Rantman

4

This year has shown me a side of America (USA, I know) that I wouldn't have believed real if I just heard it from someone. Yes, I'm looking at you anti-vaccers, flat earthers, and anti-maskers. It sounds like a practical joke, except it apparently isn't. So, let's crack some jokes.

If there was something that'll make you immune to a certain disease for your entire lifetime, who in their right minds wouldn't take it? Something that is backed by thorough scientific research, approved by drug regulators and administration and seen to be effective in the mass population? No, let's instead believe in the harmful effects of something that was created to benefit human health in the first place. Nice.

Consider an analogy, you are going to a warzone and you can buy affordable bulletproof vests. Sure, 1 in a million of those might be defective, with vests it could be 1 in 10000 even, some might be tight-fitting or constrain your breath or be too large for your size. But that doesn't mean you'll go without a bulletproof vest in a warzone, would you? And believe me, every place with humans is a warzone between infections and your immune system. I haven't saw anyone I know deny a vaccine in real life, some might question whether if it actually works but they get it done anyway, because there's enough evidence that it does function and its like an insurance policy, but with just a one time payment. If vaccines actually had something dangerous, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't pass the stringent regulations, and given that it used by a majority, evidence of its harmful effects would be clearly visible to anyone.

Flat-earthers I had heard about before, and I know they are nothing but annoying clowns. I don't need to go thru the stacks of evidence there is for a round Earth. If the Earth is flat, why haven't we discovered the edge? And America is not the only country on the planet, so why will all countries somehow conspire together-- imagine, all countries actually working together for something-- and forge photographs and evidence and everything to prove that Earth is round, for practically no reason? Paraphrasing Holmes' words for this scenario "What do I care whether the Earth is round or flat, when it won't make a pennyworth of difference to me or my work?" Flat-earthers, stop thirsting for attention and think being more scientifically inaccurate than a 4th grader is quirky, mind your own business. You don't work at NASA or have anything to do with astronomy, do you? Then stick to what you know and what concerns you, instead of clowning around and wasting everyone's time.

Anti-maskers, seriously a piece of cloth is now a political issue for you, great. Enforcing masks in public places doesn't infringe your rights. You can't smoke in public, drive without a seat belt, and do all the things you do at home in public. This is just another rule, for your own benefit. Yes, this is the "You are being saved, please do not resist" meme. I know, masks don't guarantee stopping the spread of viruses, but it does prevent your droplets and breathe from travelling farther, and reduces your potential infectivity. It also reduces the risk of catching an infection as it shields you from other's breath. You don't need a study to prove that, in any case pandemics don't happen daily so forgive the researchers who had quarantined themselves instead of risking it outside to prove something that was considered common sense/knowledge.

However, what also surprises me is the lack of empathy from the pro-mask community. There are comparisons that an anti-masker can't breathe if they wear a mask for 15 minutes, while a doctor and nurse are normal and unaffected even after wearing it for 8 hours. Like no? Masks are indeed slightly uncomfortable to breathe in, and wearing it for a prolonged period of time in a hot area or while working gives rise to sweat. I know it personally that medical professionals too dislike wearing the entire PPE, and just because they don't complain about it doesn't mean its as easy as wearing a badge or a hat or a ring. They don't complain because they are all too aware of its necessity, seeing patients die and suffer in front of them. Wearing a mask is the easiest way to protect oneself and simultaneously do a service to the community.

At my place it isn't a legal requirement, as masks are already in shortage and policing it is practically impossible. No one turns up at organization's doors to debate their mask policy, if someone is called out for not wearing a mask they usually get embarrassed and definitely don't argue back with senseless statements. If it is a hot day and someone is working and sweaty, them taking off their mask for a while is understandable, and people just try to maintain their distance. I never thought I'll call the people surrounding me mature, but it sure seems some others lack whatever this quality is.

Perhaps it isn't my place to comment on a country I haven't even been to, but then tell Instagram to stop clogging up my feed with so many posts about America and its problems that I don't have to really care about. If they can interfere to make all the news and media about them, then I think I can pen down my thoughts about them as well, since it wouldn't have come within my knowledge if they hadn't brought it to me.