Philosophy: wearing a mask

Self-tutoring about Covid realities: the tutor mentions an observation.

Of course, with Covid, we’re expected to wear masks in public, indoor places. With the vaccine now so readily available for so long, people have differing opinions about whether masks should still be required. (I’ve even been fully vaccinated: virtually every straggler has had the chance!)

Recently I heard a comment that some people who support the mask mandate don’t actually wear their masks correctly. For instance, they might wear it below the nose, defeating the point of wearing it. The commentator asked the obvious question: If someone thinks wearing a mask is so important, why don’t they commit to wearing it properly, so it actually works?

The question brings up an interesting trend: When rules are imposed, compliance typically becomes more important than practicality. People are reassured when, from a sideways glance, they see a mask on another person’s face. They’re not looking for the mask to truly work; they just want to know that the other person isn’t a rebel.

You see people with one or more ID cards hanging from a necklace. Often, people don’t check the ID cards: just hanging there, those cards demonstrate compliance with showing credentials. Somewhat humourously, one might wonder if, eventually, a mask hanging from a necklace will suffice that the person is “wearing a mask.”