The unmasked

  I went to Walmart yesterday where their is no requirement for the mask. I noticed the vast majority of people still wearing one however. Must be the ones that aren't vaccinated, that's the rule right? The CDC estimates that about 38% of the population is vaccinated but those numbers don't match what I saw. I'd say less than 1% of the customers and employees were mask less. Could there be a hesitancy? The CDC certainly is concerned with vaccine hesitancy. I hear the news people harping on that all the time now. In Baltimore the Mayor is forming "task forces" to take the vaccine to the streets, to every alley and neighborhood, free of charge! You mustn't be hesitant to comply! The honor system is being used though as even the staunchest of liberals are a bit concerned about having to show "proof of purchase." Taking the mask off is now being used as the signal, like a gang sign, to others that you have been vaccinated. Hey, maybe they should just revive the safety pin campaign. Do you remember that? You were supposed to wear a safety pin to show others that you were a safe person to approach, non judgmental, accepting and completely sympathetic to whatever. Yeah, that didn't catch on too well, not like the colored ribbons that still abound. But, whatever.

 I wonder though, is it fear of contracting the virus, fear of spreading the virus, or peer pressure that is causing this reaction? In my estimation it is the later. People are afraid of confrontation if they are not wearing a mask. In 14 months time many people have been conditioned into thinking this way. The same thing happened in Germany many years ago. The population became convinced that Hitler and his programs were the right thing. That's exactly how things got to the point they did. By the time the general public realized what the real deal was, it was too late. There was no turning back. The New York Times had an opinion piece saying it is their belief people will continue to wear the mask, maybe forever. Welcome to the new normal. Have you noticed? People do have a tendency to walk wide around you, searching eyes peer over masks with scared glances at those not wearing a mask. You can't really see any emotion in them because their face is covered. It's a phycological thing, it has been studied. Cover people faces and they do become more subservient, more easily controlled. And now if someone isn't wearing the mask, they are being viewed differently, as a threat. That's what is happening. The unmasked! It's obvious they don't care about anyone else, it certainly speaks to their character doesn't it? Yes, that's the messaging here. 

 Now all that being said I don't think we will be wearing masks forever. Given time people will ditch that altogether for one reason, convenience. The fear will subside, courage will grow and people will forget about it. People do not like being inconvenienced. It's amazing what people will do to avoid that. Why do we have self checkouts? Was that solely a business decision, to save money on cashiers? No, it was in response to demand. I want to pay for this and get out of the store as fast as possible. Same reason we have "minute clinics" We would rather get in, get our band-aid and get on with doing what we want to do. Isn't convenience the biggest selling point for just about everything? Yup, pretty much. How long will people wear the mask? Well, all I can say is Walmart has them on clearance. Should tell you something.