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One of the problems facing the United States is that we're a country of social animals who believe we're individualists.
For instance: The linked/quoted article mentions that people throwing big weddings right now see other people doing it and think it must be fine. https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1339302497437904898
For instance: The linked/quoted article mentions that people throwing big weddings right now see other people doing it and think it must be fine. https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1339302497437904898
As social animals, we look to others of our "pack" to take our cues. The same conservatives who speak of individualism also enshrine this idea as community values.
This is why it's important to, for instance, not let Nazis congregate in your bar or web forum (or whatever) if you don't want it to become a Nazi bar or web forum (or whatever).
Why it's important to not quietly ignore racist or sexist jokes, or whatever.
Why it's important to not quietly ignore racist or sexist jokes, or whatever.
Your choice to wear a mask and to stay home and to exercise other prudent precautions might not convince someone who doesn't want to do that, but your choice to flout those things will 100% give someone else the permission they were waiting for.
Yep, this. And while I've been talking about individual choices, a key component is community leadership, from the people we have chosen to recognize as leaders. https://twitter.com/PossibleCabbage/status/1339630909566410753
When I lay the blame for hundreds of thousands of deaths and rampant unchecked spread on Donald Trump, the principle thing I fault him for is a lack of leadership. Not specific policy choices but the signals he chose to send.
Some of the worst people in this country earnestly and openly reveal Trump as a truth speaker and will wear any ridiculous thing he wants them to. Imagine if he'd told them wearing masks and staying home was patriotic.
He probably would have lost some of them because what they actually want from is permission to be awful, and fear of losing any measure of adulation is probably a big part of why he didn't do this sort of thing.
But some would have followed his cue.
But some would have followed his cue.
The signals he chose to send were: it's a hoax, it's no big deal, it'll disappear, it's an attempt to hurt him politically. That masks were empty "virtue signaling". That if you felt fine you could go to work.
He didn't take it seriously and he gave people permission to not take it seriously, both people out in the community and other political leaders at the state and local levels.
