Hacker News Reader

Comment by slumdev | Hacker News Reader

I have long suspected that masking is a political identity symbol, especially when it's seen so frequently in situations where it doesn't make sense: Driving alone in one's car, walking in an area where one wouldn't encounter others, while swimming [1], etc.

1. https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1382601023441793026

View on HN

Sometimes it's just easier to keep the mask on when walking between places. Personally, I have longish hair so it's kind of a pain to don/doff if I'm out and about. So I'll wear it in the car sometimes.

Seems like a lot of folks assume intent in people's actions, maybe because it's easier to make fun of others or push a certain narrative. No, I don't think Covid is going to get me in my car or when I'm walking outside away from people—I'd just rather keep my mask on because it's annoying to fiddle with.

Taking it off and letting it dry out can prevent the bacterial growth and undesirable consequences associated with wearing one for long periods, mask mouth being the most obvious example, with various forms of upper and lower respiratory infections also a serious risk:

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/threats-to-dental-...

Sure, but for the short periods of time I could potentially have my mask off for, I'm not sure how much of a difference it would make— I am generally not wearing my mask for longer than an hour or two.

Just a note, the article you linked doesn't seem to mention how long is too long to wear a mask if you want to prevent mask mouth, etc.. Maybe I missed it.

There are reasons why I would mask in a vehicle: expecting passengers, returning from shared spaces and want to prevent hand-face contact.

I've puzzled about outdoor use, but I'm not getting off my bike to ask anybody. Best guess is they're subject to early (mis-)information about virus spread or they're at risk and taking all precautions. They may have allergies and are just avoiding pollen. What should I do about it? I did some extra research and confirmed wearing a mask outdoors probably isn't beneficial to myself or others so I don't. There is no harm from them choosing to wear one.

It's a practical tool to prevent spread of a respiratory virus. Trying to ascribe political motivations to every non-sensical example of mask wearing probably says more about your concerns than whatever motivated them to wear a mask.

A highly visible fashion accessory that could "save lives", the virtue signaling opportunities were irresistible to oversocialized types.

Same as unmasking

That's hard to claim since being without a mask is normal. Anecdotally, I don't see videos of unmasked people berating masked individuals about they're disgusting evil people.

Then you're not looking very hard. I've seen plenty.

I agree with the first part of your point, but anecdotally and from personal experience I’ve twice been berated for wearing a mask out in the open (this was in the Netherlands). Wearing the mask in open spaces is not even something I often do, but it was clear that it does carry political meaning on both ends of the spectrum, specially considering that the first of those two times, I was also asked to go back to the country I’m from.

Tucker Carlson went on an insane tirade two days ago telling his viewers to start harassing masked people--including calling CPS and the police for 'child abuse' of masked children.. It'll happen soon enough if it already isn't.

And why do you think he did that? It's a defensive response to the opposite spectrum where people have actually been arrested for not wearing masks and had their businesses raided/shutdown by government officials, thrown off airlines because their 2 year old won't keep a mask on etc.

Putting an apparatus on a child that restricts their breathing when they don't understand the reasoning really is akin to child abuse. It's a completely unnatural thing to do. I don't agree that these parents should be jailed, just as it's not appropriate to be jailing people for not wearing masks. He's getting a message across that it's not appropriate to be doing this to children.

Wearing clothing is also "completely unnatural", and yet we make everyone do it as part of existing in polite society. Even 2 year olds.

How does clothing harm a child? What fear response is produced from putting clothes on a child? I mentioned unnatural in the sense that restricting your breathing creates an appropriate innate fear response because it indicates death might imminent just like pain. Now, explain to me how you make a 2 year old understand why you're partially smothering them for a virus that has extremely low chances of doing ANY damage to them. That IS psychological abuse imo.

Clothes also unnaturally restrict movement and make one feel constrained. Hence there being a spectrum of comfort from formal/workwear to sweatpants/pajamas, and jokes about working from home with no pants. Children don't react against wearing clothes (as much) because they've become accustomed to wearing them, and nobody says that a child taking their pants off in the middle of the grocery store demonstrates "psychological abuse".

When a child can't emotionally handle wearing a mask, they're likely taking a cue from their parent reacting similarly. And nobody is getting "thrown off airlines" because their child took off a mask as they worked to get it back on - they're likely refusing to keep control of their child, or throwing a tantrum right along with them.

I've seen too many histrionic comments saying masks make it "hard to breathe" to take any of them seriously. Plenty of trades wear masks for hours at a time - eg surgeons, construction, auto body. That narrative ignores the benefits of wearing a mask, while blowing the burden out of proportion. Anything can be made to seem prohibitively burdensome when one shirks personal responsibility.

When I go for a walk outside I wear a mask, because I have seasonal allergies and tree pollen is high here in Massachusetts.

I've been vaccinated, (just got my second shot, so two weeks to go...), but I'll be wearing a mask indoors for probably the next year or so. Unless we start doing things like verifying vaccination or tests for entry to indoor public venues, it's the only thing that makes sense to keep my family safe.

I hate that wearing a mask became politicized. My own opinion is that the reason it did was that the government knowingly decided to lie about the efficacy of wearing a mask in the early days of the pandemic in the U.S. The reason for the lie was because there was insufficient supply of masks, and they didn't trust the public not to buy them off the shelves (which happened anyway), or panic (people got angry and polarized instead).

The CDC and the government agencies communicating policy were not in the business of getting the truth out so people could take sensible precautions. They focused on control and tactical preservation of opinion and the election couldn't have come at a worse time. That focus on control became obvious and they lost the public trust. Everything else spun out on social media with people taking sides instead of talking evidence.

It was truly depressing to watch.

> I have long suspected that masking is a political identity symbol

What do you mean, people fancy looking like a surgeon?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com