I went on a shopping expedition yesterday. I have become someone less virtuous and took the bus both ways. If I go on Sundays the bus is not the limited which makes fewer stops. The local stops at the end of my block instead of having to walk half a mile. That was too hard to resist. People tend to be good on the buses and wear masks and not sit near each other. I look for the seat that puts me at the least exposure. While sitting there I made eye contact with a young woman whose mask was below her chin. I pointed at my nose, and know what she did? She put her mask on. Not only that when we got off the bus she ran up to me to thank me. I’ve read many times that shaming doesn’t work. I was glad I could do a little something to help. This is not a scalable solution but it’s part of a general strategy. The trick is to make mask wearing socially desirable. The most important thing you can do is set a good example by wearing your mask at all times when out. Let other people see you in your mask. Normalize mask wearing. If you make eye contact try doing what I did. Smile, don’t scowl, when you do it. People can see that even when you are masked. Come across as friendly not judgmental. The whole experience made me feel good. Instead of thinking about the terrible people not wearing masks I thought of the good people that might be convinced to wear one.
This is closely related to something we discussed in my last therapy session. I’m working on being less judgmental on Facebook. When it’s about something important, like the Oxford Comma, the hill I die on, I should approach it as preaching to the uninitiated, not condemning the heretics. It’s unrealistic for me to not preach at all, fish gotta swim and evangelists gotta preach.
I can evangelize about Show Boat too. I won’t, just listen to that singing, it doesn’t need me to add a word.
Wise Madness 