NO MAS...K

     Americans auto-polarize on virtually every social issues large and small; Jesus, economics, race, sex, and most recently, “pandemics”.  Introduce a simple hypothesis such as “fewer of us will die if we all wear masks”, and in about a week, half of the population will agree/comply and half will oppose/resist. 

     There must be a fundamental organizing principle at play. My sense is that it’s a “game of life/game theory sort of thing” wherein a population optimizes their future common interest by supporting the empirically sound strategy.  Then, when a sufficient number commit resources to assure this optimal outcome, an opportunistic minority, defect to a contrary non-participating position, thereby enjoying benefit without cost.  These “affirm/defect/benefit” dances are very fluid in today’s social media culture. 

      However, it’s  just not clear how the COVID-Contrarians, who are now expressing their unity by refusing to wear masks, expect to advantage the outcome.  It looks like they disproportionately will pay the price for the “herd immunity” that ultimately saves the day.

                                                     NO MASK to NO MAS