I still see wearing masks are Asians. It's a cultural thing, was before and after Covid. I'd hate to think how these self important types would manage, were they to visit one of those countries (I just feel the eyes on me!).

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

The reaction generally isn’t against the people wearing the masks, but rather that sort of holier than thou attitude.

I can absolutely empathize with a reaction against the holier than thou attitude which was certainly pervasive at the height of the pandemic. But what I personally take something of an issue with is the assumption that anyone presently wearing a mask in public has a holier than thou attitude. There's quite a bit of that sentiment lingering (even here in this thread) and it's obviously pretty reductive.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

I can absolutely empathize with a reaction against the holier than thou attitude which was certainly pervasive at the height of the pandemic. But what I personally take something of an issue with is the assumption that anyone presently wearing a mask in public has a holier than thou attitude. There's quite a bit of that sentiment lingering (even here in this thread) and it's obviously pretty reductive.

Unless you were severely bullied by a holier-than-though mask wearer (which at this point you should probably be seeking counseling for if it's still affecting you), sorry I have no empathy left. It's time to frikkin move on. 99% of people on the street could care less whether you are or aren't wearing a mask, and even "then" it was more or less a loud few. It's like the proliferation of social media has left a lot of grown adults acting like insecure high school kids.

[htfdcolt]

For what it's worth, I saw a neighbor lady doing her morning walk wearing a mask today. Must be the smoke, although we're not getting the worst of it by any stretch, and it seems like the clouds/winds doing a pretty good job of keeping effects minimal.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Unless you were severely bullied by a holier-than-though mask wearer (which at this point you should probably be seeking counseling for if it's still affecting you), sorry I have no empathy left. It's time to frikkin move on. 99% of people on the street could care less whether you are or aren't wearing a mask, and even "then" it was more or less a loud few. It's like the proliferation of social media has left a lot of grown adults acting like insecure high school kids.

I can understand why people (on both sides) might still be a little salty about some of the things that were said during the mask vs. no mask "discussions" of the last few years. But you're absolutely right that it's not really relevant to the people who are wearing masks in public today. The vast majority of people in public are not wearing masks - including most of the holier-than-thou types at the front of the mask debates. The idea that the people who are wearing masks on the street today are virtue signaling is pretty ridiculous.

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

The “why does it bother YOU if I’m wearing a mask crowd” has a reasonable point in a complete vacuum, but seem to be forgetting three years of polarization and not-so-silent judgement. There was a time when there were two camps that hated each other and wearing a mask or not wearing a mask was a surefire way to identify who was in which camp.

Even in this thread, we still have people equating NOT wearing a mask with utter contempt for other people. The reaction generally isn’t against the people wearing the masks, but rather that sort of holier than thou attitude. Unfortunately it’s easy to equate the two sets of people. I say this as someone who still does wear a mask on the commuter rail. I at least understand why people might think that is weird or that I am someone angrier about people not wearing masks than I actually am.

This is such a bizarre take to me. Have folks never been around a cancer patient, for instance? I had to wear a mask way back in 2011 whenever I went out in public. Masks are nothing new.

If folks find it weird then, well, that kind of justifies my contempt at the height of the pandemic. It demonstrates such a lack of understanding of other folks' realities and health concerns.