Why do Republican politicians refuse to wear masks or socially distance?

[Where's the Epstein Client List?]

Over and over, we keep seeing a lot of Republicans refusing to wear masks or socially distance (such as the infamous Amy Coney Barrett nomination reception, or on the campaign trail).

What gives?

[Ferguson97]

They think they’re built different

[SevenEleven]

They lack intellect.

[DINGO Joe]

They're assholes

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

They need to prove businesses are open and Covid is going away, but these same businesses mandate us the consumers to wear a mask. That's the mistake that Rs make, over and over, they are abovee the rules

[Hammy]

Because their entire ideology at this point is nothing more than "do the opposite of what Dems want"

[Doomer]

Their voters refuse to do this too, in large part.

It's an issue of intellect and a distrust/fear of science.

[Hindsight was 2020]

To own the libs

[courts]

Over and over, we keep seeing a lot of Republicans refusing to wear masks or socially distance (such as the infamous Amy Coney Barrett nomination reception, or on the campaign trail).

What gives?

wearing a mask is seen in some quarters as feminine or submissive behavior. i mean i don't agree with that viewpoint. but its out there

[Trump Is A Maoist]

Their voters refuse to do this too, in large part.

It's an issue of intellect and a distrust/fear of science.

[Bootes Void]

rebellious attitude.

also there is the whole "if it is, let it be" or as trump said "it is what it is" type of sentiment

[courts]

rebellious attitude.

also there is the whole "if it is, let it be" or as trump said "it is what it is" type of sentiment

that's true too. bit of fatalism there i guess

[Wakie77]

Stupidity mainly.

[ProudModerate2]

Combination of option 1 and 2.

[courts]

https://psyarxiv.com/tg7vz/

We also found that more men than women tend to report negative emotions when wearing a face covering. Moreover, negative emotions when wearing a face covering mediates gender
differences in the intentions to wear a face covering. However, interestingly, gender differences in negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering does not seem to depend on whether wearing a face covering is mandatory. In other words, making the wear of a face covering mandatory changes the self-reported intentions to wear a face covering, but not the self-reported emotions felt when wearing it. Moreover, we found that the self-reported
negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering were not mediated by the likelihood to
get the disease and by the likelihood to get over it easily in case one gets it. We also conducted some exploratory analyses to test in which specific items of the “negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering” scale the gender differences were concentrated.

We found that men more than women disagree with the statement “wearing a face covering is cool” and agree with the statements: “wearing a face covering is not cool” “wearing a face covering is shameful”, “wearing a face covering is sign of weakness”, and “the stigma attached to wearing a face covering is preventing [them] from wearing one as often as [they] should
”. This suggests that future interventions to promote the use of a face covering among men can try to act on decreasing these negative emotions..

We also find that men less than women believe that they will be seriously affected by the coronavirus, and this partly mediates gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering (this is particularly ironic because official statistics actually show that men are affected by the COVID-19 more seriously than women)."

[Calthrina950]

https://psyarxiv.com/tg7vz/

We also found that more men than women tend to report negative emotions when wearing a face covering. Moreover, negative emotions when wearing a face covering mediates gender
differences in the intentions to wear a face covering. However, interestingly, gender differences in negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering does not seem to depend on whether wearing a face covering is mandatory. In other words, making the wear of a face covering mandatory changes the self-reported intentions to wear a face covering, but not the self-reported emotions felt when wearing it. Moreover, we found that the self-reported
negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering were not mediated by the likelihood to
get the disease and by the likelihood to get over it easily in case one gets it. We also conducted some exploratory analyses to test in which specific items of the “negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering” scale the gender differences were concentrated.

We found that men more than women disagree with the statement “wearing a face covering is cool” and agree with the statements: “wearing a face covering is not cool” “wearing a face covering is shameful”, “wearing a face covering is sign of weakness”, and “the stigma attached to wearing a face covering is preventing [them] from wearing one as often as [they] should
”. This suggests that future interventions to promote the use of a face covering among men can try to act on decreasing these negative emotions..

We also find that men less than women believe that they will be seriously affected by the coronavirus, and this partly mediates gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering (this is particularly ironic because official statistics actually show that men are affected by the COVID-19 more seriously than women)."

