New Scientist: Why is mask wearing so divisive?

[Bishybarnybee]

There is an interesting letter in this week's New Scientist suggesting the split over mask wearing might reflect different attitudes to being asked to trade personal freedom for the benefits of cooperation.

They suggest that if you value cooperation highly, you may be more willing to make small sacrifices for the good of others.

They also ask if those who are reluctant to wear masks may also recycle less, drive bigger cars and be reluctant to give up wealth to help the less fortunate or give up comforts and conveniences to help the environment etc.

So - if you are an anti masker, are you also sceptical about reducing flying etc? If you are pro mask, are you also pro recycling, pro tax etc? Or is something totally different going on?

But no one has suggested genocide, have they? That's what Nazis do. You need to get a grip. It's a pathetic and tasteless comparison.

Not until you as if you haven't heard people demanding people follow there rules being called Nazis.

Someone needs to get a a grip and it isn't me genocide ect ffs

The good of others argument really winds me up. Staying at home and wearing a mask is the perfect opportunity to not actually do anything. Telling people what to do but not doing anything yourself? Where are these mask nazis in real life? Are they helping others in need? Or are they just looking for the perfect excuse to virtue signal? I'm sure many are hysterical drama queens too.

Fact of the matter is, most people who wear masks are only wearing because they HAVE to.

@HeIenaDove so well written and you are absolutely correct. Those very same people screaming for others to stay the fuck at home from their ivory towers. Let the plebs deliver their shopping and mail, let the plebs empty their maggot ridden bins. Speaking to my bin man this week and he said it's always those in the big houses with the maggots, they don't care who has to empty them.

@HeIenaDove absolutely agree

Thanks Its been bugging me for a while.

Those masks that Hancock and co have that arent any good for the NHS because they have ear loops not tie backs. He could send them out to low income families. It wouldnt be hard. Just get addresses from the DWP.

They also ask if those who are reluctant to wear masks may also recycle less, drive bigger cars and be reluctant to give up wealth to help the less fortunate or give up comforts and conveniences to help the environment etc.

So - if you are an anti masker, are you also sceptical about reducing flying etc? If you are pro mask, are you also pro recycling, pro tax etc?

I am anti mask but pro walking and cycling. We don't use a car often at all. We have one between the 5 of us in the house (3 kids) but all walk to work or school.

We recycle and don't eat meat.

But I hate masks.

I don't know what it means to be "against them in principle" rather than have a "concrete reason." I'm sure all the "against in principle!" people believe they have very valid (concrete) reasons.

I'm uncomfortable with compulsory face cover wearing everywhere. They probably reduce transmission a wee bit but have been very wrongly sold as a 'silver bullet'. I would like the Swedish model for covid response.

I recycle & reduce/reuse everything, cycle or use public transport in preference to my car. I adore my small car -- we do have 2 cars, this is a luxury. Together the cars do about 10k miles/yr. I fly to see family that live 5000 miles away.

3 DC are key workers. I do about... ?6 hours of volunteering on avg per week. Donate maybe £50/month to charity (which is not a small sum to me).

What an absolute load of nonsense

Absolute rubbish. I’m a mask sceptic (luckily no mask rules where I am). One of the reasons is the huge amount of wastes all the once use masks is producing for questionable benefit.

No, the ones I know who are anti mask are the ones who are into conspiracy theories and like to be a bit different. anti vax, a little bit anarchy is the way forward, using the planet and ecology and "look masks are runining the environment" argument.

It's way more complicated than that. Also it was made even more complicated by the fact that for the first 3-4 months, we were told definitely don't wear a mask, they don't help, in fact all factors considered they make it more likely to catch disease, if you wear one (especially a home made one) you are a complete idiot.

Then for a month it was - wear one if you like, can't hurt.

Now it's you must wear one and you're a murderer if you don't, a murderer who also recycle.

You can't blame people for being sceptical.

*who also doesn't recycle

@HeIenaDove well said.

