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> In Japan, it's been normal for a long time to wear a facemask to signal you don't want to talk to strangers. It also seems like they have a problem with suic
by gnusty_gnurc 6y ago
> In Japan, it's been normal for a long time to wear a facemask to signal you don't want to talk to strangers.
It also seems like they have a problem with suicide. No thanks - I'm happy not normalizing mask usage to avoid socializing!
- mlyle 6y agoJapan's suicide rate is 14.9 per 100k. US is 14.5. Belgium is 15.9. https://data.oecd.org/healthstat/suicide-rates.htm https://data.oecd.org/healthstat/suicide-rates.htm Japan is a bit of an outlier on the high side, but the US is nearly as much so.
- whateveracct 6y agoI don't think the wearing of masks is a root cause of suicides. Pretty asinine to think something so minor and inoffensive and self-focused could have such a huge societal effect Regardless, I'm gonna continue to wear a mask in public beyond this pandemic. It's not gonna make me more likely to kill myself, and I don't see why it would harm others (outside of people getting mad about it apparently)
- gnusty_gnurc 6y agoIt would be hard to not think japanese has some strange cultural aspects and that, say, masks and hikkikomori are weird anti-social signs of something deeper about how Japan views personhood.
- CyberDildonics 6y agoJapan also has lots of people speaking japanese. Therefore, masks make people speak japanese.
- whateveracct 6y agoSounds like a win-win to me!