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It's been really interesting to watch this pandemic from Japan, where I've been for the last ~3 months. I am an American citizen. Walking around Tokyo this wee

It's been really interesting to watch this pandemic from Japan, where I've been for the last ~3 months. I am an American citizen. Walking around Tokyo this week I'm still seeing mask rates of >95%. Lockdown ended about 2 weeks ago. In America, mask-wearing carries a different set of social signals. It seems that not wearing a mask is perceived, by some, as a signal of one's virility and freedom. The article makes this all pretty clear, but the comments here are getting bogged down in "but the data says masks are/aren't effective". The point is that the data doesn't matter. Mask-wearing is determined by social/political expectations and signaling, not by data. If a study came out tomorrow that said mask-wearing reduces transmission by 95%, Trump still wouldn't wear one. Looking for a silver bullet study to prove a point either way is a waste of time at this juncture. Apparently, asking Americans to show that they care about the health of another American via a very low-impact signal (the $10 it costs to get/make a mask, the minor inconvenience of wearing one) is too much. How can a society solve any size of a problem when it cannot be bothered to put a piece of paper or cloth on their face for the possible benefit of another? If your political climate makes such a minor gesture controversial, how will you solve any meaningful issue where your factions disagree? How do you get Americans to care about the health and welfare of other Americans?

trynewideas 6y ago
since "looking for a silver bullet study to prove a point" is the only thing fivethirtyeight has left, it should probably just stop now
aliante 6y ago
> How can a society solve any size of a problem when it cannot be bothered to put a piece of paper or cloth on their face for the possible benefit of another? A friend's mother will tell anyone she encounters who is wearing one that they are a ninny and a coward. So for some people it is also an indicator of courage/weakness.
HeyZuess 6y ago
> Walking around Tokyo this week I'm still seeing mask rates of >95%. Lockdown ended about 2 weeks ago. I currently live in Asia and have been for many years, I am from a western country. I think in Asia, face masks are just a fact of life, including pre-covid. There is/was an expectation that if you are sick, then you should probably wear a mask. Given that a lot of cities are crowded, many wear masks also not to get sick. As a westerner, I understand the negative connotations of wearing a mask, it is not a part of "normal life" in many countries. But life has changed, people should get used to it. Americans should just look at the stats to know that there is a problem. This isn't an attack on their freedoms, it is an attempt not to save their life, but the life of a fellow American, by preventing the spread. While China may have been the epicenter of the virus, the spread is the responsibility of the citizens of the secondary country.
banads 6y ago
>How do you get Americans to care about the health and welfare of other Americans? First, you have to get them to care about their own health. 42% of Americans are obese and heart disease kills ~650,000 Americans every year even though it is largely preventable. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

trynewideas 6y ago

since "looking for a silver bullet study to prove a point" is the only thing fivethirtyeight has left, it should probably just stop now

aliante 6y ago

> How can a society solve any size of a problem when it cannot be bothered to put a piece of paper or cloth on their face for the possible benefit of another? A friend's mother will tell anyone she encounters who is wearing one that they are a ninny and a coward. So for some people it is also an indicator of courage/weakness.

HeyZuess 6y ago

> Walking around Tokyo this week I'm still seeing mask rates of >95%. Lockdown ended about 2 weeks ago. I currently live in Asia and have been for many years, I am from a western country. I think in Asia, face masks are just a fact of life, including pre-covid. There is/was an expectation that if you are sick, then you should probably wear a mask. Given that a lot of cities are crowded, many wear masks also not to get sick. As a westerner, I understand the negative connotations of wearing a mask, it is not a part of "normal life" in many countries. But life has changed, people should get used to it. Americans should just look at the stats to know that there is a problem. This isn't an attack on their freedoms, it is an attempt not to save their life, but the life of a fellow American, by preventing the spread. While China may have been the epicenter of the virus, the spread is the responsibility of the citizens of the secondary country.

banads 6y ago

>How do you get Americans to care about the health and welfare of other Americans? First, you have to get them to care about their own health. 42% of Americans are obese and heart disease kills ~650,000 Americans every year even though it is largely preventable. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html