What I don’t understand is people wearing masks on trails with no one anywhere near them. Just yesterday I saw a lady walking on a trail midday. Alone.

Completely wide open area, outdoors.

What is the point of this?

Couldn't we just brand people on the forehead with political party? At least we could make people sew Rs and Ds to their clothing.

Anonymous wrote:I notice Republican criminal defendants always have their masks on during their perp walks and in court.

I've noticed that, as well.

I’m a moderate independent and my mask wearing is totally dependent on the situation, not some idiotic ideology. I recently got a Covid booster too.

Anonymous wrote:I'm a republican and I wear a mask when I am out and about in stores because I have older in-laws at home. Once they travel back to the old country, I won't be wearing a mask anymore.

Are you wearing N95? Because surgical - cloth offers little to no protection

Anonymous wrote:If I see a middle aged person wearing a mask now, they are a liberal and want you to know it. If they are old, I figure they may just be hedging their bets but also probably liberal. When I see a young person— like 10-20, often with family members not wearing masks I assume they actually have covid or they got messed up by the covid situation and will need counseling at some point to feel safe.

I’m middle aged and I wear a mask to limit my likelihood of getting Covid or Monkeypox. I’m an ex-liberal, BTW.

Anonymous wrote:I have a 35 year old friend who wears a mask because she has breast cancer. She lives in a "red" area and has been heckled.

I wear a mask because I have an autoimmune disease.

Just because republicans made mask wearing political, doesn't mean anything about people who are wearing masks right now.

I guess the question here is about the correlation between masks and politics in the general population.
Sure, each one of us have a story to tell that says the opposite, but a single story doesn't help for disproving this.

I'm a republican and I wear a mask when I am out and about in stores because I have older in-laws at home. Once they travel back to the old country, I won't be wearing a mask anymore.

I notice Republican criminal defendants always have their masks on during their perp walks and in court.

I have a 35 year old friend who wears a mask because she has breast cancer. She lives in a "red" area and has been heckled.

I wear a mask because I have an autoimmune disease.

Just because republicans made mask wearing political, doesn't mean anything about people who are wearing masks right now.

Anonymous wrote:Be careful with these simplistic narratives of who does and doesn’t mask. I see Democrats unmasked and Republicans masked all the time. It’s quite likely that something other than party affiliation, like education or income, is what’s driving differences.

It's not "simplistic" if we are not talking about a binary decision, but investigating the correlation and the confidence factor.

Be careful with these simplistic narratives of who does and doesn’t mask. I see Democrats unmasked and Republicans masked all the time. It’s quite likely that something other than party affiliation, like education or income, is what’s driving differences.

Come to super liberal Del Ray, Alexandria. Masks are rare indoors.

In Fall 2020, I would agree with you. But in Summer (almost Fall) 2022, I don't think there's a correlation.

If I see a middle aged person wearing a mask now, they are a liberal and want you to know it. If they are old, I figure they may just be hedging their bets but also probably liberal. When I see a young person— like 10-20, often with family members not wearing masks I assume they actually have covid or they got messed up by the covid situation and will need counseling at some point to feel safe.

We all know that the issue of mask wearing has been a hot topic these years, with Democrats being pro-mask and Republicans being anti-mask.
It would be interesting however to see how the choice of (not) wearing a mask can potentially reveal an individual's political ideology.

For example, during the pandemic, with most people wearing masks, if you saw someone not wearing a mask (esp. in indoor and/or crowded place) you could infer that he or she is a Republican (of course with some confidence X).
Similarly, now the pandemic is over and masks have mostly gone away, if you see someone wearing a mask, you can infer that he or she is a Democrat (again with some confidence Y).

What do you think? Would be interested to see if there are any studies about this.