I'd fall into the community minded camp, but I just don't see mask wearing as a loss of personal freedom or anything like that.
I'm used to wearing them because I'm a HCP and it's never nice having a constant reminder of how your breath smells, but it's really not much of a bother to me to wear one. I'm science minded too and I don't even really care about the evidence base at this point, if we've been asked to do it and it makes people feel safer or had even a minimal impact on transmission it's fine by me. Not because the reason is necessarily particularly compelling to me but because the action is so minimal, it requires so little of me.
I literally think while I have the freedoms I do in this country wearing a bit of reinforced paper over my face whilst in some public places is just not a big deal.
I feel sad about my toddler and young babies and children missing out on facial interactions and smiles, and how it's a reminder that the world isn't our normal at the moment, but it just doesn't personally cost me enough to get her up about so however I feel about the science/the community benefit doesn't even bother me that much, although I believe there is some community benefit.

The mixed messages have alot to answer for. Being told masks don't help for months, even masks are dangerous and then suddenly we are supposed to embrace them. Some people don't make the switch fast enough. Some people wouldn't believe anything this govt says and want to do the opposite which is a bit cutting your nose off but at the same time I understand their frustration.

I hate the disposable masks, I went to supermarket this morning and the car park is littered with them, in town centre yesterday and again they were everywhere. Not to mention the NHS people I know who boast they have a pile at home they have taken from work and do I want some.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/welfare/2020/08/i-feel-completely-worthless-universal-credit-claimants-offered-two-weeks

I feel completely worthless”: Universal Credit claimants offered two weeks of unpaid work
Claimants in Halifax, including a man who has been shielding, have been asked for a fortnight of free labour as unpaid “work trials” persist.

They also ask if those who are reluctant to wear masks may also recycle less, drive bigger cars and be reluctant to give up wealth to help the less fortunate or give up comforts and conveniences to help the environment etc.

I gave up the convenience of not being bored to tears by reading this absurdly reductionist opinion, does that count?

Id bet very good money whoever wrote that letter is a right yawnathon 😂😂😂😂

@onedayinthefuture @Frazzled13 @Noneformethanks

Another example of all being in it together.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4005508-Families-of-low-paid-key-workers-who-died-lose-eligibility-to-claim-benefits-if-paid-the-compensation?watched=1&msgid=99452311#99452311

@HeresMe

It's nonsense I bet most of the mask Nazis on here are 4x4 drivers driving less than a mile to school go on multiple holidays.

Thus, it's only your imagination with no basis in fact.

(Not even going to mention the Nazis here)

I absolutely hate them, though I wear them in shops etc because I’m told to. They’re uncomfortable, annoying, inhibit communication and really upset my child with SEN (because they already struggle with communication and can’t understand the non verbal cues of the person wearing them, not because they’re scared). They’re also the new thing for sanctimonious busy bodies to get worked up about and accost people about.

I would be much less resistant to them if I believed there was a fixed definition of when they were needed and a defined end point at which they would no longer be required and preferably actively discouraged. But unfortunately I think it’ll be subject to the same “mission creep” as the whole flattening the curve thing and this “new normal” concept. I absolutely dread them becoming compulsory in secondary schools (despite not having a child of that age) because they’ll start on primary schools next and it’ll be yet another thing that makes school life hard for a child that already finds it harder than most. Then they’ll make it compulsory outside too, despite bugger all evidence it’s necessary. And I just don’t believe they’ll go back on the requirement until it’s virtually eliminated, ie years.

I recycle, give substantial amounts to charity and rarely fly anywhere. I don’t see the connection myself.

I’ve found that some people who are very pro wearing tend to be more frightened of the virus than the people who are anti. So they say, I’ll wear a mask because I care about other people but what they actually mean is other people should wear a mask to protect me. Especially odd when they make out they’re being caring and then go on to be nasty about people who can’t wear them because of disabilities or trauma etc!

I have taken out a couple of bargain subscriptions over lockdown, currently I have one to the Telegraph. I quite enjoy some of the writing, but boy do the other subscribers hate masks, to an illogical degree. I think it symbolises for them the opposite of what Rule Britannia symbolises - cooperation and empathy for another's wellbeing, as opposed to privilege and what's in it for us.

It is fascinating

Sorry, I can also see that people can have a wide variety of reasons for not liking masks, or good possibly medical reasons for not wearng them as well and don't necessarily read the- -Telegraph

@Triangularbubble so well put.