I’ve been in the US throughout this pandemic, and I’ve had to take it extremely seriously because of vulnerable people I live with. I’m glad to be vaccinated and for my life (and my family’s) to be returning to normal.
I expect that I’ll continue wearing a mask from time to time even years from now if it becomes socially acceptable, because I like both the anonymity, and the wonders it does for my seasonal allergies. I’d also like to be able to wear a mask when I’m feeling ill in the future without people reacting strangely.
I’m definitely going to remain wearing a mask in stores and around people for the time being as my life returns to normal. Right now, not doing so is a strong social signal that you’re a special kind of belligerent asshole that probably hasn’t been vaccinated, and wants to pick a fight, and make everyone around you feel unsafe. It’s amazing to see how often this kind of public chest thumping is happening, and I feel terrible for the customer service employees who have to deal with it. It’s also been shocking how the changed political situation has galvanised certain other views. Several of my neighbours (in fairly gentrified suburbs) have replaced their American flags with trump flags, and engage in the same kind of angry belligerence in nearly all their activities. I don’t know how we deal with the difference in views at this point. It’s very obvious that there are two worlds in the US, and they’re drifting ever further apart, with the interfaces between them becoming seriously strained.
Unfortunately guidance like this is only going to give anti-mask/anti-vax people more ammunition to be belligerent in public.
I expect that I’ll continue wearing a mask from time to time even years from now if it becomes socially acceptable, because I like both the anonymity, and the wonders it does for my seasonal allergies. I’d also like to be able to wear a mask when I’m feeling ill in the future without people reacting strangely.
I’m definitely going to remain wearing a mask in stores and around people for the time being as my life returns to normal. Right now, not doing so is a strong social signal that you’re a special kind of belligerent asshole that probably hasn’t been vaccinated, and wants to pick a fight, and make everyone around you feel unsafe. It’s amazing to see how often this kind of public chest thumping is happening, and I feel terrible for the customer service employees who have to deal with it. It’s also been shocking how the changed political situation has galvanised certain other views. Several of my neighbours (in fairly gentrified suburbs) have replaced their American flags with trump flags, and engage in the same kind of angry belligerence in nearly all their activities. I don’t know how we deal with the difference in views at this point. It’s very obvious that there are two worlds in the US, and they’re drifting ever further apart, with the interfaces between them becoming seriously strained.
Unfortunately guidance like this is only going to give anti-mask/anti-vax people more ammunition to be belligerent in public.