6 ms·

We had similar drama with masks distributed in Belgium. They contain nanoparticles of silver. The government gave an official recommendation to stop wearing the

We had similar drama with masks distributed in Belgium. They contain nanoparticles of silver. The government gave an official recommendation to stop wearing them. Original report: https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/156628/cloth-mouth-masks-from-avrox-luxembourg-belgium-government-distributed-free-to-pharmacies-may-be-toxic/ https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/156628/c... Follow-up recommendation: https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/156876/belgian-government-says-to-stop-wearing-the-free-cloth-masks-they-distributed-as-a-precaution/ https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/156876/b... I'm still wearing mine because I don't go out often enough for it to matter (and when I do, I'm usually on a bicycle where it's not required to wear one). But what a fucked up story. I really thought this would be the end of it: anti-maskers "won", are set for life with an argument on a silver platter now. With actual silver. Surprisingly, though, that didn't happen. People have been pretty chill about it.

whatshisface 6y ago
Well, you'd expect anyone with good skills for telling good arguments from bad ones would end up favoring masks in the first place, so consequently you wouldn't expect people who thought masks wouldn't help to identify the implications of the contamination for their position.
- abduhl 6y ago
  Alternatively, mask arguments are ultimately emotional for one (both at this point?) side at some point and there is no overcoming emotion with logic or evidence.
  - ghaff 6y ago
    There's a middle ground along the lines of we should keep wearing them in enclosed public spaces until a significant percentage of the population is vaccinated. But there are also significant contingents of anti-maskers on the one hand and you have to wear masks anywhere outside your home period on the other.
    - abduhl 6y ago
      The arguments that both sides use to support their positions don’t recognize such a limitation, so why should the middle ground you propose be where we draw the line? People opposed to masks claim an infringement in their rights. People in favor of masks all the time claim it’s a small price to pay for the greater good. As an aside, it’s interesting to view the masks in light of people’s opinions on Muslim countries’ head covering requirements for women. People against them say it’s an infringement on women’s rights. People for them say it’s a small price to pay for the greater good.
      - whatshisface 6y ago
        The case for the greater good is a lot stronger in one case than the other.
        abduhl 6y ago
        You're talking about the Muslim head covering requirement here, right? Because it seems to both protect from COVID and protect from whatever harm the Muslim countries think women showing a little skin will cause. Do you think that Western countries should also ban women from being outside without a head covering (for the greater good, of course)? If not, why not? If it is because it's an infringement on women's rights, why do their rights matter more than anyone else's? Do you see how the whole thing has become emotional and why having the mask argument is a bit silly at this point?
        deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
        whatshisface 6y ago
        >whatever harm the Muslim countries think women showing a little skin will cause Is there really a case for that? I thought that was just something the authorities made up. In contrast, COVID is actually real. I would find it pretty surprising if they were offering justification for their cultural norms on a factual or material basis.
henvic 6y ago
Geez... I bought masks in the street market here in Rotterdam (Netherlands), and now I'm worried. Thankfully, I only wear them a few minutes a day, when I go to public closed spaces.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

whatshisface 6y ago

Well, you'd expect anyone with good skills for telling good arguments from bad ones would end up favoring masks in the first place, so consequently you wouldn't expect people who thought masks wouldn't help to identify the implications of the contamination for their position.

abduhl 6y ago
Alternatively, mask arguments are ultimately emotional for one (both at this point?) side at some point and there is no overcoming emotion with logic or evidence.
- ghaff 6y ago
  There's a middle ground along the lines of we should keep wearing them in enclosed public spaces until a significant percentage of the population is vaccinated. But there are also significant contingents of anti-maskers on the one hand and you have to wear masks anywhere outside your home period on the other.
  - abduhl 6y ago
    The arguments that both sides use to support their positions don’t recognize such a limitation, so why should the middle ground you propose be where we draw the line? People opposed to masks claim an infringement in their rights. People in favor of masks all the time claim it’s a small price to pay for the greater good. As an aside, it’s interesting to view the masks in light of people’s opinions on Muslim countries’ head covering requirements for women. People against them say it’s an infringement on women’s rights. People for them say it’s a small price to pay for the greater good.
    - whatshisface 6y ago
      The case for the greater good is a lot stronger in one case than the other.
      - abduhl 6y ago
        You're talking about the Muslim head covering requirement here, right? Because it seems to both protect from COVID and protect from whatever harm the Muslim countries think women showing a little skin will cause. Do you think that Western countries should also ban women from being outside without a head covering (for the greater good, of course)? If not, why not? If it is because it's an infringement on women's rights, why do their rights matter more than anyone else's? Do you see how the whole thing has become emotional and why having the mask argument is a bit silly at this point?
        deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
        whatshisface 6y ago
        >whatever harm the Muslim countries think women showing a little skin will cause Is there really a case for that? I thought that was just something the authorities made up. In contrast, COVID is actually real. I would find it pretty surprising if they were offering justification for their cultural norms on a factual or material basis.

henvic 6y ago

Geez... I bought masks in the street market here in Rotterdam (Netherlands), and now I'm worried. Thankfully, I only wear them a few minutes a day, when I go to public closed spaces.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]