2. Why is wearing a mask not an obvious choice? – Lou Schuler
On my first day back at the gym, after months away, I was
surprised to see two guys not wearing masks.
The first was young, probably early 20s. I get it. When I was that age, I didn’t even wear a seatbelt. The second was middle-aged. I don’t get that at all.
But it was just two guys, and everyone else was masked, social distancing, and cleaning up after themselves. The workout took a little longer than it should have, and it was a little harder to catch my breath between sets. But at least I got to deadlift.
The next time was completely different. I was the only person I saw wearing a mask. Two guys monopolized the leg press for a half-hour (I kept track because I wanted to use the machine), chatting for several minutes between sets.
Without masks.
I cannot for the life of me understand why millions of Americans—people who strip down for airport security, wear shirts and shoes to restaurants, and obey laws against jaywalking and littering—have decided to take a stand
against a minor inconvenience like wearing a mask.
Doctors, nurses, and therapists work all day in masks, shields, and gloves. First responders fight fires in gear that weighs as much as the average first grader. Mask-wearing criminals regularly outrun cops.
The math here is simple: If we all wear masks, we all get to do more stuff. If we refuse to wear masks, we remain mired in this pestilent purgatory.
How is the choice not obvious?
Postscript: As I was writing this—literally, while I was typing "pestilent purgatory"—I got an email from my gym saying everyone has to wear a mask. No exceptions.
The email says they’re doing it on orders from the governor, which may or may not preempt complaints from militant anti-maskers.
I just wish my fellow gymgoers didn’t need to be told.
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