Coronavirus in Massachusetts (murders, schools, live)

[msRB311]

I had to go to work lunch today. It was a group lunch, some people I'd never met before. An intern who is in college, sat there at the table, ate pizza, chatted for about an hour with everyone else. When we all got up to leave and go outside they put on a mask. Why? You sat there and probably ate pizza covered with everyone's germs and talked...then put on a mask when the lunch was over and we went outside? Makes no sense. Please don't say wildfires, the air was fine where we were. It's bizarre. Many people have become bizarre.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

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.

Again, masks are nothing new. About three years ago there was a large rift in the country where one group equated anything short of staying in your house completely masked at all times as tantamount to genocide and the other group considered COVID a completely fabricated hoax brought on by some sinister shadow government.

We are still living with the polarization. It is perfectly reasonable to wear a mask, even in situations where the benefit is provably negligible. It is also not surprising that some people will be reminded of those who went around making wildly outrageous claims about those not wearing masks and have a negative association with those wearing masks. Even if many of those people wearing masks today aren't the same who participated in the overzealous COVID shaming of 2020 and 2021.

[msRB311]

There are occasions where people have masks on that they look foolish...or like yeah that's not doing anything to help you after you just sat inches from multiple people eating, drinking and talking to them.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by msRB311

There are occasions where people have masks on that they look foolish...or like yeah that's not doing anything to help you after you just sat inches from multiple people eating, drinking and talking to them.

Absolutely. But ultimately, who cares? Who does it hurt?

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Absolutely. But ultimately, who cares? Who does it hurt?

People think it is a carryover from the "shaming" days.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Absolutely. But ultimately, who cares? Who does it hurt?

It hurts no one. It's kind of like someone wearing sunglasses indoors. It looks strange and it might even annoy people.

[MrDee12345]

I wouldn't say that that a person needlessly wearing a mask doesn't affect other people.

For example, here in Malaysia, many kids and adults are still wearing masks (more so than back in the US). I have a young daughter who sees these kids wearing them, and one day she might want to wear one to follow this "trend", despite the fact that they do little or nothing to protect her.

And as human beings, we are sociable. We need to see each other's faces in order to have deep, meaningful conversations. Even without covid, I've always struggled to have conversations with Muslim women wearing Burqas or Niqabs (both cover the mouth and sometimes entire face...not to be confused with a hijab that only covers hair). When I talk to someone face to face, seeing their facial expressions are a part of communication. If we can't see their expressions, we might as well talk to them over the phone because we've lost a valuable part of communication.

And much like the Burqa, I think it dehumanizes us.

That being said, my father needed to wear a mask years before covid because of his cancer treatments. And I understand why some people are not willing to get rid of them. Still, as a society, we should be helping people to understand that in most cases, masks are not necessary. We need to teach people to be humans again.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by MrDee12345

I wouldn't say that that a person needlessly wearing a mask doesn't affect other people.

For example, here in Malaysia, many kids and adults are still wearing masks (more so than back in the US). I have a young daughter who sees these kids wearing them, and one day she might want to wear one to follow this "trend", despite the fact that they do little or nothing to protect her.

And as human beings, we are sociable. We need to see each other's faces in order to have deep, meaningful conversations. Even without covid, I've always struggled to have conversations with Muslim women wearing Burqas or Niqabs (both cover the mouth and sometimes entire face...not to be confused with a hijab that only covers hair).

^But isn't that the point of the these coverings? Precisely to shield Muslim women from male attention?

[MrDee12345]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

^But isn't that the point of the these coverings? Precisely to shield Muslim women from male attention?

Yeah, and it dehumanizes them in the process.

(I should have written in my original comment that they cover the mouth AND nose, and sometimes rest of the face).

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by MrDee12345

Yeah, and it dehumanizes them in the process.

(I should have written in my original comment that they cover the mouth AND nose, and sometimes rest of the face).

^I'm not a Muslim, and not defending the practice...but it seems like your wanting to converse (as a male, presumably) with Muslim women is precisely the type of unwanted interaction the covering is designed to head off.