'A Major Threat To Public Health: Herd Mentality,' Aka Mob Mentality

[appalachiablue]

'A major threat to public health: Herd mentality.' By Dr. Jeffrey Kravetz, Special to Hartford Courant, Oct. 11, 2020.

“How are you managing with everything? How are you feeling?” I asked of one of my primary care patients, whom I’ve known for the past 15 years. “I’m an anti-masker,” he said. “I don’t believe in masks, but I’m OK,” he said. I tried to plod through the video visit, reviewing his home blood pressures and glucose log while trying to maintain a professional smile. I did my best to remain composed for the camera — but I broke down at the end of the visit when he asked, “How are you and your family doing?” I said, “We’re hanging in there,” my universal expression designed to not answer this simple question.



I felt extreme sadness, emptiness and anger as I looked at the bright purple shirt I was wearing in honor of my dad; looking at a reflection of my tears in the video chat room. It had been five months since my dad, my hero, passed away from complications of COVID-19. There was no discussion of universal masking when he got sick and certainly no word of being an “anti-masker.” To me and those who believe that science should guide public health policy, being an “anti-masker” is both offensive and ignorant. It is offensive to the many families who have lost their loved ones from this pandemic and ignorant of the simple public health action that exists today to reduce the spread of a disease spread by droplets. But much of our country has seemingly developed a herd mentality when it comes to COVID-19.

Masking is the simplest and the most effective means that we have to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It can reduce transmission by over 95% and has the potential to get this pandemic under control almost immediately. Though heralded as a huge breakthrough, corticosteroids only reduce the risk of dying from severe COVID-19 infection from 26% to 23%. Though a proven and effective vaccine, if implemented widely, could be effective, it is certainly not going to be widely available soon, regardless of what is being forecast by some media outlets. Masking can reduce the chance of transmission to under 1%. There are no side effects of masking and no complications attributed to masking.

So why is this simple public health tool not being used more uniformly? Herd mentality. The herd of individuals following some leaders point to the lack of effectiveness of masking and the problems with masking. “Waiters touch their masks.” “I can’t breathe with a mask.” “You can’t tell me what to do.” The herd follows leadership who shuns masks in public and fails to lead by example. By politicizing masking and denigrating leaders who wear masks in public, the herd is doing irrevocable harm to our country and leading directly to the continued loss of life to this pandemic.

Wearing a mask is not weak; it is a strong show of love and support for those who are around us. More and more families will be torn apart by the ravages of this virus unless we change the focus of the herd...

https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-kravetz-herd-mentality-1011-20201011-bkvxarhaxvbz7i64wrf64ltyky-story.html

- HERD MENTALITY, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Herd mentality, mob mentality and pack mentality, also lesser known as gang mentality, describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis. When individuals are affected by mob mentality, they may make different decisions than they would have individually.
Social psychologists study the related topics of group intelligence, crowd wisdom, groupthink, deindividuation, and decentralized decision making...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality



- Lansing, Michigan protest.

[BigmanPigman]

1. A lot has to do with toxic masculinity, "real men don't need masks"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/114223900
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/10/us/politics/trump-biden-masks-masculinity.html

The theme has been there since the beginning of the pandemic. Some experts who study masculinity and public health say the perception that wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines are unmanly has carried a destructive cost. The virus has infected more men than women and killed far more of them.

Men’s resistance to showing weakness — and their tendency to take risks — was demonstrated by scientists long before Covid-19. Studies have shown men are less likely than women to wear seatbelts and helmets, or to get flu shots. They’re more likely to speed or drive drunk. They are less likely to seek out medical care.

Some initial research indicates a similar pattern is playing out with the coronavirus. Gallup’s Covid-19 tracking poll, updated on Wednesday, has found that American women are more likely than men to take precautions to avoid contracting the coronavirus, including by wearing masks outside the home. Other recent polls have found that men give higher marks to Mr. Trump than women on his handling of the pandemic.

[appalachiablue]

2. Yes, a lot of that dangerous absurdity. I dunno about the

terms 'masculinity' and 'manly' which have positive associations and strengths to me.

Anti masking is juvenile, selfish and weak.

[ailsagirl]

3. I love the pic of dump holding a Biden sign!!

[appalachiablue]

4. Glad I snatched this one when I saw it surfing.

Perfekt.

[MustLoveBeagles]

5. K&R

[appalachiablue]

6. kick