Psychological impact of masking on our humanity

We were warned to “mask up” to prevent the spread of C*vid.

Many of us non-maskers, including myself, have been chastised at stores for not wearing masks and for putting other people at risk.

We were told over and over again since the beginning of 2020 that masks are essential for stopping the spread of C*vid, the novel c*ronavirus.

But, was it the truth?

News articles reported that masking had practically obliterated the flu.

No more flu. It was apparently a miracle!

The New York Times reports, “There have been fewer influenza cases in the United States this flu season than in any on record. About 2,000 cases have been recorded since late September, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent years, the average number of cases over the same period was about 206,000. As measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus were implemented around the country in March 2020, influenza quickly disappeared, and it still has not returned. The latest flu season, which normally would have run until next month, essentially never happened.”[1]

The studies suggested that flu season “never happened.”  

Yet C*vid continued to spread like wildfire around the planet during the same period of time.

Wait a minute! Put your critical thinking cap on.

Aren’t these both respiratory diseases that are spread the same way?

Here’s the science:

“Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your respiratory system — your nose, throat and lungs.”[2]

And, according to the CDC, “Most experts think that flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.”[3]

As fate would have it, according to the CDC, “COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a new coronavirus discovered in 2019. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.”[4]

Both flu and C*vid, according to science, are spread the same exact way.

If the masks (plus hand washing and social distancing) obliterated the flu and made it disappear for the first time ever, why didn’t it stop the spread of C*vid, too?

I’m going to suggest that masking the population wasn’t meant to stop the spread of anything.

It was recommended and enforced in many places for other dubious reasons.

Let’s take a look at the history of masks and why and when they were worn by people.

In the 18^th Century, on the islands of Martinique and Saint Dominigue, it was common practice French plantation owners to force slaves to wear tin masks to prevent them from eating sugar or drinking rum.[5]

“When persons being held as slaves were accused by their masters of insubordination, or of eating more than their allotment of food, they might expect to be fitted with an iron muzzle.”[6]

In the Southern United States, we used something similar called an “iron bit” as a gag and form of punishment for the slaves.[7]

If you want to be shocked, look up images of iron muzzles and iron bits. Yep, we did that to other human beings. It’s inhumane and just plain horrifying.

Let’s keep going, shall we?

When I was out and about experimenting in the world in my mid-twenties, a friend had suggested that we check out an S&M club in Manhattan.

“Just for fun,” she said.

For those of you that don’t know what S&M stands for, it means Sadomasochism.

According to the medical dictionary, Sadomasochism is, “A form of perversion marked by the enjoyment of cruelty and humiliation in its received or active and/or dispensed and passive forms. Deriving pleasure from inflicting or submitting to physical or mental pain and suffering.”[8]

Needless to say, I went with her only that one time to the S&M nightclub. That was more than enough for me! It wasn’t my idea of a “fun” time.

Locked inside cages around the club, were partially naked men and women wearing face masks and other mouth coverings, who were being whipped, slashed, smacked, and abused.

From what I witnessed, the people wearing the masks and mouth gags were on the receiving end of the humiliation (masochists).

Interestingly, some of those S&M masks looked very much like iron slave bits. Did you google those horrific images yet?

According to Psychology today, “For the masochist, taking on a role of subjugation and helplessness can offer a release from stress or the burden of responsibility or guilt. It can also evoke infantile feelings of vulnerability and dependency.”[9]

Personally, I think this was a major part of the mass masking of the human population. It keeps people feeling obedient, helpless, vulnerable, and dependent.

There are times when masks should be worn, I cover that here: Mandatory masking

According to science, kids are probably going to suffer from the long-term detrimental effects of this mass masking of the population.

Board-certified clinical psychologist, Dr. Aaron Weiner, PhD, states, “The psychological aspect of masks we need to be most worried about for children is that they internalize the idea that the world outside, and the people living in it, are inherently dangerous. This perspective can lead to long-lasting anxiety disorders, and difficulty with their ability to function socially after guidelines are relaxed.”[10]

Many of the masked adults are suffering from these negative effects, too.

I posted a photo on my social media feed of a group of women enjoying ourselves, mask-less, at a rejuvenating and healing five-day retreat. There was a wide variety of women of all ages (20’s through 70’s), of various nationalities, races, and religions, in attendance. We were 35 women in total.

 

One person wrote on my FB feed:

Someone else posted:

We were all together without masks because we were not afraid of each other. We were NOT being controlled or manipulated by the fear-based narrative that circumvented the entire world.

A wise teacher once said, “We see the world as we are.”

When I look at that photo, I see brave, fearless, strong, healthy, happy, connected, curious, caring, compassionate, wise, independent, and free women, peacefully experiencing their humanity and creating a loving and supportive community.

The psychological impact of all of our choices, no matter what they are, will spread and have a ripple effect around the world.

What do you see when you look at the maskless faces in that photo?

Free people or ignorant people?

 

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/22/science/flu-season-coronavirus-pandemic.html

[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/flu/symptoms-causes/syc-20351719

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/spread.htm

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/dotw/covid-19/index.html

[5] http://leahmariebrownhistoricals.blogspot.com/2012/08/18th-century-sugar-cane-plantations.html

[6] https://www.fold3.com/page/1328/slave-trade/stories

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_iron_bit

[8] https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/sadomasochists

[9] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201408/the-psychology-sadomasochism

[10] https://celebrityparentsmag.com/kids-health/children-wearing-face-masks-experience-psychological-effects-according-to-experts/