Those who read this blog with any regularity will likely know that when it comes to those who refuse to don masks as their contribution to our collective safety, I have only withering contempt. It is a contempt fueled by the fact that almost no medical condition exists precluding the use of these simple but effective life-saving devices.
Recently, Christine Sismondo wrote about some of the factors fueling these covidiots:
... social and cultural psychologists like [Hilary] Bergsieker have found the greatest correlations to be related to the society and culture people live in.Wise words, but I leave the final ones to this astute letter-writer, whose suggestion earns my unequivocal approval:
“People in more collectivist societies may be more willing to adopt things like mask-wearing that maybe impinge on individual preference but are good for the collective, which is one explanation for why mask-wearing has become so normative in East Asian societies dating back at least to the SARS epidemic of 20 years ago,” she says. “People have been more willing to wear masks out of a sense of care for and connectedness to others versus the individualistic tradition of a lot of the western nations.
“The issue is whether you see society as just made up of disconnected individuals, each of whom maximizes his or her own self-interest and their own preferences, versus seeing people as fundamentally interconnected,” she explains.
The pandemic, however, should be a massive object lesson in the fallacy of libertarian-ish notions about disconnectedness and individualism. No matter how wealthy and privileged someone is, it is next to impossible to protect oneself entirely against a contagious disease. Just ask Louie Gohmert. Or Bolsonaro. Or Herman Cain. Oh no, wait. You can’t ask Cain. He asserted his right not to wear a mask at a rally in Tulsa, Okla., and didn’t live to tell about it.
Psychology behind mask resistance isn’t new, Sismondo, Aug. 4
Christine Sismondo’s questioning of people’s psychology to discover what motivates them to resist following the rules is fascinating human-interest reporting.
But focusing on quirks of personality overlooks a more meaningful discussion of the social responsibility a dissenting individual owes to society.
Henry David Thoreau maintained convincingly that individuals should not permit governments to overrule their consciences. Those among us who don’t want to follow the safety rules — masking, distancing, testing and contact tracing — during this deadly pandemic don’t have to.
But then, just like Thoreau, they must isolate themselves from society. Thoreau stopped paying taxes to protest his government waging war and withdrew from society to live alone beside Walden Pond.
Those advocating civil obedience as their legal human right should exile themselves during this pandemic.
Tony D’Andrea, Toronto
Part of any healthy society is heeding the will of the majority while protecting the voice of the minority. That falls far short of permitting the minority to adversely impact the majority. Where irreparable harm is in the balance such as my right to shed virus versus your right to expect me to safeguard you against that by something as insignificant as masking up, then the person insisting on the right to reject the will of the majority must leave society.
ReplyDeleteThe precautionary principle incorporates a balance test. If you want to do something that seems, prima facie, to put others at risk then you bear the onus of proving it is safe. It is not enough that you say it is safe, you must prove it. If you cannot show that proof you are restrained.
Surely these anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers and conspiracy theorists are quite capable of forming their own communities, "plague villages" if you like where they can exercise their freedom without imperiling others.
I really like the concept of the plague village, Mound. May the exodus begin!
Delete.. I a believer that society owes no responsibility to criminals.. airdrop them north of Baffin Island.. they may amuse the polar bears.. why 'jail' them ? Thus the plague villages get my vote.. or tiki rafts near islands with komodo dragons.. If you can't 'find a fit' within society.. amen.. begone then.. go explore Darwin's Law.. it excludes nobody.. Animal Farm is You.. Wonderful.. As a guy named Mound once said.. 'Fill yer Boots'
ReplyDeleteYou will find no disagreement from me here, Sal.
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