Face masks are a hotly debated topic. From social media to protests, people are arguing for and against masks intensely. But is the argument still about face masks?
A quote from The New England Journal of Medicine states that “[in] many cases, the desire for widespread masking is a reflexive reaction to anxiety over the pandemic.” We are panicking. The world seems to be falling apart before us, and we don’t know what to do. Yelling at each other won’t solve that.
On social media, TV advertisements, and posters, wearing a face mask is portrayed as protecting your neighbor, helping others, and being a good person. Wearing a mask has been associated with a moral superiority over those who do not. Whether or not face masks are effective against COVID-19 has ceased to be the question. Face masks have become the symbol of a different argument: an argument on who is right and who is wrong, an argument on who is good and who is bad, an argument on villainy and heroism, all based on one action.
Right and wrong, good and bad, are not measurable qualities. We live in a world that is all in greyscale. Even the worst of us have positive qualities. We must remember that one action does not define a person, though it may follow them; it is why they acted that matters.
Consider both sides of the argument. Many people who wear face masks do it to protect themselves and others, specifically at-risk people. At-risk people are those of older age and/or those with underlying medical conditions, as defined by the CDC. However, a majority of at-risk people and their families already take precautions to protect themselves daily. They are not as fragile as we think.
On the other hand, people who don’t want to wear face masks argue that a mandate would restrict their civil liberties and that they have the right not to wear a mask. While this is not a right outlined in the constitution, it comes down to whether or not an individual should have the right to control their own decisions and what they do with their body. That is a whole different conversation, one that we do need to have. It affects nearly everything, and opinions vary. How much control should an individual have over themselves, and how much control should someone else have over them?
It would be nice if everyone protected one another, and possibly an improvement in our daily society, which can seem cutthroat at times. However, it’s not feasible and comes at the expense of self-determination. No matter what, we cannot improve if we are so viciously divided. Whichever side you believe, that opinion is valid. All are. Opinions are based on facts, but they are not facts. You choose, and no one can tell you otherwise. But you must be aware of what you are telling others. In an argument, when you take a deep breath, think carefully about what will come out of your mouth; a sound, developed argument, or a scream?
Photo Courtesy of Imani Davis