To wonder why East Asian countries can cope with wearing masks?

[sallyballynally]

Picture is of a poster in Seoul subway encouraging people to report others who are not wearing masks. I can only imagine the absolute tantrums that would occur on Mumsnet if that happened.

It constantly baffles me at how in Japan, South Korea and China people actually manage to be sensible and wear masks. My sister is in SK right now and EVERYONE wears a mask, no exceptions. Even toddlers wear them. There's no "it's too hot", "I want to see people's faces", "My humaaaaan rights". It's to the point that people on buses will bang on the windows if they see a pedestrian not wearing a mask. Some posters will say that they wouldn't want to live somewhere where they're socially pressured into wearing a mask. Yeah, I wish we were a country like Japan where there was no lockdown and 996 deaths. Why? Because masks. What is it about British people that makes us so contrary?

I just wear a fresh mask every time I go anywhere to do anything I might encounter other people, and launder the worn ones daily. It's a small intrusion into my normal, and bonus, lipstick is now unnecessary.

Having lived in Japan for many years, it's clear to me that it's a society which places a high value on collective social responsibility and consideration towards others. Hygiene standards also tend to be very high.

I don't disagree with this. But do they get flu in Japan like everywhere else? Oh yes they do.

So the idea that masks prevent the spread of viral disease is utter horseshit. There is no correlation between mask use and viral spread.

Im embarrassed to be British @Oaktree55

But not for the same reasons as you

Italy ..................giving away free masks outside pharmacies (proud to be half Italian)

Japan , cooled face masks in vending machines for the hot weather

UK Make your own mask out of an old sock or T shirt

My relatives in Molise are WTF??!! at that.

@AlexaShutUp And yet you cant see ableism.

Masks are a real drag
But its all about the price tag
Now you need to do your duty.
And shop for clothes and beauty.
Dont forget about shoes.
And stuff you possibly wont use.
And you can go to the pub
Eat lots of lovely grub.
With not a mask in sight.
You can party all night.
Drinkers getting a free pass
So they can drink and fall on their arse.
Had enough of this crap
Sick of being in this trap
Up to me if i dont shop
It doesnt mean you can have a pop.
Now i play the waiting game.
But you wont make me feel shame.
I will wear a mask
But being happy? Much too big an ask!

I live in East Asia.

People love to say "well Asians are just more compliant". Bullshit. Hong Kong have been protesting for months and Korea got rid of their old president. The UK lets the Tories do any old shit without complaint so who are the compliant ones?

There is the effect of group based culture for sure. But mainly it is just seen as politeness to wear a mask. The same way as saying please and thank you is polite in the UK.

I sometimes hear people say they are hot with the mask on but not more than that and no one has a big fuss about how awful it is and how their rights are being violated or how they can't breathe. It was 35C here the other day and humid as hell but still 99% of people were wearing masks, even (especially even) old people (as in in their 90s).

Personally I like wearing it. No need to think about make up for one thing.

Honestly, I just think westerners are whiny babies about a lot of things. Sometimes I dread going back to the UK because I just can't deal with the constant moaning about every tiny thing. People just get on with things here. Like in the UK people will moan about Starbucks or something being pricy. Here people will just go there or not go, they won't have a monologue about overpriced frothy milk for an hour. If you're going out for a meal in the UK, there's a huge faff about where to go and isn't it expensive and I don't like the menu and do they have this item or that dish. Here, it's like "let's go here" boom done.

Just wear the mask or stay at home but my God, it is really not that big a deal.

@GinDaddyRedux

Your post @sallyballynally is spot on - we have a major problem in this country with people who whine, moan and try and talk their way out of any personal responsibility. police anyone who thinks differently to them.

Maybe they're responsible people who have concern for others and a sense of community. British people were like that once.

You mean pre 1979?

OP there is masses of research on why cultures have evolved differently over multiple generations, led by a man called Hofstede - you can read about it here if you are genuinely interested
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstede%27s_cultural_dimensions_theory

It’s fascinating stuff. We’ve been on our current trajectory for around 400 years. You can’t suddenly expect a huge cultural shift overnight.

@PlatinumBrunette

In Japan, the over-riding state of mind is consideration for others before yourself. Not so much here 🤷‍♀️

I lived in Japan and this is spot on.

Mask wearing is normal if you have a cough or cold just to hopefully stop you spreading it around.

They’re also far more compliant as a culture. People tend to do what they’re told and I don’t do nearly as much questioning as we do.

It’s a shame we’re not a bit like that but the cultures are poles apart.

itwasnotok are you sufficiently fluent in the language of the East Asian country where you are living to read the chat boards etc?

I think people here are saying to you not that they won’t wear it, but that they don’t like wearing it and that they’d rather not go shopping etc as it’s a bit unpleasant and not much fun. That’s what chat boards are for - venting your irritation.

Countries that wear masks have lower mortality rates from covid - the scientific consensus is clear on this now

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.22.20109231v4

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200624082657.htm

globalnews.ca/news/7075024/mask-wearing-fewer-coronavirus-deaths/

There is no correlation between mask use and viral spread.

This statement is wrong.