Opinion | Christopher Mosley: Masks have the potential to protect Americans. But they also divide us. - NBCNewsTHINK
When authorities have the ability to police both what people wear — or don't wear — at whim, that leaves ample space for subjective interpretation.
Pandemics tend to exacerbate divisions rather than foster unity."Unlike acts of war or catastrophic atoms, pandemic-causing pathogens don't build trust and facilitate cooperative defenses," says author Sonia Shah in"," which was published in 2016."On the contrary, due to the peculiar psychic experience of new pathogens, they're more likely to breed suspicion and mistrust among us, destroying social bonds as surely as they destroy bodies.
It isn't just state-sponsored authorities that can stoke tensions. Vigilantes roamed the streets during our 20th century pandemic, in order to make sure people were staying inside during quarantine. At the time, cities did their best to either goad or shame citizens into best mask practice."The Red Cross distributed masks at an astounding rate, giving out one hundred thousand in four days," writes Iezzoni.
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