Idealistic Pragmatist 
Last week I attended a Zoom hangout for a science podcast I support financially. The host is a regular journalist and the two reporters are science journalists, both with strong backgrounds in biology and health sciences. I don’t want to evoke the wrath of whomever, so I won’t tag them or identify them more than that (other than to say that the podcast is not in English, and the team that makes it are in a country where #masks were once mandated but no longer are). /1
Anyway, as the group got to chatting, one of the questions from the supporters was about how the team is personally handling the fact that the world has moved on from #masking. And ALL THREE members of this smart, exceedingly science-knowledgable team said that they themselves were mostly not wearing #masks anymore. They even discussed at length the psychological disconnect between KNOWING that it works and yet seeing the world around them stop masking. But they themselves STILL stopped. /2
I was so upset I almost left immediately (and almost discontinued my financial support too). In the end I did neither, but I was really pretty shaken by it. Still am, to be honest. /3
As I’ve said before, I can say VEHEMENTLY that I've NEVER experienced whatever feeling gets people to stop #masking whenever people around them aren't masked. Quite the opposite, in fact. But what I DO experience is a kind of heavy exhaustion that comes from being exposed to all the constant pretending the pandemic is over. So hearing these sciencey people who I admire, who clearly KNOW better, casually talking about joining in with the pretence…well, it was hard for me to take. /4
One of them even told a story about having been on a train that crossed over from their country into another country without a mask mandate, and there having been an announcement that people could now take their masks off. And the person SAID it was silly to then be breathing in whatever viruses all the people in the train car around them were now spewing into the air. But they STILL removed their mask…because the people around them had. /5
I’ve certainly witnessed this behaviour in the world enough times, so the behaviour in and of itself doesn’t shock me. But the fact that all three of them were talking about the psychological disconnect between knowing that masking would help the world’s current predicament and no longer masking as if it were just normal and the way things have to be? And without saying: “You know, this is dumb, I’m going to start wearing mine again!” Well, that DID shock me. A lot. /6
And they’ve all had COVID at least once by now—I mean, of course they have. But it’s not even that, because lots of #StillMasking people have had it too. But to KNOW the science behind why you should be masking, and to intellectually recognize that not doing so is nonsensical, and to have actually HAD the experience of not masking impacting YOU PERSONALLY adversely...and yet STILL take that mask off? How the hell does that even HAPPEN? /7
Anyway, I guess what I’m looking for here is comments from anybody who feels similarly. Because it’s starting to feel a little lonely over here on this island that still feels incredulous about and horrified by all the pretending.
Thanks for reading/listening. /8fin
La'an 
@IPEdmonton I've never been more grateful that I didn't comprehend the whole peer pressure thing growing up. I haven't stopped masking, haven't had COVID that I know of, and have no plans to stop masking because I don't give a damn what other people think about me masking. It's horrifying that people who know better just give up so easily and accept it.
@leeannepedersen This is really at the crux of it, isn't it? I've never really fit in much of anywhere, so looking a little different from the people around me isn't hard for me at all.
All the pretending HAS been really psychologically hard for me, though, to the point where much of the time I avoid being around people despite feeling like my precautions are good enough that I could do so without getting COVID myself. So my isolation isn't about fear, it's about exhaustion.
@leeannepedersen It's one of the reasons why the masked-audiences performances at our local theatre (in my pinned toot if you're curious) have been such a lifesaver. Every single person there masks because they WANT to, because they know it's the right thing to do. COVID-knowledgeable people, getting together to do something fun, all in masks and nearly all respirators. It feels amazing. I can't wait until the next one.
@IPEdmonton I'm not sure that it's pretending, versus being oblivious. I'm in a constant state of rage at the abject failure of all levels of government and the media at poor crisis communications. I seek out information, but I don't think the average person does. They just go along with whatever the majority does because they don't know better.
@leeannepedersen The way I look at it: if you‘re aware of the science of the current pandemic situation but don’t let that affect your behaviour, you’re pretending individually, and if you’re not aware of the science and aren’t doing anything different from what you did in 2019, you’re participating in collective, societal pretending. But either way it’s pretending. 🤷♀️
Accretor@leeannepedersen Great points, Lyanna.
We're living in a post-truth reality where nearly everyone selects from a pool of contradictory "alternative facts". Most people are too busy working their two minimum-wage part-time jobs to be able to sink a few hours a week into trying to untangle it all.
Real democracy requires citizens be willing and able to actively participate in governance, but we've created an economy where the majority lack the "free" time needed to actually do any of it.
@IPEdmonton Yeah, right, it would take so much more than forgoing a mask for me to fit in. I'd have to change my entire attitude, most of my political beliefs, my values, etc. I don't even aspire to it in a meaningful way.
Yes, I want acceptance and love, but I know I could never do enough to significantly increase either through conformity. I have to find the people who will appreciate things that I already am. One of those things is being evidence-driven and respecting the scientific method.