Buffy the Psych ProfThis is a great piece on how to reduce resistance to masking, but I don’t actually think telling people it’s for the collective good makes a difference here in the United States. Our entire ethos seems to be “screw everyone else, I’m my own man.” At the beginning of the pandemic, we did say it was to protect others—people complained just as much then as they do now. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/05/covid-cases-nhs-culture-war-face-masks
I think one of the biggest barriers is science illiteracy, especially when it comes to how and how often a virus can mutate. I think if people understood that masking reduces the likelihood of people still needing to/talking about masking because it would be depriving a rapidly evolving virus of hosts, we might make some headway amongst *some* people. “Sick of seeing masks? Stop helping it evolve.”
James Benjamin@DrPsyBuffy My dad used to say that we pay now or pay more later. Thanks to so many folks, we will be paying more later.
psychicleaking 🏳️🌈🖖@DrPsyBuffy I have believed it has been a science illiteracy problem from day one - basis for mask and vaccine deniers
Three plus or minus five@DrPsyBuffy I think one thing we’ve learned in the last few decades is that it isn’t just a matter of literacy; people can be educated without believing the things they are taught. Some of it is anti-intellectualism, some is stupidity, some is ineffective instruction, lots of factors…. But explaining doesn’t work in the face of reactionaries.
Dr. Scott (math geek) Dueker@DrPsyBuffy I wish more people understood that we are a collective society. Can't we just fast forward to the Star Trek society of the 24th century?