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Why do masks make people so angry? (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 weeks ago by BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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I still mask, I think COVID is super serious and I work with immunocompromised patients in a hospital, and I take public transit, so it's just generally a good idea. I am very, very, very vaccinated, but I'm still not comfortable unmasked. Two angry men on separate occasions have made comments to me about masking and how I don't need to do it. I just stare right through them and ignore, but why are they so angry? It does not affect them in the slightest, and if they think I'm stupid have at it.

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[-] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 46 points 3 weeks ago

Masks are a highly-visible sign of compassion. It’s a sign that you don’t want others to suffer due to your own actions, especially if you’re suffering already.

I agree with this.

So when a person who has no compassion (but doesn’t want to admit they have no compassion) sees a mask, they feel the need to defend themselves and attack the mask.

I don't agree with this. There is no self awareness of lack of empathy in this group. Its not like they're recognizing masking as an empathetic action, and choose to act counter to telegraphy the don't care about empathy.

Instead, they (wrongly) see mask mandates as some kind of subjugation (even though it isn't). They build the narrative that "COVID is just like the flu" so no freedoms should be impinged. Personal exceptionalism demands they rail against anyone or anything demanding their obedience or compliance. They see the demand of not hurting others with the spread of disease as an infringement on their freedom.

The result of their actions is a lack of empathy, but I don't think that is their goal and they even have any awareness about anyone else's needs except their own.

[-] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 18 points 3 weeks ago

They see mask users as "other" and "evil". Might as well wear a pro communist shirt.

[-] Natanael@slrpnk.net 17 points 3 weeks ago

Do-gooder derogation is a well studied phenomenon

It's not only stuff like lack of compassion. It's stuff like feeling that it challenges your worldviews, makes you feel the other person think their better for taking action you've chosen not to take, etc.

They'll react like that even against those who just try to protect themselves with a mask, just seeing it even if they're not being asked to change feels like a provocation.

It's like how Trump and Co talked about "the elites" (various experts) while being backed by the actual elites (billionaires). He wanted you to be scared of people who try to help you. Unfortunately the propaganda worked

[-] Susaga@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Nobody's demanding they wear a mask, and nobody's infringing on their rights by wearing a mask. All that is being shown is another person not wanting to spread the disease. There is no demand to comply, other than their own conscience speaking in a quiet, quiet voice.

"They're wearing a mask to stop the spread of disease, and I feel a need to react to this person's wearing of a mask. Should I be wearing a mask to stop the spread of disease? I don't want to be mildly uncomfortable, though. No, they're the person in the wrong for wearing a mask. I should be angry with them."

No self-awareness needed.

[-] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago

Nobody’s demanding they wear a mask

Which country are we talking about. In the USA there were absolutely mask mandates.

“They’re wearing a mask ~~to stop the spread of disease,~~ because they are sheep and I feel a need to react to this person’s wearing of a mask to prove to everyone else within eyesight I am not sheep lest they question my superiority."

FTFY, they don't see the mask as preventing disease that needs to be prevented. They see COVID as a mild inconvenience. An inconvenience that isn't worth doing anything to prevent it, and they get upset when anyone tells them they should care about it (even if its just for other people's sake).

[-] Susaga@sh.itjust.works 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

There WERE mandates. This is something someone is currently doing, not something someone did several years ago. Literally nobody is telling them to do shit. The angry chucklefucks are upset someone else is doing something while demanding nothing from them. If people are still upset about masks, it's not because of obedience.

[-] Natanael@slrpnk.net 8 points 3 weeks ago

They simultaneously see COVID19 as a Chinese bioweapon AND as a mild flu, switching based on context

Orwellian doublethink, except every thought is wrong

this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2024

233 points (94.3% liked)

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