All of these are very interesting conclusions, and ones that I've found to be true from personal experience. At my job, the vast majority of those customers who are still going about maskless are men. Moreover, while I obviously wear a mask while on the job and whenever I am in a public space, I've aired my complaints about mask-wearing from time to time. My stepmother, however, doesn't have a problem with mask-wearing, views it as a necessity, and has wondered why I am a "broken record" on the matter. She thinks that we should just accept it as a necessary part of life, and wear them for as long as they are necessary.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Lori Lightfoot went to get a haircut in the middle of the lockdown.

Chris Cuomo got into an argument in the Hamptons with a person while he was supposed to be quarantining (and telling people he was).

Then there's this priceless gem:

https://twitter.com/yrnf/status/1311065135667204096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp...

I appreciate the comments by courts; it was actually research based.  Calthrina950 had thoughtful responses as well, as did a few others.  The rest of the thread was mostly virtue signaling for the sake of a narrative and generalizations that people have no idea as to (A) if they're true and (B) to what extent they're true.

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

I'll also note than none of the worst virtue signalers here had a word of criticism for BLM and Antifa taking to the streets in the midst of a pandemic.  They won't even suggest that those rioters, looters, arsonists, and perpetrators of crimes against individuals persons posed COVID-19 risks to who knows how many others by their actions.  (Indeed, the protesters who really were peaceful posed risks to others, but not a word about that from the virtue signalers here.).  I'm saying this because this thead is all narrative maintanence.  Just about the only person who has credibility on this issue (and I disagree with him, but he has actual consistency and credibility) is Forulurker.  He's the only one who's "listened to the science" when it came to the mobs in the streets.

It really does come down to this in so many threads.  People criticize in others things they freely overlooked in BLM and Antifa on the streets in 40 plus American cities.  This isn't derailing a thread; it's pointing out the legitimacy and sincerity of the point being made here.

[Big Abraham]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

[Fuzzy Bear]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

There have been mixed messages about masks.  I don't think masks keep ME safer.  They may keep the OTHER PERSON safer, and that's important, because each one of us is the other person all the time.  But I'm not convinced that the products that most people use as masks are all that great. 

I don't see why it's so awful that I don't personally believe that masks do all that much.  I'm complying, and I do it without complaining.  Isn't that enough?  Or is my compliance not enough for the left?  Is is a Thought Crime to doubt the efficacy of masks?  Is it Hate Speech to post it?

In truth, I wear a mask because I don't want anyone to get sick and say, "He didn't wear his mask!".  That ought to be good enough.

[Calthrina950]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

There have been mixed messages about masks.  I don't think masks keep ME safer.  They may keep the OTHER PERSON safer, and that's important, because each one of us is the other person all the time.  But I'm not convinced that the products that most people use as masks are all that great. 

I don't see why it's so awful that I don't personally believe that masks do all that much.  I'm complying, and I do it without complaining.  Isn't that enough?  Or is my compliance not enough for the left?  Is is a Thought Crime to doubt the efficacy of masks?  Is it Hate Speech to post it?

In truth, I wear a mask because I don't want anyone to get sick and say, "He didn't wear his mask!".  That ought to be good enough.

As I've alluded to above, I myself have had issues with mask-wearing. I don't like masks, and I will be grateful for the day that they are gone. I have personally doubted that we will still be wearing masks a year from now, given how people seem to be rebelling against the practice already. However, I certainly do believe that the masks are a valuable public health tool, and I trust our authorities who have urged for their adoption by the general public. I believe that if masks had been more widely worn at last week's gathering at the White House, we may not have had the outbreak we are now seeing from it. There probably would have still been cases, but not to the extent that has developed.

[Fuzzy Bear]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

There have been mixed messages about masks.  I don't think masks keep ME safer.  They may keep the OTHER PERSON safer, and that's important, because each one of us is the other person all the time.  But I'm not convinced that the products that most people use as masks are all that great. 

I don't see why it's so awful that I don't personally believe that masks do all that much.  I'm complying, and I do it without complaining.  Isn't that enough?  Or is my compliance not enough for the left?  Is is a Thought Crime to doubt the efficacy of masks?  Is it Hate Speech to post it?

In truth, I wear a mask because I don't want anyone to get sick and say, "He didn't wear his mask!".  That ought to be good enough.

As I've alluded to above, I myself have had issues with mask-wearing. I don't like masks, and I will be grateful for the day that they are gone. I have personally doubted that we will still be wearing masks a year from now, given how people seem to be rebelling against the practice already. However, I certainly do believe that the masks are a valuable public health tool, and I trust our authorities who have urged for their adoption by the general public. I believe that if masks had been more widely worn at last week's gathering at the White House, we may not have had the outbreak we are now seeing from it. There probably would have still been cases, but not to the extent that has developed.

