What has become of us?
As I went to the elevator lobby at our hotel this morning I found a man already waiting to go downstairs there.
He had a face covering on–a neck gaiter designed to keep out UV rays, but not viruses–not because it would provide any protection but rather because of the COVID panic and the accompanying myths about the value of masks.
In an attempt to go along to get along and help the guy feel comfortable, I fumbled among the change and wallet in my jeans pocket to drag out my own basically unsanitary mask, donned it, and then offered to wait for the next elevator in case he was afraid of being in an elevator with another human being.
He chuckled and told me he was fine with another passenger, and then as soon as the doors closed, he went into a quiet rant about how stupid the face coverings farce is and how he was tired of the whole thing.
The door opened and after wishing each other a good day we went our separate ways.
The incident has stuck with me all day now because of the way it represented a breakdown in our societal norms that I do not believe for one minute is accidental.
Don’t get me wrong. I know the COVID-19 thing is real and that it has caused illness and death all around the world.
What I don’t know is whether the virus was man-made and then weaponized as a strategic project or naturally-occuring and then weaponized as a tactical maneuver driven by random circumstances.
Either way, our interactions with fellow human beings have been affected, and not in a good way.
Instead of polite greetings and positive encounters, millions of people have learned to judge and fear those of us who’ve made an informed choice to avoid face coverings. One woman at this hotel visibly cowered and then literally walked into a wall trying to get as far away from me as she could, presumably because I was not wearing a mask in the all-but-deserted lobby.
Our relationships and sense of unity are all messed up, and this whole situation has the stench of an effort to employ the divide and conquer maxim.
In my opinion, our society has been changed by dark and powerful forces that have something in mind for us other then what is best for us.
Keep your head on a swivel and be alert.