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5) A not insignificant part of the population heard and understood that masks protect others and said "why should I suffer to protect them?"

I observed this sentiment in particular about return to school, and not just about masks. A sizable portion of the population would seemingly do anything to avoid accidentally helping someone else.

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Related: I wasn't in the US at the time, but I think a close 6) would have to be the intense polarization and ongoing "culture war," wherein one side was already being told that something else coming out of their mouth was literally killing people, and doubting the veracity of the statement. Wearing a mask is slightly panic-inducing anyway (ever try to muzzle a dog?), and coupled with the fact that one side of the political isle took up its championing, this allowed some members of one side to wear the mask sanctimoniously and some members of the other to avoid or disbelieve any rhetoric (scientific or otherwise) promoting their use. As long as the more general lack of cooperation carries on, the US is at risk of not being able to unify over important things like public health.

Yeah 5) was a real eye opener for me. A lot of conservative thought revolves around the idea that government shouldn't provide services that family, faith, and friends can provide, but when it came right down to it voluntary mask wearing was out because of exactly what you said.

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