Mask mandates

[nobspeople]

In the USA (at least), there are those who say 'personal freedom' more than 'being safe from the (COVID) virus'. By in large, I've personally noticed, in my area at least, most people who are wearing masks (where it's not mandated) aren't white people.

I don't want this thread to turn into a 'mask is good or bad' debate.
Instead, I want to look at the demographics of those that say 'NO' to wearing masks and try to see if there is anything 'racial' at play here and, if so, why.

In your area, have you noticed less white people wearing masks than anyone else, or is it about even?
And if it's not even, why do you think that is?

[benchwarmer]

The answer might be that it's culture.

I think that's all it can be. Humans are social creatures and grow up in groups (cultures) that have various norms.

Essentially, we are our environment and the struggle to be moral within it. Our skin color has no bearing on anything other than possibly (stupidly in my opinion) helping us sort out which group we want to belong to.

I want to belong to the group known as humans. I'm tired of people trying to pigeon hole others based on the melanin level in their skin. If we were all color blind some would probably just pick something else like freckle count or some other arbitrary trait that has nothing to do with how one acts.

As for the OP, I think people decide to wear masks based on education and social peer pressure. Those who understand what the masks are actually for and have empathy towards their fellow humans, wear masks. Regardless of how effective the end up being. If they reduce transmission by only 5%, that's better than nothing and worth doing. Foggy glasses and inconvenience are pretty ridiculous excuses to avoid something that may save someone else's life.

[Purple Knight]

Foggy glasses and inconvenience are pretty ridiculous excuses to avoid something that may save someone else's life.

Try to think of it from the perspective of the freedom culture, if it genuinely is that. Let's say there are only ten people in play, and none of them would do that for just a 5% less chance that he himself will get the disease, so they're all pretty comfortable with each imposing the extra negligible risk on the other. No one wears a mask, no one expects anyone to wear a mask, and everyone is happy.

Now, an eleventh person enters play. He would take pains to save someone else a 5% chance of getting a disease, and he expects the same in return. Now the other ten have to wear masks too. Just by being there, amongst the rest, the new person has changed the game and ruined the other peoples' chance to live the way they prefer. The freedom people are understandably upset.

I'm going to acknowledge every possibility, even the unsavoury ones. However, if it is culture (big if; I don't grant that it is, but it might be) then I'm frankly on the side of the anti-maskers. Everyone should be allowed to live how they prefer, and I think this goes whether they are in the majority or not.

Every state should vote on it. Then, if you lose, at least you can move if it's that important to you.