Altruism, Individualism, and the Science and Psychology of Mask Wearing
Recently it was announced that masks will be mandatory on Metro Vancouver’s public transit system. This is one policy, among a growing list since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, making masks compulsory in countries or metropolitan areas.
Currently, masks are required on public transit throughout Colombia, Argentina, Germany, and South Korea. Many countries have, at some point, made masks mandatory in any public space, and the list is varied, from the United Arab Emirates to Ecuador, from Austria to Morocco, El Salvador to Israel.
In the United States, though there is no federal requirement, 32 States plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico all have some sort of mask requirements as of the publication of this article.
Some countries adopted mask-wearing much earlier than others with little controversy or even official communication. While others still have small but vocal groups pushing back at the science, legislation, and apparent symbolism of masks.
Why is this? To get a full picture, we should acknowledge the early lack of agreement among scientists, as well as examine the cultural and psychological factors at play for those pushing back against mask-wearing.
