Quote:
Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Thanks for your sympathy.
Most of us aren't asking for policy to revolve around us. What we're asking for is some basic consideration. I will be socially distant, I will wear a mask, I will go to restaurants and other places that don't just do the minimum but follow common sense policies, and I'd like to not have any fucking idiots making a point of invading my space, abusing me for the care taken, or openly violating the rules of the places I have chosen to go.
During the next 6 months, while I undergo chemo, I'm going to take a lot of care, but I'm also going to be weakened. I'll work with whatever rules there are, but my biggest worry is assholes who flout the rules.
When I did this 8 years ago, without a pandemic, but for a 2 1/2 year stint, I was able to avoid even getting a common cold during the period because I was careful and people were considerate. But the environment is different now, and the arrogant (hi Les!), ignorant (hi again Les) people who make up for their limp dicks by swaggering around trying to dumpsplain the CDC, Fauci, and the poor waitress who is just trying to follow the rules are the worry.
Again, thanks for the concern. But really, a little common sense, a bit of deference to the rules, and a bit less fake testosterone are what I'd ask for.
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First off, I am sorry you have to go through that. And I don't say this lightly, as I've got a six month checkup soon to make sure something isn't problematic myself. "Let's watch it" kind of thing.
I'm happy to wear masks anywhere people want me to do so. But from what I'm seeing, the policy is no longer defensible except as to the minority of people who are uniquely susceptible to Covid. (I won't address the people who refuse to get vaccinated as they deserve no deference.) So what is now occurring is what Hank described: Performative behaviors that don't help the vulnerable.
I was just in a state where almost all of the doors had prominent signs on them requiring masks, but when one walked inside, the staff weren't even seriously wearing masks, and most of the patrons weren't. (Not in the South. Not an impoverished state. Quite the opposite.)
The same thing is occurring around me. There's confusion, and a feeling that omicron is a nothing burger (which, if you're not vulnerable, and vaccinated, it is).
This confused muddle, where people are eating w/o masks but told to wear masks when walking about restaurants, is basically an admission that masks needn't be worn by 95% of people. And people being eager to shed Covid restrictions, they're increasingly going to stop wearing masks.
There appear to be two ways to respond to this:
1. Remind people that there are still a lot of vulnerable around us, and we should try to distance and reasonably mask in crowded areas until omicron has cycled through and become endemic. This is a decent and reasonable proposition everyone should follow.
2. Stick to the strictest mask mandates we can, reasoning that something close to a zero tolerance policy will result in enough mask wearing to protect the vulnerable.
The first treats people like adults, the second like children. And while I sympathize with the notion that many Americans need to be treated like children, I also recognize that almost all Americans can spot when they're being treated like children, and they resent it and will therefore defy or ignore such directives.
A lot of the dysfunction in this country comes from troglodytes who think a cabal of "elites" are telling them how to live. But the other half comes from the fact that many of the policymakers and rigid policy followers/enforcers who fit the category of "elites" (or would like to think they do) aren't elites at all. They're not as dumb as the troglodytes, but they're equally as deluded in assuming they know what's best and have a right to compel others to strictly follow it.
The "adults in the room" who fall into neither category, and will and do compromise to try to protect the rights of all groups - the vulnerable and the non-vulnerable - would follow the first option of the two I listed above.
If we can't do nuance anymore, turn out the lights and a close the fucking republic.