While it seems like it was in a past life, when this whole thing started, "The Science" (Fauci and others) were saying that wearing a mask was not helpful, and was even counterproductive. 

If masks are, indeed, as necessary as "The Science" tells us that they are, then we were manipulated back then.  Now I understand that back when cave men were making fire by rubbing sticks together and the focus was on "Flattening the Curve" (Remember that?), the big concern was "Tanking the Healthcare System" and using up all the material for masks (which weren't mass-produced as they are now) that would be needed by Healthcare Workers.  I get that.  We were told we didn't need something we are now told we need in order to justify not making masks widely available (or being OK with using bandanas and home made masks that were of dubious benefit).  Now that masks are available we tell people they are a must, and if we had worn them all along none would have died.  Maybe.  But to say that now is to face the fact that "The Science" played us and manipulated us, our thoughts, and our emotions.

So you'll forgive my skepticism.  For those who wish us to wear masks, you'll have to settle for my compliance.

[Calthrina950]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

There have been mixed messages about masks.  I don't think masks keep ME safer.  They may keep the OTHER PERSON safer, and that's important, because each one of us is the other person all the time.  But I'm not convinced that the products that most people use as masks are all that great. 

I don't see why it's so awful that I don't personally believe that masks do all that much.  I'm complying, and I do it without complaining.  Isn't that enough?  Or is my compliance not enough for the left?  Is is a Thought Crime to doubt the efficacy of masks?  Is it Hate Speech to post it?

In truth, I wear a mask because I don't want anyone to get sick and say, "He didn't wear his mask!".  That ought to be good enough.

As I've alluded to above, I myself have had issues with mask-wearing. I don't like masks, and I will be grateful for the day that they are gone. I have personally doubted that we will still be wearing masks a year from now, given how people seem to be rebelling against the practice already. However, I certainly do believe that the masks are a valuable public health tool, and I trust our authorities who have urged for their adoption by the general public. I believe that if masks had been more widely worn at last week's gathering at the White House, we may not have had the outbreak we are now seeing from it. There probably would have still been cases, but not to the extent that has developed.

While it seems like it was in a past life, when this whole thing started, "The Science" (Fauci and others) were saying that wearing a mask was not helpful, and was even counterproductive. 

If masks are, indeed, as necessary as "The Science" tells us that they are, then we were manipulated back then.  Now I understand that back when cave men were making fire by rubbing sticks together and the focus was on "Flattening the Curve" (Remember that?), the big concern was "Tanking the Healthcare System" and using up all the material for masks (which weren't mass-produced as they are now) that would be needed by Healthcare Workers.  I get that.  We were told we didn't need something we are now told we need in order to justify not making masks widely available (or being OK with using bandanas and home made masks that were of dubious benefit).  Now that masks are available we tell people they are a must, and if we had worn them all along none would have died.  Maybe.  But to say that now is to face the fact that "The Science" played us and manipulated us, our thoughts, and our emotions.

So you'll forgive my skepticism.  For those who wish us to wear masks, you'll have to settle for my compliance.

I'm certainly aware of what occurred several months ago-that we were told not to rush out and buy masks because they were needed for hospital workers. There was certainly a legitimate concern for medical supplies back then-although the CDC and WHO (particularly the latter) obviously had other, more nefarious reasons for the stances that they took. But now, masks are everywhere-you can find them for cheap in the store or online, and no one is talking about a shortage now. And in recent weeks, the importance of mask-wearing has been reiterated by government officials and by public health experts alike, and it's obvious from polls that the vast majority of Americans are taking their advice to heart.

Nevertheless, most people don't like having to wear masks-they are doing it out of necessity. And I'm hopeful that when this pandemic is over, masks will be gone as well. I certainly don't want them to become a "new normal", not to the extent that some have proposed.

[Where's the Epstein Client List?]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

There have been mixed messages about masks.  I don't think masks keep ME safer.  They may keep the OTHER PERSON safer, and that's important, because each one of us is the other person all the time.  But I'm not convinced that the products that most people use as masks are all that great. 

I don't see why it's so awful that I don't personally believe that masks do all that much.  I'm complying, and I do it without complaining.  Isn't that enough?  Or is my compliance not enough for the left?  Is is a Thought Crime to doubt the efficacy of masks?  Is it Hate Speech to post it?

In truth, I wear a mask because I don't want anyone to get sick and say, "He didn't wear his mask!".  That ought to be good enough.

That's kind of the point...

You wearing a mask limits others' exposure to aerosolized particles from your mouth and nose.

