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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   2827 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for December 31, 2023

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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So... it's nearly 2024. Why are there still a noticeable amount of Americans wearing Covid masks everywhere they go? I traveled in Europe recently and I saw essentially ZERO masking. When I did see a mask it was obviously an Asian or American tourist. (And yes, Americans are easy to spot. North Face jackets are a dead giveaway).

Seriously, the rate of masking was below 0.1%. I'm not sure I saw a single French person wearing one.

Yet, here in Seattle, I still see Covid masks everywhere. On the plane, on the train, in a box, with a fox, at the movie theater, at the opera, at the grocery store, driving alone in a car (why?), riding a scooter on the fucking sidewalk, etc.. I'd estimate indoor masking rates are like 5% still. Are people in Seattle this mentally ill? Why is there such a difference between Europe and my corner of the US?

In the US masking became blue tribe signalling. Anyone who refused to mask was seen as a potential Trump supporter.

It was most likely not so politicized in Europe.

How do you explain Canada then, where the issue wasn't politicized at all and yet lots of people are still wearing masks?

It was totally politicized -- just that the covid skeptic side of the issue was overwhelmingly unrepresented in the halls of power.

Forever-maskers that I see in the wild these days do seem to trend neurotic -- but then again the political left trends pretty neurotic here anyways, including the need to constantly signal 'I am a Good Person, very different from those Bad People who are still standing around waving flags' -- so I'm not sure how you'd tease out the true cause.

The number one news network in Canada is CNN, not any of the domestic channels. The Canadian left is extremely focussed on the culture war in the US.

It can’t be explained because it’s not a blue tribe signal at all. The people who wear masks in the US are those who really don’t want to get a cold, flu, or COVID. I see it mostly with Asian-Americans (who masked at a much higher percent prior to COVID), but present day maskers come in all shapes and size.

Hard disagree, it's older neurotic urban hypochondriacs of either gender still wearing masks, and a few demented 20something women with goofy hair and pantsuitaloons. That's bluest of the blue.

...Assuming this is based on your own direct observation, maybe it's just different local populations? I have no problem believing that in a place with a relatively large asian population, most of the people one saw wearing masks would be asian-american.

The few remaining mask-wearers I see around here are mostly sickly-looking people or normie-looking seniors.

That'd be because Finland was much more sensible about the masking and "lockdowns" (*) than US / Canada ever were.

*: Why yes. I am still annoyed by too many Americans here implying that actual lockdowns were some universal western phenomenon.

I am still annoyed by too many Americans here implying that actual lockdowns were some universal western phenomenon.

Huh?

the issue wasn’t politicized at all

Quixotically LARPing the American Culture War is Canada’s national pastime.

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