Has anyone noticed the decrease in mask usage?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I drive with my mask down. COPD asks for that. It's up before I open the car door.

[Rev. Rye]

This is something I've noticed.

I remember, back in April and most of May, if you went to the grocery store or the gas station, EVERYONE was wearing a mask.  But over the past few weeks, I've noticed fewer and fewer people wearing them.  I went to get groceries last week and it was actually rare to see people wearing masks.  If I had to guestimate, I'd say 10% or less of people were actually wearing masks.  I have a friend who said she had the same problem at the grocery store yesterday.  Me, I've decided to try to do any significant errands or shopping during the week when it's less busy just so I can avoid the potentially infected crowds.

I can't say I'm entirely innocent here, either.  I've had more than a few times I've forgotten my mask.  I'm lucky I don't have to get out much, but on those rare cases I do go out, I usually wear my mask.  Usually isn't always, though.  Does it get hard to keep doing it or to remember to keep doing it?  That doesn't even take into account the people who don't just forget to wear masks, but make it a point to be against any mask wearing.  I've watched videos of people reaction with rage and violence over being asked to wear a mask.  

It's kinda crazy, though, because covid cases are still sky high.  The disease isn't going away; it's actually getting worse.  

And, yeah, I have a friend who works retail who probably has the virus.  She has all the symptoms: lost of taste/smell, cough, fever.  And her daughter, just a little thing, who is asthmatic, and isn't doing great, either.  

What will it take to get people to treat this virus like it's a serious threat?

When they themselves get it and realize they fucked up and not a moment before, and probably not even then. When they decide it’s just another culture war issue, and not just a matter of saving lives, nothing short of the pundits doing an about face can change their minds, and given that in many political circles, it’s considered more advantageous to stick with tried and failed policies than admit you fucked up and get called a flip-flopper, that’s probably not happening anytime soon.

[brewer]

On the brighter side of things, I haven't had to wear a condom in years.

[TaraJo]

When they themselves get it and realize they fucked up and not a moment before, and probably not even then. When they decide it’s just another culture war issue, and not just a matter of saving lives, nothing short of the pundits doing an about face can change their minds, and given that in many political circles, it’s considered more advantageous to stick with tried and failed policies than admit you fucked up and get called a flip-flopper, that’s probably not happening anytime soon.

I mean, I've seen Trumpanzees publicly criticize facemasks, claim it's some kind of government, mind-control conspiracy, then get covid and blame it on BLM.  And they still don't acknowledge that they did anything that could have prevented their infection.  Hell, there's a lot who act like, if you don't show any symptoms, you obviously aren't infected; how many of them do you think are spreading the disease to hundreds, if not thousands, of others while pre-symptomatic?  Even if someone they live with has been infected with covid, until they show symptoms, it doesn't count.  

I just wish these people were only killing themselves.  It wouldn't be so bad then; Darwin awards in action.  But instead, they're infecting all these innocent people.  My friend who's infected, she works retail; how much you want to bet she was infected by some Trump loving Karen of a customer who is dead set against wearing a mask?

[Rev. Rye]

Yeah, at this point, I'm seriously close to giving up on the possibility that maybe the Republicans and Democrats can put aside their differences for a brief time and fight a greater threat (or at least a greater evil.) I probably should have given that up when Rush Limbaugh defended Joseph Kony just because Obama wanted to send troops to fight him in Uganda:

[TaraJo]

I think some of it has turned into democrats vs republicans, but I think the covid negligence comes from corporate interests. A lot of companies watched stock prices tumble when everything went into lockdown and I don't doubt for a second, they invested HEAVILY in convincing elected officials to open everything back up.  I remember going to work when other businesses were all closed down and it was a little creepy seeing how empty the streets were.  Sure enough, oil companies were hurting economically and when has a politician, especially a republican politician, ever told an oil company no? 

Of course, the executives who make these decisions are keeping themselves isolated and safe.  Because they'd be crazy to put themselves at risk of infection.  But they'd rather infect everyone else on earth vs let their stock prices drop.

[arewethereyet]

I think that if Trump had endorsed wearing a mask the picture would be completely different. Those who currently wear masks do so because they believe in medical science - they wouldn't stop wearing masks to make the dumpster fire look bad. Trump's endorsement would mean that the Trumpanzees would wear a mask because that's the Murican thing to do.

He could have made one tiny step in the right direction and altered the whole course of this virus.

Dumbass could have offered MAGA masks and his whole following would have stocked up with enough masks to cover their entire bodies.

[Rev. Rye]

I think that if Trump had endorsed wearing a mask the picture would be completely different.  Those who currently wear masks do so because they believe in medical science - they wouldn't stop wearing masks to make the dumpster fire look bad.  Trump's endorsement would mean that the Trumpanzees would wear a mask because that's the Murican thing to do.

He could have made one tiny step in the right direction and altered the whole course of this virus.

Dumbass could have offered MAGA masks and his whole following would have stocked up with enough masks to cover their entire bodies.

And yet because he's got this bizarre obsession with winners and losers, an even more bizarre belief connecting germs with negativity, and a sense of Social Darwinism that's probably the only consistent part of his ideology outside of racism, we get what we got.

[no one]

Masks get in the way of the blinders.

[arewethereyet]

Masks get in the way of the blinders.

Or they act as blinders...