Other people wearing a mask limits your exposure to aerosolized particles from their mouth and nose.

I realize that as a Republican, the very idea of cooperation and working together for the common good is offensive to you, but the fact is your mask is helping keep others safe and other people's masks are helping keep you safe.

[Benjamin Frank]

For the record, I wear my mask whenever I'm in public.  I am not convinced, personally, of the significant efficacy of mask wearing, but I am an essential worker and if wearing a mask will make others feel safer I'm happy to oblige.  I do value the mental health and sense of well-being of others.  Unlike some here, my consideration of the welfare and mental health of others extends to people who aren't going to vote for my candidate of choice.  

Yeah you're right Fuzzy, you're so much better than us. So much better, in fact, that you deny the overwhelming evidence for the efficacy of masks.

The CDC and WHO, for political reasons, lied about face masks early on in the pandemic, even though scientific evidence to the contrary was already available even at that time

There have been mixed messages about masks.  I don't think masks keep ME safer.  They may keep the OTHER PERSON safer, and that's important, because each one of us is the other person all the time.  But I'm not convinced that the products that most people use as masks are all that great.  

I don't see why it's so awful that I don't personally believe that masks do all that much.  I'm complying, and I do it without complaining.  Isn't that enough?  Or is my compliance not enough for the left?  Is is a Thought Crime to doubt the efficacy of masks?  Is it Hate Speech to post it?

In truth, I wear a mask because I don't want anyone to get sick and say, "He didn't wear his mask!".  That ought to be good enough.

As I've alluded to above, I myself have had issues with mask-wearing. I don't like masks, and I will be grateful for the day that they are gone. I have personally doubted that we will still be wearing masks a year from now, given how people seem to be rebelling against the practice already. However, I certainly do believe that the masks are a valuable public health tool, and I trust our authorities who have urged for their adoption by the general public. I believe that if masks had been more widely worn at last week's gathering at the White House, we may not have had the outbreak we are now seeing from it. There probably would have still been cases, but not to the extent that has developed.

While it seems like it was in a past life, when this whole thing started, "The Science" (Fauci and others) were saying that wearing a mask was not helpful, and was even counterproductive.  

If masks are, indeed, as necessary as "The Science" tells us that they are, then we were manipulated back then.  Now I understand that back when cave men were making fire by rubbing sticks together and the focus was on "Flattening the Curve" (Remember that?), the big concern was "Tanking the Healthcare System" and using up all the material for masks (which weren't mass-produced as they are now) that would be needed by Healthcare Workers.  I get that.  We were told we didn't need something we are now told we need in order to justify not making masks widely available (or being OK with using bandanas and home made masks that were of dubious benefit).  Now that masks are available we tell people they are a must, and if we had worn them all along none would have died.  Maybe.  But to say that now is to face the fact that "The Science" played us and manipulated us, our thoughts, and our emotions.

So you'll forgive my skepticism.  For those who wish us to wear masks, you'll have to settle for my compliance.

Loony conspiracy theory.  

There is some truth to that in that there were concerns about a lack of N-95 masks and there were the stories of people illegally hording N-95 masks and then trying to sell them at inflated prices.

However, more than that, the belief early on was that Covid mostly spread from getting the virus germ onto your hands and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth (mucus membranes.)  It was, despite what Trump said to Bob Woodward, not initially appreciated that the virus was airborne, and then later, that airborne was the main way it spread.

In this context, masks were at best pointless, and possibly negative as an untrained person could get the virus from touching their eyes, nose or mouth while putting the mask on or removing it.

Much more is now known, and it is universally now known, except with loony conspiracy theorists, that the positives of wearing a mask, both for yourself and for others, greatly exceed any negatives (except for people who have health problems wherein they can't wear masks.)

This is, in fact, how science works.  It learns in 'real time.'  

I know you're old enough to remember when science was either neutral or favorable on the use of mercury.  A person slightly older than me told me that children even used to play with balls of mercury, and obviously mercury was used in tooth fillings.  If you think that only the initial science can be correct, would you play with balls of mercury or get your teeth filled with them?

Anyway, thank your for wearing a mask.

[Where's the Epstein Client List?]

Chris Christie is morbidly obese and has asthma, and yet he has been walking around without a mask, surrounded by other masked people, traveling by airplane, and doing any number of other reckless things.

Chris Christie should be staying at home other than for essential errands and not going in any buildings without a mask on. And yet...

https://twitter.com/GovChristie/status/1312510988478889985?s=20